IB Biology Topic B4

Habitat

A place where an organism lives and interacts with its surroundings; geographical or physical location

Biotic factor

Living parts of the habitat (animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, etc.)

Abiotic factor

Non-living parts of the habitat (temperature, pH, precipitation, etc).

Adaptations in a sand dune habitat

Tolerance to drought, salt, leaf and root adaptation, sand-binding

Adaptations in a mangrove swamp habitat

Salt and flood tolerance, propagation, root adaptations

Adaptations in a high altitude habitat

Hairs for low temp, small leaves, low to the ground, leaf adaptations

Species distribution

Geographic location and range of a particular species; influenced by abiotic factors (see range of tolerance)

Range of tolerance

A species tolerance for different abiotic factors; defined by a critical minimum and maximum level for survival

Abiotic factors affecting plants

Light, temperature, water supply, soil properties

Abiotic factors affecting animals

Temperature, water supply, light intensity (vision), food, climate

Transect technique

Technique used for sampling to study the correlation between abiotic factors and species distribution (belt, observational, line)

Sensors

Devices that measure properties of environment (temp, pressure, humidity, etc)

Data loggers

Devices that record data from sensors

Limiting factor

A factor that can restrict growth, distribution, or abundance of a species

Conditions required for coral reef formation

Water depth, pH, salinity, water clarity, temperature

Adaptations of organisms within a coral reef

Symbiotic relationships, camouflage, protective shells, stingers and spines, reproductive strategies

Biome

Community of organisms that occupy a geographical region and have adapted to its environmental conditions

Six major terrestrial biomes

Taiga, tropical rainforest, temperate forest, hot desert, tundra, grassland

Two abiotic factors that determine the type of biome

Temperature and rainfall patterns

Temperature vs rainfall graph

Shows how different biomes are distributed based on their climate

Convergent evolution

Caused by biomes having similar abiotic conditions; result in similar adaptations of organisms within the biome

Ecosystem

A community of organisms (biotic factors) and their physical environment (abiotic factors). Ecosystems are dynamic and can vary greatly in size and complexity

Adaptations to life in deserts (plant)

Stems store water, thorns deter herbivores, deep root system allows for access to water underground, vibrant flowers attract pollinators

Adaptations to life in deserts (animals)

Nocturnal behavior to avoid heat, water storage in body fat, burrowing to escape heat, and specialized kidneys to conserve water

Adaptations to life in tropical rainforests (plant)

Leaves are broad to capture sunlight, thick waxy coating to reduce water loss, and shallow roots that spread wide for nutrient absorption.

Adaptations to life in tropical rainforests (animals)

Camouflage, live in trees, diverse habit