Unit 5.4: Adaptation to environment Flashcards
Habitat
The natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other organism
Organism
Are any individual life form. All organisms have at least one cell
Community
Is formed by populations of different species living and interacting with each other in a habitat
Ecosystem
Is a location where a community of organisms interact with each other and the abiotic environment
Adaptation
Characteristics that make an individual suited to its environment and way of life
Xerophytes
Plants that can tolerate dry conditions (such as deserts) due to the presence of a number of adaptations
Prop roots
A root that grows from and supports the stem above the ground in plants
Aerial roots
Roots that grow above the soil and during low tide, gas exchange can occur through open passages in aerial roots. Air is transported to the parts of the root that are underground.
Law of tolerance
Organisms have optimal survival rates for abiotic factors and as an organism moves from areas with optimum conditions, there is a decrease in survival rates
Optimum range
The area of the graph with maximum survival rates
Zone of stress
The area of the graph with reduced survival rates
Zone of intolerance
The area of the graph where organisms cannot survive
Seminatural habitat
A habitat which has been influenced by human activities, but most of the species in the habitat are wild species, and not cultivated by humans
Belt transect
Quadrats used to investigate the relationship between the distribution of a species in relation to an abiotic factor.
Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are one of the most biodiverse ecosystems which are formed by sessile (non-free moving) animals, which have a mutualistic relationship with zooxanthellae
Mutualism
An association between organisms of two different species in which each benefits
Biome
Are large, naturally occurring communities of organisms occupying a major habitat
Climograph
A graph that predicts the terrestrial biome found in a location according to mean annual temperatures and mean annual precipitation
Tropical forest
Have high rainfall and high temperatures all year round
Temperate forests
Have hot summers, and cold winters, and a moderate amount of rainfall
Grasslands
Have temperatures that vary depending on the location of the grasslands, but all have relatively low rainfall
Hot deserts
Have hot days and cold nights. All deserts have very low rainfall
Taiga
Have very cold, snowy winters and warm, humid summers. The taiga has low precipitation which is often snow
Tundra
Is frozen for most of the year, with very short summers. Precipitation is very low
Succulence
Any plant with thick fleshy stems and leaves, for water storage is succulent
CAM Physiology
A type of photosynthesis, where stomata remain closed during the day to reduce water loss by transpiration. The stomata open at night when it is cooler.
Nocturnal behaviour
Many desert animals are active at night when it is cooler, reducing water loss. The animals burrow underground during the hottest part of the day
Camouflage
Desert animals are often camouflaged to avoid being seen by predators or prey
Buttress roots
Are large overground roots which provide stability, and absorb nutrients from the shallow topsoil
Drip tips
The leaves of many plants have elongated, pointed ends, which allows water to run off quickly, preventing waterlogging and the growth of fungi
Epiphytes
Grow on other trees, using them for support. They obtain nutrients from the air and rain
Lianas
Are vines that grow up the trunks of tall trees to reach the light
