adaptation to environment

Question 1

example of an animal with adaptations to its environment

Answer 1

Giant Pacific octopus
* camouflage
* 8 arms lined with dozens of suction cups
* releases a cloud of ink to confuse and distract predators as it hides
* highly intelligent animal

-> successful and adaptable predator

Question 2

habitat

Answer 2

where the community, population or organism lives
- consists of abiotic and biotic factors that interact
- provides organism w all needed resources

described w
- geographical location
- physical location
- ecosystem

Question 3

adaptation

Answer 3

any inheritable trait that make organisms survive and reproduce better

developed to cope better with conditions

occurs through a mutation or is driven by selective pressures

Question 4

adaptations of marram grass to life in the sand dunes

Answer 4

tolerance to salt and drought
strong roots and leaves
sand binding (immobilizing the sand to support the plant)

Question 5

adaptations of a species living in mangrove forests

Answer 5

an environment with a mixture of salt and freshwater where the water level fluctuates and there are high levels of salinity

• Rhizophora apiculata
• is a halophyte (tolerates high salinity)
• pneumatophores - specialized roots help provide the tree with oxygen in waterlogged soil

Question 6

a tree living in Mojave Desert - a hot, arid region

Answer 6

The Joshua tree

small waxy leaves
extensive root system to acquire water
only found in this region

Question 7

abiotic factors that affect species distribution and interactions

Answer 7

temperature
salinity
pH
soil composition
water availability
light intensity and duration
atmospheric gases

Question 8

plant adaptation to
* insufficient light
* too much light

Answer 8

1: large, thin leaves to increase surface area, increased chlorophyll content

2: small, waxy, thick leaves to decrease transpiration

Question 9

plant adaptation to
* too high temperature
* inadequate water supply
* poor soil quality

Answer 9

1: heat shock proteins that protect the plant, thick structures decreased transpiration

2: closed stomata to decrease transpiration

3: symbiotic relationship with nitrogen-fixing bacteria to obtain nitrogen from air

Question 10

animal adaptations to
* extreme temperature
* water level fluctuations
* changes in light
* changes in food supply
* climate patterns

Answer 10

• thick fur, blubber
• storing water in body, camels
• bats active at night to avoid predators
• specialized teeth or digestive systems to extract nutrients from tough plant material (herbivores)
• hibernating in the winter ground squirrel

Question 11

range of tolerance

Answer 11

the range of environmental conditions that an organism can survive and function normally in
> a specific one for each abiotic factor

defined by limiting factors

Question 12

sensors and data loggers and their advantages

Answer 12

sensors = devices that measure physical/chemical properties like temperature, light intensity, humidity

data loggers = record data from sensors over time

advantages
- can work in remote or hazardous environments where human observation is impractical/dangerous
- multiple readings quickly
- real time data that can be assessed quickly

Question 13

marine ecosystem characteristics

Answer 13

complex and dynamic
home to a vast array of organisms
strongly influenced by abiotics
* water depth
* salinity
* pH
* currents
* temperature

Question 14

corals

Answer 14

tiny invertebrate animals (coral polyps) that grow slow in colonies

resilient to environmental stress & can rebuild and regenerate their skeletons

Question 15

coral reefs

Answer 15

underwater structures made of calcified skeletons of coral polyps

provide
* tourism
* food
* coastal production

need specific conditions to thrive in
* water depth 2-45m
* pH slightly alkaline
* stable salinity 30-37ppt
* clear water
* temperature 23-29C’

Question 16

adaptations of organisms living in coral reef ecosystems

Answer 16

camouflage
symbiotic relationships
protective covering (hard shells)
stingers/spines to deter predators
reproductive strategies (eggs, asexual)

Question 17

threats to coral reefs

Answer 17

warming water
ocean acidification
pollution
climate change
unsustainable tourism
overfishing

Question 18

conservation of coral reefs

Answer 18

marine protected areas
promoting sustainable fishing
reducing CO2 emissions

Question 19

biome

Answer 19

a large community of plants and animals that occupy a region and are adapted to its conditions

determined by precipitation and temperature

Question 20

a plant adapted to rainforest biome

Answer 20

Giant Amazon water lily
* unique root system anchors it to muddy bottom and extracts nutrients
* large flowers open at night and have a strong scent that attracts pollinators
* large leaves to stay afloat, have surface area and waxy coating that repels water

Question 21

an animal adapted to rainforest biome

Answer 21

Harpy eagle
* strong large wings, gliding silently through the air
* strong talons and sharp beak
* binocular vision and sharp hearing

Question 22

plant adapted to desert biome

Answer 22

Ocotillo
* deep roots to access water
* storage of water in drought
* photosynthesis
* vibrant colors to attract pollinators

Question 23

animal adapted to desert biome

Answer 23

Gila monster
* maintains moisture
* slow metabolism to go long periods without food
* protection against predators (harness and venom)

Question 24

rainforest biome

Answer 24

biologically one of the most diverse
found in tropical regions

characterized by
* warm temperature
* humid environment
* high rainfall

Question 25

desert biome

Answer 25

arid region that receives little rainfall extreme drought high temp in day and low at night lack of water & vegetation - difficult for most species to survive