Topic 5 - Adaptations Of Organisms Flashcards
What is a habitat
A place where organisms live
What is a biotic environment
The other living organisms in an environment
What is an abiotic environment
The physical and chemical factors of an environment
What does an ecological niche describe
What an organism feeds on
What feeds on an organism
What the organism has to compete with
It’s temperature, water and other requirements
What is a behavioural adaptation
An aspect of the behaviour of an organism that helps it survive and reproduce
Give an example of a behavioural adaptation
Attracting a mate
What is a physiological/ biochemical adaptation
One in which there is appropriate functioning of the organism or its cellular processes
Give an example of a physiological/ biochemical adaptation
The ability to respire anaerobically
What is a morphological/ anatomical adaptation
Refers to any structure that enhances the survival of an organism
Give an example of a morphological/ anatomical adaptation
The spines on a cactus to prevent grazing
Give a behavioural adaptation of a xerophyte
Some xerophytes close their stomata when little water is available and some only open their stomata at night, when transpiration all loss is reduced
Give a physiological adaptation of a xerophyte
Some xerophytes possess cells that store water when it is readily available - the plants have succulent leaves and/ or stems - for use in times of shortage
Give an example of a morphological/ anatomical adaptation of a xerophyte
Sunken stomata that trap a layer of moist air next to the stomata
Reducing the water potential gradient for water vapour to diffuse into the atmosphere
Give examples of some Climatic factors
Temperature range Availability of water Light intensity Light quality Day length
What is the main source of heat for ecosystems
The sun
What happens at low temperatures in cells
Ice crystals may form
What happens at high temperatures in cells
Enzymes are denatured
Why is fluctuation in environmental temperatures more extreme in terrestrial habitats than aquatic habitats
The high heat capacity of water effectively buffers the temperature changes in aquatic habitats
What is the a availability of water the main factor is determining
The distribution of terrestrial organisms
Give an example of fishes that have adaptations to live in saltwater, fresh water, and both
Saltwater - mackerel
Fresh water - perch
Both - salmon
How are some leaves adapted to living in low light intensities
They are adapted to grow on the woodland floor before the leaf canopy develops above
What are something that would effect the light intensity at lower parts of the ocean
Organic matter
How are marine algae adapted to living at low light qualities
They possess additional red pigments specifically to absorb at the blue end of the spectrum
How does Day length affect plant growth
The longer the day length, the more time a plant has for photosynthesis
What are some Edaphic factors
pH values
Availability of nutrients
Water content
Aeration of soils
Why do some species dominate in certain areas of land
Other species have not adapted properly to live there
Why do heathers dominate on Upland Moors
They have an ability to withstand very low pH values in the soil
What are Macronutrients
A wide variety of ions required for plants
Give some examples of Macronutrients
Nitrate for Amino acids Phosphate for nucleotide synthesis Calcium for the middle lamella Sulfate for the synthesis of some amino acids Iron for the production of chlorophyll
What does plant distribution depend on
The nutrient balance of a particular soil
Give examples of how water content is dependant on the soil type
Clay soils tend to hold a lot of water
Sandy soils are freely draining and hold little
Waterlogged soil creates anaerobic conditions
Give 2 plants that can tolerate waterlogged conditions
Rushes and Sedges
How do plants adapt to survive waterlogged soils
They have air spaces within their root tissues that allow some diffusion or oxygen from the aerial parts to help supply the roots
How is aeration of soils an edaphic factor
The space between soil particles is filled with air, from which the roots obtain their respiratory oxygen by diffusion
What are some Biotic factors
Competitors
Predators
Accumulation of waste
Why is Competitors a Biotic factor
Organisms compete with one another when they share a common resource and that resource is in limited supply
What is Interspecific competition
When organisms have to compete with their own species
What is intraspecific competition
When organisms have to compete with not only their own species, but with others
What is the competitive exclusion principle
Where two species occupy the same ecological niche, the interspecific competition leads to the local extinction of one or the other
What is the Predator - Prey rule
When prey numbers are low, predator number decline; and when predator numbers become high, the prey numbers drop
Why is accumulation of waste a biotic factor
The growth of microorganisms is frequently self-limiting because the accumulation of waste products can be toxic
Give an example of accumulation of waste being a biotic factor
In anaerobic conditions yeast populations produce ethanol
