B4.1 adaptations to the environment

What are biomes?

Large naturally occurring communities of organisms occupying a major habitat.

What does Whittaker's climograph predict?

The terrestrial biome found in a location according to mean annual temperatures and precipitation

What defines convergent evolution?

The independent evolution of similar features in species, producing analogous structures.

What adaptations do desert plants have for water scarcity - example saguaro cacti?

Succulence, reduced leaf surface (spines), deep root systems, CAM physiology, and thick waxy cuticles ( + water storage tissue)

What is the role of buttress roots in tropical rainforests?

They provide stability to large trees and help absorb nutrients from shallow topsoil.

What are desert animals' physiological adaptations to survive - example of a camel?

Nocturnal behavior, efficient water conservation, efficient metabolism (low metabolic rates, ability to store fat), and camouflage( + water conservation, fat storage in humps, large body surface area-to-volume ratio, high temperature tolerance, long legs, long nasal passages and broad, padded feet)

What adaptations do tropical rainforest animals have - example sumatran orangutan?

Arboreal adaptations, acute senses, camouflage, and intelligence ( + long arms/grasping feet, opposable fingers/toes, color vision, strong jaws/teeth)

What defines a habitat?

The natural home or environment of an organism, providing all necessary resources for survival and reproduction.

What is ecology?

The branch of biology that deals with the relationships between organisms and their interactions with their physical surroundings.

What is a species?

A group of organisms capable of reproducing with each other to produce fertile offspring.

What is the law of tolerance?

It proposes a normal distribution of a species in response to a limiting factor, indicating survival rates decrease as organisms move away from optimal conditions since organisms have different tolerances for abiotic factors

What abiotic variables affect species distribution?

Factors such as temperature, pH, available minerals/light, latitude, climate, altitude, humidity, and soil content.

What is a transect in ecology?

A path along which you count and record occurrences of the species of study within quadrats.

What are the conditions required for coral reef formation?

Water clarity, shallow water depth, optimal temperature (16°C - 34.5°C), pH (8.0-8.3), and salinity (23-42 ppt).

What adaptations do mangrove trees have for their environment?

Prop roots for stability, shallow root systems for support, aerial roots for gas exchange, and salt filtration mechanisms.

What are xerophytes?

Plants adapted to surviving in areas with little water available.

What is mutualism?

A type of interaction where both species benefit from their relationship.

What is the definition of a community in ecology?

A community is formed by populations of different species living and interacting with each other in a habitat.

How do red mangrove trees prevent salt from entering their system?

Their plasma membranes selectively filter salt, while allowing water to enter.

What are adaptations of marram grass?

Rolled leaves to trap moisture, sunken stomata, thick waxy cuticles, and deep/extensive root systems.

What is a population in ecology?

A group of individuals of the same species living in a specific area at a specific time, (interacting with one another)

Adaptation of plants in tropical rainforests - example red meranti [dipterocarp tree]?

Buttress roots, drip tips, epiphytes, lianas, mutualistic relationships ( + tall trees, fast growth rates, large quantities of fruit, chemical defenses)