Organisms have specialsed structures to obtain nutrients Flashcards
Autotrophs
make own food through photosynthesis (plants, algae, some bacteria
Heterotophs
get energy by consuming other organisms (animals, some microbes)
Photosynthesis
Carbon dioxide + Water—–light&chlorophyll——glucose& Oxygen
Why is photosynthesis important in ecosystems?
Enables light energy to be stored as chemial energy in plants.
Allows heterotrophs to get energy
How do water & minerals enter plant?
Through roothair cells (they have extensions to increase SA & efficiency)
How do water & minerals enter root hair cells?
Osmosis. Required minerals (calcium,magnesium, iron, zince etc) actively transported
Incisors
sharp front teeth for cutting
Canines
pointy teeth, for tearing flesh
Molars
flat teeth for grinding up food
What teeth do herbivores mainly have?
incisors and molars
What teeth do carnivores mainly have?
canines
What do teeth do?
Increase SA of food, increases digestive enzymes on food.
what is difference between chemical composition of herbivore and carnivore’s diet?
herbivore=eats plant material (mainly cellulose)means diet is largly made of carbs
Carnivore=muscle, bone, hair & intestines of prey. May eat some plants in guts. Food is mainly (protein and fat)
what is dif between length & overall complexity of vertebrate herbivore and vertibrate carnivore?
Vertebrate herbivore has longer more complex digestive system than vertebrate carnivore.
what is relationship between length and complexity of digesive system of vert herbivore in diet?
Cellulose is hard to digest and needs certain bacteria in gut to do so. The food needs to be chewed much more and more time for digestion so a longer more complex digestive system is needed.
what is relationship between length and complexity of digesive system of vert carnivore in diet?
Protein easy to digest, so carnivores have shorter, simpler digestive system. It is easily broken down by enzymes with acid from stomach.
Fats are emulsified by bile to help digestion adn absorption
What are main features of diegstive system of nectar feeding mammal?
Modified mouth and tongue form channel to help swallow nectar.
Long, strong tongue with projections to increase SA
Diverticulum (section off long stomach) to store nectar
No caecum
What are main features of diegstive system of grazing herbivorous mammal?
Incisors to break off plants
Molars to crush and grind food (increasing SA)
Grass feremnts in extended system of stomachs and enlarged caecum
Food is first swallowed in rumen and passed into reticulum. Then regurgitated into cud adn further chewed. Then reswallowed into omasum and then moves in abomasum.
In 4th chamber gastric juices secreted. Before this point, bacteria and protozoa have fermented food so it can be digested
What are main features of diegstive system of carnivorous mammal?
Canines to tear and rip food for action of gastric juices in stomach
Dogs have single stomach and shortened small intestine
