[Part 3]- B15- Adaptations, interdependence and competition 🦁 🆚 🐆 Flashcards
What is seed dispersal? Give some examples of it.
- Seed dispersal, is the transport of seeds from the plant to another area in order to grow.
- some ways that plants carry it out are:
- Fruit is eaten by animals.
The animals move around and deposit the seeds in their droppings (instant fertiliser!)
Give some examples of seed dispersal 🐿️🧨💨🍃
- some ways that plants carry it out are:
-
animals: Fruit is eaten by animals.
The animals move around and deposit the seeds in their droppings (instant fertiliser!) - wind: Seeds like sycamore and dandelion are dispersed by the wind.
- explosion: Lupin seed pods dry out and then explode, scattering their seeds away from the parent plant
Give another example of seed dispersal 🥥
- water: Coconuts fall into the water and are carried to a new location.
- If they are washed up somewhere suitable, they germinate and a new palm tree grows.
Explain why plants use seed dispersal
- Seed dispersal, is the transport of seeds from the plant to another area in order to grow.
- plants use seed dispersal because in order to compete as a species, plants need to ensure they have offspring.
Describe the methods that plants use, to compete others of avoid competition 🪻
- bluebells are able to survive, by reducing competition with the trees of the woodland
- The bluebell starts growing in January with its sole purpose to flower before the other woodland plants.
- This means that the bluebell will be relatively free from competition and attracts the early spring pollinators.
- Also, they can then make the most of the light coming through the leaf-less trees.
- ; once the trees start blossoming, they will form a ‘canopy’ which will block out the light for the bluebells, below.
- so the flowers will then go into hibernation until the next year.
Suggest a promblem caused by plants that can easily outcompete each other 🌿
- the availability of resources, are reduced for the other plants that are currently growing.
- This means the plant could wilt or droop, because when the soil of a plant runs too low of available water, the water chains in the xylem become thinner and thinner due to less water.
- this means that the plant is losing water faster than it is absorbing it= the plant loses its turgidity and then begins to wilt.
Explain the effects of overcrowding, for plants.
- some of the effects of overcrowding for plants are:
- Shortage of food because the available food in the habitat, is rapidly eaten due to overcrowding.
- Shortage of space because of an increasing population of species.
- Competition will also occur as the organisms struggle for scarce resources e.g. food, space.
Explain how a plants roots may help them to compete for resources [taproot] 🥕
- a taproot, is when there is one main root that grows straight down deep into the soil.
- And they only have very few lateral roots that develop and grow off this main root.
- they penetrate deep into the soil, to locate waterand minerals deep underground
- and the taproot is also good at anchoring the plant into the soil so preventing them from being blown over in windy environments.
How can other types of plant roots [fibrous] help a plant to compete for resources ? 🍌🧅
- A fibrous root is a root that consists of groups of roots of similar size and length. They don’t penetrate as deeply into the soil as does a taproot.
- fibrous root systems allow the plant to absorb water and minerals over a large surface area, closer to the surface of the soil.
[these types of root systems can even be found in bananas and onions.]
State one example of how an organism is adapted 🐒
- the spider monkey, lives high up in tree canopies and has a long, strong tail. This is because it helps them to be adept climbers. [structural]
- ; they are adapted to have an omnivorous diet because thus means, they’re able to have a variety of food, if one food source runs out. [behavioural]
Give an example of a structural adaptation, in camels🐪
- camels are adapted to the hot and dry conditions of the desert because they have a hump of fat, which is a store of fat.
- fat is a thermal insulator. And by adapting to store fat in one place, this then allows heat loss from the other parts of the camels body-reducing water loss from sweating. [they have a large surface area: volume ratio]
- [moreover, metabolic reactions can be used to produce water from the fat.]
Further explains structural adaptations of a camel🐪
- they also have a thick coat on the upper surface of their body, because this insulates the top of the camel from the heat of the sun.
- This reduces the amount of heat transferred to the camel’s body from its hot ambient environment by three main mechanisms- and reduces water loss from sweating
Further explains structural adaptations of a camel🐪🌵
- the inside of their mouth is also leathery, because this means they can chew desert plants, which often have thorns.
- These plants can also be a goood source of water [e.g- catci]
What other adaptations do camels have ?
- camels have long eyelashes, because it keeps dust out of their eyes; they can also close their nostrils, to keep dust out of their nose.
- and finally, they have wide feet since it prevents them from sinking into the sand, because it decreases the pressure that is exerted on the sand
Why do camels have a thick coat on the upper surface of their body. Explain in detail, how this helps them. 🐫
- camels have a thick coat on the upper surface of their body, because this insulates the top of the camel from the heat of the sun.
- This reduces the amount of heat transferred to the camel’s body from its hot ambient environment by three main mechanisms.
1) the light color of a camel’s fur reflects light energy, reducing heat transfer to its skin by radiation.
2) The trapped air in the camel’s fur functions as a thin material, with space between the individual molecules, minimizing heat transfer to the skin by conduction. [bewteen the camel’s skin]
3) Finally, the individual hairs of the camel’s fur impede the movement of air, reducing heat transfer to its skin by convection.
