Unit 4: What issues do larger organisms face? Flashcards
Why do organisms have adaptations?
To be better suited to survive in the environment around them.
What are Structural Adaptations?
Physical ( Shape or Color )
Example Seals
have a rounded shape because of cold environment ( they can store fat) and have a low surface area: volume ratio
Color is grey to camouflage with environment.
What are Behavioral Adaptations?
The way organism behaves or acts
Elephants flap their ears and spray themselves with water to cool themselves down in a hot environment
Migration is a behavioral adaptation
What are the 5 senses
Touch, Taste, Sound, Visual, Smell
How do single cell organisims usually get nutrients?
Diffusion and absorbing from outside
As an organism gets larger, its surface area to volume ratio —-
Decreases
An animal in a colder environment would want a
( surface area to volume ratio)
low surface area to volume ratio
What are specialized exchange surfaces
They are systems that allow organisms with small surface area to volume ratios to absorb essential nutrients
The lungs - alveolus and
small intestine - villi
How do the alveoli and villi help the human body absorb nutrients?
By having lots of surface area, the alveoli allow for gas exchange inside the lungs and similarly, the villi absorb nutrients in the small intestine
Why can’t larger organisms rely on diffusion?
Diffusion distances get larger as the organism gets larger.
This is why organisms have circulatory systems
Examples of adaptations in larger animals ( Elephant)
Larger animals in hotter climates find it hard to lose heat. They combat this by increasing surface area.
This is why elephants have large ears. ( more blood circulation+ vasodilation)
How does the size of an animal affect its metabolic rate
Larger animal, needs more food and has a slower metabolic rate.
Smaller animal needs less food, loses heat quicker, has faster metabolic rate.
Behavioural adaptation in penguins
Emperor penguins huddle together in large numbers.
Essentially creating one organism with a lower surface area to volume losing less heat.
Why don’t cells keep growing in size
Would not help for diffusion and nutrient absorption
How does shape affect surface area to volume ratio?
Pyramids have the lowest surface area: volume ratio.
Spheres have the highest surface area: volume ratio
Animals in colder environments tend to be more chubby ( increasing volume while keeping surface area low)
