Biology 1/2 - Inherited adaptations impact diversity

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Adaptation

An inherited feature of an organism that

enables it to survive and reproduce in its

habitat/specific environment

Three main adaptations

Structural, Behavioural, Physiological

Structural adaptations

Physical features of an organism, e.g. presence of wings for flight

Behavioural adaptations

The way an organism acts, e.g. mantid behaviour when seeking, capturing, and manipulating prey.

Physiological adaptations:

Those involving physiological processes, e.g. the female mantid produces a frothy liquid to surround and protect the groups of eggs she lays.

Purpose of Adaptations

Organisms have adaptations for biorhythms and activity patterns, eg. nocturnal behaviour, locomotion, defence of resources, predator avoidance, reproduction and feeding. These categories are nnot mutually exclusive.

Water Balance in Plants

Plants can be categorised according to their adaptations to a particular environment

Hydrophytes

Hydrophytes: live partially or fully submerged in water. eg. water lily pads

Halophytes

Salt tolerant species found in coastal and salt marsh environments. eg. spinifex

Xerophytes

arid adapted species found in hot and cold deserts

What is the structural effect of a thick, waxy cuticle on stems and leaves?

Reduces water loss through the cuticle

How does reducing the number of stomata conserve water in plants?

It reduces the total number of pores through which water can be lost

Why do some plant leaves curl, roll, or fold when flaccid?

To reduce the overall surface area exposed for transpiration.

Plant adaptations to fire

Plants cope with fire in two ways.

Some re-sprout from protected buds after above-ground parts have been burned away. it benefits some plants like eucalypts

Other plants may die completely, relying on germination of fire resistant seeds to recolonise.