B4.1 adaptation to environment Flashcards
(28 cards)
What is a habitat?
Is a place where organisms live. It provides the basic resources they need to survive long-term, such as shelter, food, water, oxygen, and often light
What is a community?
Refers to multiple species living together in the same habitat, sharing similiar environmental requirements
How can be habitats be described?
Can be described by their geographical or physical location and by the type of ecosystem they represent
Why might GPS location alone be an incomplete way to describe a habitat?
GPS provides only geographical location. A complete description includes physical and biological features like types of plants, animals, and environmental conditions
Do organisms live in isolation within habitats?
NO. organisms share habitats and interact with one another, meaning each organism can impact the others living in the same habitat.
What is the role of the sea oat in sand dune formation?
Sea oats trap blowing sand and around their base, helping to buil and stabilize sand dunes. A sand accumalates, the prants gwow taller to ensure their seeds may stay above the entry level
How are sea-oats adapted in sandy/coastal environments?
Sea oats are drought resistant, have a large shallow root system to absorb water quickly, and narrow leaves to reduce water loss. They close their stomata during dry conditions to conserve moisture
Why are dense, interwoven roots important in sea oats?
The dense root system helps maximize water uptake during short rainy periods and anchors sand in place, prevention beach erosion and supporting dune stability
How do sea oats reproduce?
Sea oats reproduce both sexually, through seed heads, and asexually, via growth shoots from nodes and rhizomes (underground stems). Sand accumulation stimulates growth of shoots above new sand
What environmental conditions can sea oats tolerate?
Sea oats thrive in full sunlight, tolerate salt spray, and can survive short-term immersion in saltwater.
What is the habitat of red mangrove trees?
These grow along the saltwater tidal zones in tropical and subtropical regions, including Bermuda, Florida, the West Indies, and tropical America
What structural adaptation helps red mangrove trees stay upright in waterlogged soil?
They have prop roots that extend above the waterline, forming a “spider-like” support system to stabilize the tree and absorb air
How do red mangroves obtain oxygen for their submerged roots?
The roots above the water absorb air, which is used to oxygenate the tissues of submerged roots buried in mud
What function do the underwater roots of red mangroves serve besides anchoring the tree?
They filter out salt of the water, allowing access to fresh water, and help stabilize the soil, prevention beach erosion
Why are red mangrove habitats important for marine life?
the tangled roots provide a protective nursery habitat for many fish and marine animals
What is a progagule in red mangroves?
This is a seed that germinates and begins to grow while still attached to the parent tree. It later falls into the water and floats
How does the propagule of a red mangrove tree orient and grow?
Once in shallow water, the propagule positions its roots downward, begins root growth, and develops leaves on the upper-end and adaption for marine plant dispersal
What is marine plant dispersal?
refers to the process by which plants growing in or near marine environments spread their seeds or propagules through water. This helps the plants colonize new areas.
What is a nursery habitat?
an environment where young organisms can grow and develop safely. These areas offer shelter, food, and protection from predators. The tangled root systems of mangrove trees create excellent nursery habitats for fish, crustaceans, and other marine species
What are prop roots?
are specialized abover-ground roots that grow from the stem or trunk and extend down into the soil or water. In red mangroves, these roots stabilize the tree in soft, muddy soil, help the plant remain upright in waterlogged conditions, and absorb oxygen from the air since the underwater roots are often buried in low-oxygen mud
What are abiotic factors?
These are the** non-living** components of an ecosystem.
Common abiotic factors include:
- Water availability
- temperature range
- light intensity and duration
- soil composition
- pH range
- salinity
What can abiotic factors act as?
The can act as a limiting factor if that factor is outside the tolerance zone of an organism.
What does it mean for an organism to have a wide tolerance range?
It means the organism can survive and function in a broad range of values for a specifica abiotic factor, like high or low salinity or temperature
How can a wide tolerance for abiotic factors help an organism?
It allows the organism to inhabit unusual or extreme environments, giving it access to habitats with less competition for other species
