B4.1 Adaptations To Environment

Question 1

Habitat definition

Answer 1

the place in which a community, population or organism lives

Question 2

species

Answer 2

a group of organisms that can potentially interbred to produce fertile offspring

Question 3

niche

Answer 3

complete description of a species ecology

Question 4

population

Answer 4

group of individuals of the same species

Question 5

community

Answer 5

all populations of different species living together and interaction with eachother

Question 6

biotic

Answer 6

all living organisms

Question 7

abiotic

Answer 7

non living things in a ecosystem - rocks water light

Question 8

ecosystem

Answer 8

formed by the interaction between communities ad abiotic environment

Question 9

environment

Answer 9

external surroundings that can influence survival and development on an organism, population or community

Question 10

microhabitat

Answer 10

small scale habitat that differs in abiotic and biotic factors from the surrounding habitat

Question 11

what is marram grass

Answer 11

xerophyte

Question 12

what is a xerophyte

Answer 12

group of plants that can survive in dry areas by having features that prevent water loss

Question 13

why are plants susceptible to increased water loss in windy or hot environments

Answer 13

• increased evaporation
• differences in water concentration between leaf tissues and air

Question 14

what features does marram have to prevent water loss

Answer 14

rolled leaf with stomata on inside so that water that evaporates makes the leaf saturated

inner epidermis folded and with hair to trap water vapour - hair also limits movement

outer epidermis - thick and waxy to prevent loss from outside of leaf

Question 15

features of mangrove swamps

Answer 15

found in tropical coastal areas
high rainfalls
solar radiation constant throughout year
grow in a saline and oxygen deficient environment

harsh environment limits productivity

Question 16

adaptations of mangrove swamps - root

Answer 16

roots are generally submerged underwater so that have less oxygen

instead they have aerials roots - absorbs oxygen directly from air
stilt roots give stability

Question 17

adaptations of mangrove swamps - pneumatophores

Answer 17

are roots which grow vertically from ground
act like snorkels
have pores - lenticels - oxygen absorption occurs
contains hydrophobic substances so water can’t flood root when underwater

Question 18

adaptations of mangrove swamps - salt

Answer 18

root membrane prevent salt when water enters

Question 19

limiting factors

Answer 19

variables that -
* slows life processes
* stops a population from growing
* is available in excess

Question 20

what are limiting biotic factors

Answer 20

interactions between organisms
eg. competition or predation

Question 21

what are limiting abiotic factors

Answer 21

physical components of the environment like pH, rainfall, humidity, temperature etc

Question 22

limiting factors in plants

Answer 22

light water nutrients Co2 temperature

Question 23

limits of tolerance

Answer 23

upper and lower limits to the range of particular environmental factors within which an organisms can survive

Question 24

range of tolerance

Answer 24

range between critical minimum and critical maximum limits of environmental factors affecting an organism

Question 25

what does the graph of tolerance represent

Answer 25

the frequency at which individuals of species are found under a range of environmental factors

Question 26

optimum zone of tolerance

Answer 26

is the optimal range on graph - conditions that favour maximum fitness, growth, abundance, survival - reproductive success

Question 27

zones of stress

Answer 27

fewer individuals and survival is lower unable to reproduce

Question 28

zones of intolerance

Answer 28

- tolerance limits exist for all importance environmental factors - nothing can survive here

Question 29

transects

Answer 29

arbitrary line through a habitat selected to systematically sample the community

Question 30

line transect

Answer 30

tape is laid out in direction of environmental gradient and all organisms towering the tape are recorded quantitative data

Question 31

belt transect

Answer 31

all organisms within a band, usually between 0.5m and 1m are sampled along an environmental gradient

Question 32

continuous transect

Answer 32

all transect sample

Question 33

interrupted transect

Answer 33

samples are taken at points of equal distance along gradient

Question 34

what is exposure

Answer 34

it is an abiotic factor brings threat of dying out and more extremes of temperature than those during submersion

Question 35

what are coral reefs

Answer 35

marine ecosystem tropical coral reefs - warm sea and sunlight reef building corals need a narrow temperature range 23-29 degrees c

Question 36

zooxanthehae

Answer 36

is an organism that has a symbiotic relationship with the corals

Question 37

symbiotic

Answer 37

close and long term biological interactions between 2 different biological organisms

Question 38

what are limiting factors to coral reefs

Answer 38

temperature and light even if it increases by 1 degree, it can stress the zooxanthehae causing algae to leave the coral

Question 39

what is bleaching

Answer 39

when there are lots of zooxanthehae causing the corals to starve and not having enough algae to make glucose due to temperatures and light - depth

Question 40

how is co2 a limiting factor to coral reefs

Answer 40

lowers pH - more acidic causes ocean acidification coral reefs are basic and when burning of fossil fuels results in co2 reacting with water - forms hydrogen carbonate and hydrogen ions reduced calcification rates -destruction of existing reefs

Question 41

all limiting factors to coral reefs

Answer 41

water depth - light passing pH - acidity salinity - saltiness to avoid osmotic problem clarity - light passing temperature - bleaching

Question 42

biome

Answer 42

groups of ecosystems with similar abiotic conditions and communities, defined by climate and dominant plant species

Question 43

what are the abiotic factors that determine terrestrial biome distribution

Answer 43

temperature precipitation isolation air pressure humidity cloudiness wind

Question 44

climatograph

Answer 44

graphical model that shows the relationship between temperature, precipitation and ecosystem type

Question 45

isolation

Answer 45

amount of sunlight

Question 46

productivity

Answer 46

rate of storage of energy in plants biomass through photosynthesis

Question 47

features of tropical rainforests

Answer 47

little variation in sunlight and temp - year round growth many layers of trees - emergent to ground level

Question 48

why do tropical rainforests have high productivity

Answer 48

highest productivity as the rainfall is high, isolation is constant and temperature is warm

Question 49

features of temperate forests

Answer 49

deciduous and every green forests - grasslands highly productive for part of the year where there is sunlight winters and rainfall is also seasonal

Question 50

why do temperate forests have lower productivity thank tropical rainforests

Answer 50

less stored chemical energy rainfall is only sufficient to make forest but not enough to have high productivity seasons

Question 51

features for tiaga forests

Answer 51

northern coniferous forests pine trees near artic circle worlds largest land biome

Question 52

climate for tiaga forests

Answer 52

cold, harsh, low rainfall, short growing season serve winters can last till 6 months short summers 50-100 days

Question 53

what is the effect of snow in tiaga forests

Answer 53

reflects incoming solar radiation and increases cooling

Question 54

features of grasslands

Answer 54

16% of earths surface not enough rain but enough to form deserts wide diversity and low productivity

Question 55

what limits survival in grasslands

Answer 55

widely fluctuating temperatures - plants and animals harder to live mixing of cold polar air with warm southern winds

Question 56

features of tundra

Answer 56

colder ecosystems in northern hemisphere northern polar regions low isolation winter temp -50

Question 57

productivity in tundra

Answer 57

very Low because water becomes ice and is not available to plants or animals days are short - no sunlight soil permanently frozen so nutrients are limited

Question 58

features of hot deserts

Answer 58

high average temperatures and low rainfalls 20-30% of land surface dry airs

Question 59

productivity in hot deserts

Answer 59

low because lack of water limits photosynthesis rate of productivity is low

Question 60

expire meaning

Answer 60

conditions too extreme - parent organisms die but leave behind tough seeds or eggs

Question 61

evade meaning

Answer 61

avoid extreme temp by changing activity from day to eight or form above ground to below

Question 62

endure meaning

Answer 62

fatty deposits - respiratory substrate, releasing water. can be stored in roots stems and leaves

Question 63

adaptations of camels

Answer 63

tolerate body temp till 42 thick fur for shade on top long neck and legs to increase surface area for heat loss large flat feet - reduce pressure loose very less water in pee and sweat slit like nostrils - close to keep sand out 2 rows of eyelashes to keep sand out of eyes and nose

Question 64

adaptations of cacti

Answer 64

modified leaves - stops animals from eating photosynthesis in stem to reduce surface area thick waxy cuticle to prevent water loss shallow wide spread roots - to absorb rainfall dast deep roots to reach water beneath surface

Question 65

adaptations of scorpions

Answer 65

active at night to avoid day time heat and conserve energy wide range of prey and wait for it to come near them exoskeletons to protect and prevent water los can detect vibration of sand by other animals

Question 66

adaptations of kangaroo rats

Answer 66

can live without water hide in burrows in day excrete extremely concentrated urine and no sweat

Question 67

adaptations of pitcher plants

Answer 67

carnivores plants so they can get nutrition like nitrogen from insects that the soil lacks secrete digestive enzymes cup shaped leaves and downwards pointing spines to prevent insects from escaping can photosynthesis for glucose

Question 68

adaptations of flying lizards

Answer 68

glide from tree to tree to save energy and evade predators on the floor folds of skin that open when stretched to glide

Question 69

adaptations of gibbons

Answer 69

elongated forearms to help them jump from tree to see hook like fingers and high mobility in shoulders very rarely descend to floor

Question 70

adaptations of orchid mantis

Answer 70

mimicry of orchid flower attracts pollinators to its flower like structure and uses forelimbs to attack and kill prey