Unit 1: Chapter 5 + 6 Flashcards
Adaptations
Is a genetically controlled structural, behavioural or physiological feature that enhances the survival of an organism in particular environmental conditions
Maladaptive
The adaptation no longer supports the environment it lives in
Tolerance range
Every organism contains a tolerance range for environmental factors that is a variation in which organisms can survive
Tolerance limits
They are the extremes of the range that species can survive in any further than that and the species will most likely die
What does an organism experience at its tolerance limits?
Physiological stress
Limiting factor
Any condition that approaches or exceeds the limits of tolerance for an organism
What determines tolerance range?
Structure and physiology
How do mulgara survive in arid environments/
They have higher medullary thickness causing very concentrated urine
They produce dry faeces
Reduce insensible water loss by exhaling cooler air
Very few sweat glands
Avoid desert heat by being nocturnal
Have fat stores in their tail
How can water be gained?
Through food
Through liquid intake
Metabolic water
Metabolic water
When carbohydrates and fatty acids are oxidised in an animals body, the main end products are carbon dioxide and water
How can water be lost?
Through the skin via sweat and diffusion
Faeces and urine
Insensible water loss
Milk for young
Insensible water loss
The loss of water through the lungs and their passages, usually unnoticeable
Surviving by dormancy
Frogs bury themselves deep underground to avoid the arid environment
Molluscs close their shell very tightly to preserve water
Dormancy
An inactive state in which breathing rates and heart rates are minimal and energy needs are greatly reduced
Surviving by moving around
Some species cope with drought by moving around from affected areas to areas where conditions are more favourable
Surviving through offspring
Some species produce drought resistant eggs and when the waterhole dries up the adult dies but the egg survives until the waterhole is filled up again
How do plants prevent water loss?
Water tappers (deep roots) Waxy cuticle Reduced number of stomata Sunken stomata Glossy leaves Small, narrow, cylindrical leaves Leaf margin (thickness) Vertical orientation Folded leaves No visible leaves Phyllode (leaf that isnt a leaf) Shedding leaves Producing drought resistant seeds
Transpiration
Is the loss of water vapour by evaporation from moist surfaces inside the plant
How do animals survive in freezing temperatures?
Produce antifreeze substances such as glycerol, amino acids and sugars
Burrowing underground
Converting fat into energy which produces heat
Hibernation
Blubber below skin (mammals in water)
Countercurrent systems
Thick coats
Countercurrent exchange
The blood coming from the core warms the blood coming back to the core to prevent it from cooling the organs and at the same time cools the blood going out so the heat lost from the skin is minimised
How do plants survive in freezing cold?
They have a higher concetration of ion in the cell and therefore have a lower freezing temp then the water is drawn out because there is a higher concentration of water inside the cell becuase ice has formed which lowers the freezing point even more
Biomimicry
is the practice of learning from and being inspired by nature’s best ideas to achieve technological advances, expressed in new dseigns, products and processes
Examples of biomimicry
Burrs and velcro - burrs hook onto stuff easily and are hard to remove and velcro was based off this
Lotus leaves and paint - lotus leaves have tine microscopic bumps that help remove dirt when it rains and new paint was designed to do this
Sharks and ships - Sharks have tiny overlapping scales called denticles which were mimicked on ships to reduce drag
Beetles and water bottles - beetles have hydrophilic tips and hydrophobic sides so the fog is turned to water and runs down the back and the drinkbotlle does the same
Physical processes of heat gain
Radiation
Conduction
Convection
