ecology slide deck 4 (plant and animal adaptations)

what is an adaptation

any trait that has evolved in a species over generations to help it survive and reproduce in its environment

how do adaptations arise

natural selection

plants use specialized structures called _____, to make glucose during photosynthesis

chloroplasts

light energy is transformed to ________ _________ that can be used by the cell

chemical energy

6CO2 + 6H2O --->

C6H12O6 + 6O2

how many stages of photosynthesis are there

two

photosynthesis is the conversion of carbon dioxide into

simple sugars

1. light dependent photosynthesis (three steps)

chlorophyll absorbs light energy, light energy excited electrons and splits H2O molecules, light energy is invested into ATP and NADPH

2. light independent photosynthesis (2 steps)

carbon fixation occurs during calvin cycle, ATP and NADPH are used with CO2 to make glucose

what are the two stages of photostynthesis

light dependent and light independent

in photosynthesis, CO2 must move from the atmosphere into the _________

leaf

stomata

openings on the leaf surface that allow CO2 to enter

stomata are open when

the concentration of CO2 outside is greater than inside the leaf

CO2 in the leaf is constantly being converted into _______-

sugar

stomata are closed when

photosynthesis and the demand for CO2 are reduced for any reason

transpiration

when the stomata are open, water vapor in the leaf diffuses out

three impacts of transpiration

helps to transport nutrients through the plant, cools the plant, maintains turgor pressure

turgor pressure

force exerted outward on a cell wall by the water inside the cell

plants function best when their cells are fully hydrated = ______ _______

maximum turgor

how do plants replace water lost through transpiration

plants take up water from the soil by their roots and transport that water to their leaves

the rate of transpiration varies daily depending on (two factors)

environmental conditions and characteristics of an individual plant

C3 ancestral form

appeared first and is still the most common type of photosynthesis

C4

adaption to hot, sunny environments

CAM

adaption to deserts, extremely low rainfall

plant adaptations to dry environments

increased root production, reduction in leaf area

increased root production

allows the plant to explore more soil (volume and depth) for extracting water

reduction in leaf area

decreases the amount of solar radiation striking the plant; decreases the amount of surface area that is losing water through transpiration

plant adaptations to cold environments

frost hardening, produced compounds that allow leaves to survive freezing temperatures, winter deciduous species

frost hardening

the genetic ability to tolerate extreme cold

winter deciduous species

shed their leaves before the beginning of the cold season

plant adaptation to the aquatic environment

floating broad leaves with waxy cuticle, reproductive parts extend out of the water, highly dissected flexible leaves/stems, reduced roots

plant adaptations to low nutrients

carnivorous, mycorrhizal associations, nitrogen fixers

plant adaptations to deter herbivory

thorns, prickles, tough leaves/bark, toxins, sticky resins

animal gas exchange

animals require a supply of O2 for cellular respiration and release CO2 as a waste product

digestive system in animals

a tube in which digestion occurs

four major categories of animal diets

herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritivores/decomposers

herbivores

feed only on plant tissue

carnivores

eat other animals

omnivores

eat both plants and animals

detritivores/decomposers

eat dead organic matter

types of herbivores

grazers, browsers, granivores, frugivores

grazers

eat mainly leaves, especially grasses

browsers

eat woody material

granivores

eat seeds

frugivores

eat fruit

herbivore adaptations

specialized mouthparts, long digestive tract, chemical receptors in nose/mouth

carnivore adaptations

strong jaws, sharp teeth, claws, hunting strategies, keen senses, short digestive tract, high stomach acidity

omnivore adaptations

sharp front teeth, foraging, medium length intestine, acute sensory systems

ecothermy

process of maintaining body temperature through exchangeof thermal energy with the surrounding environment

endothermy

process of maintaining body temperature through internally generated metabolic heat

endothermic homeotherms

high metabolic rate (birds and mammals)

ectothermic poikilotherms

low metabolic rate (all other animals)

poikilotherm adaptations for thermoregulation

seek out appropriate microclimate, change conduction of heat, tolerance to freezing

homeotherm adaptations for thermoregulation (increasing heat)

insulation, shivering, brown fat

insulation adaptations

fur, blubber, feathers

shivering adaptation

involuntary muscle action that increases heat production

brown fat adaptation

small mammals burn brown fat, which has many more mitochondria and generates more heat

homeotherm adaptations for thermoregulation (decreasing heat)

evaporative cooling, panting, sweating, wallow in water/mud

torpor

dropping of the body temperature to approximately ambient temperature for part of a day

diurnal animals

enter torpor at night

nocturnal animals

enter torpor during the day

hibernation

the dropping of the body temperature to near ambient temperature for a long period of time during the winter

migration

movement from one area to another

social behavior adaptations for animals

hunting in packs, living in group structures, mating rituals