Habitats and adaptations of species

What is a habitat?

A place where an organism lives; both in terms of its geographical and physical location

What do organisms need to adapt to?

their biotic and abiotic factors

What are biotic factors?

they are “living” factors which have an impact on feeding, predator-prey, symbiotic or other interdependent relationships

Examples of biotic factors

• plants

• animals

• bacteria

• fungi

What are abiotic factors?

they are “non-living” physical factors

What do abiotic factors have an influence on?

specific adaptations of an organism to live in their habitat

Examples of abiotic factors

• air

• salinity

• temperature/light

• water

• pH

• soil

What are the three main habitats plants have to adapt to?

1. High habitat/altitude

2. Dry habitat

3. Waterlogged habitat

What are plants that grow in high habitats exposed to?

abiotic stress

What type of abiotic stress do they experience?

higher UV radiation, low temp., water scarcity and permafrost

What does permafrost do to plants in high habitats?

makes rooting and water absoprtion of nutrients difficult

What do plants growing on beach dunes have the challenge of?

water conservation and tolerance of high salt concentration

What does the high salt concentration do?

hinders water uptake by osmosis

Where do mangrove swamps develop?

in the tropics and subtropics

Where do mangrove swamps grow?

under sheltered conditions where mud accumulates