Interdependence and adaptation

Adaptations

Summary of Specification

Adaptations for survival Adaptations for survival in deserts

and the Arctic. Adaptations to cope with specific

features of the environment. Extremophiles

Learning Outcomes

Observe adaptations of a range of organisms.

Explain how organisms are adapted to survive in their habitat.

Learning Objectives

To be able to identify special adaptive features of animals

To appreciate how adaptations allow an animal to survive in hostile environments

To recognise the adaptations of plants for different environments

Adaptations

Living things adapt to their environment. Watch the video clip, and then try to fill in the

table explaining how the creature is adapted to it’s environment.

Animal

Adaptation How this helps them survive

Adaptations in different animals Look at the animals on the

worksheet, for each one try to give where it lives and an example of how it is adapted for survival in its environment.

Adaptations in different animals Look at the animals on the

worksheet, for each one try to give where it lives and an example of how it is adapted for survival in its environment.

Adaptations

Adaptations

You need to be able to: Explain how animals are adapted for survival in

arctic and desert environments in terms of:▪ Body size and surface area▪ Thickness of insulating coat▪ Amount of body fat▪ Camouflage

Explain how plants are adapted to survive in arid conditions

Suggest how organisms are adapted to the conditions in which they live.

Pupil Activity

Surviving in different environments. Read all information carefully Answer questions 3 - 9

Adaptations to seasonal changes Hibernation – animals build up a fat

layer and sleep through the worst of the winter months.

Migration – animals move off to warmer climes.

Insulation – many animals grow thicker fur.

Leaf shedding Food storing

Learning Outcomes

Describe and explain adaptations for survival in the Arctic.

Describe and explain adaptations for survival in a desert.

Adaptation

An adaptation is a feature that allows an organism to survive in the environment in which it lives.

Examples Polar bears and Arctic foxes are adapted

to survive in the Arctic A camel and the Fennec fox are adapted

to live in hot arid (desert) conditions

Adaptations of a polar bear to Arctic conditions

White fur Small head

and ears

Compact body shape

Thick layer of fur

Thick layer of

fat

Adaptation of a camel to arid conditions

Long legs and neck

Thin hair on top of body

No hair on underside of body

Nostrils which can close

Two rows of eyelashes

Fatty hump

Sandy colouring

Little body fat

Camel – designed for desert conditions

Big flat feet stop it sinking into the sand.

Short hair underneath the camel lets heat

escape.

Coarse wool on top of its body protects the camel from the sun.

A camel’s hump is a fat store. It can break down fat to release water.

A camel can drink large amounts of water.

Its mouth is tough so that it can eat thorny plants like cacti.

Pupil Activity

Adaptation polar bear

Survival Advantage

White fur Radiates less heat energy – prevent heat loss

For each of the adaptations labelled on the polar bear and the camel Explain how each adaptation helps the animal

survive in the conditions where it lives

Adaptations - CamelAdaptation Survival AdvantageFatty hump Metabolic source of water

Nostrils which can close Close for protection during sandstorms

Long legs and neck Increase surface area for heat lossThin hair on top of body Allow heat lossSandy colouring Camouflage from predators

Two rows of eyelashes Prevent sand from entering the eyes

No hair on underside of body Makes heat loss easier

Little body fat Increase heat loss from skin capillaries

Adaptations – polar bearAdaptation Survival AdvantageA small head and ears Smaller surface area to reduce heat loss

Compact body shape

Smaller surface area to volume ratio to reduce heat loss

Thick layer of fur Traps air, which is a good insulator

Thick layer of fat Insulates against heat lossActs as a food reserve during hibernation

White fur CamouflageReduce heat radiated from the body

Adaptations of the house leek to rocky outcrops

Short stem

Fleshy green leaves

Waxy, shiny outer covering to the leaves

Long roots

Adaptations to water lossa cactus in the desert

Leaves reduced to spines – to reduce water loss through stoma

Swollen stem stores water

Wide spread root systems to increase surface area for absorption.

Pupil Activity

For each of the adaptations labelled on the house leek Explain how each adaptation helps plant

survive conditions on a rocky outcrop.

Adaptation Survival Advantage

Adaptations – House leekAdaptation Survival advantage

Pupil Activity

ARCTIC FOX FENNEC FOX

Adapted to extremeswww.BBC.co.uk/Nature/Adaptations Adaptation to extremes encompasses all

the special behaviours and physiologies that living things need to withstand the planet's harshest conditions and environments.

Whether it's a lack of oxygen at altitude, the searing heat of deserts or the bitter cold of the polar regions, plants, animals and other organisms have evolved a multitude of coping strategies.

Adapted to extremeswww.BBC.co.uk/Nature/AdaptationsAdaptations

Watch the video clips

Make notes on the adaptations shown by the animals or plant in the video clips

The environments shown will include Altitude tolerant Chemical tolerant Cold tolerant Dry tolerant Fire tolerant Heat tolerant

Homework - Prep

To draw labelled diagrams of a plant or animal, describing the adaptation and detailing the survival advantage of each adaptation.

Learning Outcome

Define the term extremophile and be able to give general examples.

extreme environments

Environmental extremes for small plants and animals on the Antarctic Peninsula

Write out a list of environmental conditions you think that an organism living on the Antarctic peninsula

Antarctic conditions Extreme cold in the winter Fairly mild summers (up to 45 °F), with rock and

moss surface temperatures of up to 70 °F Very short growing season each year for the

plants that provide food for small organisms Intense ultraviolet light due to the hole in the

ozone layer High winds on small islands Extreme dryness Exposure to high acidity, due to immersion in

penguin guano (waste) during summer breeding season

Possible immersion in both salt and freshwater due to weather and tides in the summer

Prep

Draw a labelled diagram of an animal or plant adapted to survive on the Antarctic peninsula. This organism can be real or fictitious

Extremophiles

Extremophiles are adapted to live in extreme environments.

Extremophiles can be tolerant to High salt levels High temperatures High pressure

As the conditions are extreme, there are very few other organisms to compete with.

Extreme temperatures

Extreme high temperatures can be found around hot springs or hydrothermal vents.

Most organisms will die at temperatures about 40oC because proteins and enzymes in their bodies breakdown (denature).

Bacteria that can survive in these places have enzymes that do not denature at high temperatures of greater than 60oC.

Hydrothermal vents

Deep in the ocean, water pressure is great and there is no light.

Bacteria are the producers in these communities and they make sugars using chemical energy released from the hydrothermal vents (chemosynthesis).

Interdependence and adaptation

Populations and competition

Summary of specification

Organisms require materials from their surroundings and from other organisms to survive.

Plants compete for light, space, water and nutrients.

Animals compete for food, mates and territory.

Learning Outcomes

List factors that affect the survival of organisms in their habitat.

Give examples of resources that plants and animals compete for in a given habitat.

Describe adaptations that some organisms have to avoid being eaten.

Interpret population curves.

What is an Ecosystem?

The Environment

An ecosystem is an environment where living organisms can survive.

Each ecosystem is made up of Habitats and Communities

Habitat - This is the place where the organisms live. It has the conditions that they need to survive.

Community – all the living organisms that live in the habitat.

Physical Factors Each ecosystem has a set of

environmental factors. Organisms live, grow and reproduce in

places where, and at times when, conditions are suitable.

These factors vary according to the time of day and the time of year.

Physical Factors

Availability of waterTemperature

Few living organisms can grow outside the range of 0oC to 40oC.

Light Intensity photosynthesis in plants, animals need

light for visibility.Availability of carbon dioxide

and oxygen 

Pupil Activity

Environmental factors affecting life Read all the information supplied on

the sheet carefully. Answer questions 3-5 and 8-11 in full

sentences.

Factors affecting population size

Populations

A population is a group of individuals of the same species living in a particular habitat at the same time.

The number of individuals present in the population will depend on how they can interact with two types of factor.

Populations

Biotic (living) food, disease, predation, mates, effects

of humans, and competition Abiotic (non living)

water, oxygen, carbon dioxide, temperature and light intensity

Populations

Populations need things called resources to grow.

Organisms that are better suited (adapted) to compete are more likely to survive and have offspring

Competition for Resources Plants and animals compete for

resources. Plants often compete with each other for

space, and for nutrients and water from the soil.

Animals often compete with each other for space, water and food.

Competition

Competition between members of the same species▪ Organisms produce more offspring than can

survive▪ This leads to competition▪ If there is plenty of food the population is

likely to increase, if food is depleted it is likely that population size will decrease

Gannets

Gannets are sea birds that catch fish by diving head first into the water.

They live and breed on remote cliffs

VS

Gannet Colony

Gannet Colonies

Gannets compete for space on the rocks The nests are distributed “pecking

distance” apart Plenty of fish

more young gannets are raised Increase competition for nesting sites in

future years

Competition

Competition between members of different species Several species might rely on the same

food source or space▪ E.g. primroses flower early in the year to

avoid competition for light. They also produce leaves, flowers and seeds before the tree leaves open and put them into shade

VS

Intraspecific competition

Interspecific Competition

Factors affecting population size Predation will limit the prey

population. Disease can spread quickly through

large populations.

Predator-prey relationships Animals that kill and eat other

animals are called predators. The animals that they eat are called prey.

Predators are usually bigger and fewer in number than their prey. List five things that make a good

predator: List five ways prey have adapted escape

from predators:

Predator – Prey Relationship

List what is happening in each of the stages 1 – 5 on the predator prey graph.

1. The prey has plenty of food. It breeds and increases in number.

2. The increase in prey means that there is more food for the predator. So the predator breeds and increases in number.

3. There are now lots of predators so more prey will be eaten. The number of prey goes down.

Predator prey graph

4. There are now less prey for the predator to feed on. Food will be scarce and many predators starve.

5. With fewer predators, more prey survive to breed. The prey numbers increase

The cycle continues…

Interdependence and adaptation

Environmental Change

Summary of specification Environmental change and the

distribution of organisms. Environmental changes due to living

and non-living factors. Indicators of pollution – lichens and

invertebrates. Measuring environmental changes.

Learning Outcomes

Evaluate data on environmental change and the distribution and behaviour of living organisms.

Give examples of how an environment can change.

Environmental Change

The distribution of plants and animals can be affected by changes in their environment.

Environmental changes could be due to Non-living factors – temperature, rainfall,

light and oxygen levels Living factors – predators, disease,

introduction of new species

Learning Outcomes

Interpret data on lichen distribution and sulfur dioxide levels.

Interpret data on invertebrates and water pollution.

Biological Indicators

Living organisms can be used as indicators of pollution The presence or absence of particular

organisms can indicate the level of pollution in an area.

These are called Indicator Species Biological indicators of air and water

pollution can give a longer term view of changes than chemical sampling.

Pollution Indicators Species Freshwater invertebrates can be

used as indicators of freshwater pollution

Lichens can be used as indicators of air pollution due to their sensitivity to sulfur dioxide.

Freshwater pollution Indicator Species

Animals found in water with low levels of oxygen▪ Sludge worm▪ Rat-tailed maggot▪ Blood worm

Animals found in water with high levels of oxygen▪ Mayfly nymph▪ Stonefly nymph▪ shrimp

Water Oxygenation

What could cause the oxygen concentration in a river to decrease?

Yup, that’s right SEWAGE or organic pollution

Stages in freshwater pollution Organic waste (sewage) provides

food for bacteria, which allows them to grow and reproduce

Bacteria use up the oxygen in the water when they respire

There is less oxygen for other organisms such as fish and insects.

Animals such as fish, stonefly nymphs and shrimps decrease in number.

sewageDescribe the trends shown in the graph below.

Freshwater Pollution – sewageAs the concentration of sewage pollution

rises, the population of bacteria rises.This is because the bacteria feed off the

sewage which provides raw materials and energy for growth and reproduction.

At the same time the concentration of oxygen falls.

This is because the bacteria use up the oxygen in respiration as they break down the organic waste in the sewage.

Animals such as fish and stonefly nymphs decrease in number.

Quick Test – Freshwater Pollution

1. What effect does domestic sewage have on the number of bacteria in a river?

2. How do the bacteria numbers affect the level of dissolved oxygen in the water?

3. How does the reduction in oxygen level affect the numbers of fish and invertebrate numbers in the river?

4. What name is given to an organism whose presence or absence gives information about the level of pollution in a river?

5. Name two organisms that can live in water where the oxygen level is low.

6. Name two organisms that can only live in water that is unpolluted.

Learning OutcomeTo explain how lichens can be used to indicate air pollution

To analyse data on air pollution and draw conclusions

Pollution IndicatorsThe presence or absence of particular organisms can indicate the level of pollution in an area.

These are called Indicator Species

Air Pollution Indicators Lichens

Different types of lichen have different sensitivities to sulfur dioxide gas.

3 main types – crusty, leafy and shrubbyIndicator species present

Appearance of lichen

SO2 concentration

Crusty lichens only

High

Crusty and leafy Medium

Shrubby low

Pupil Activity

Lichens as indicators of Air Pollution

Carrying out a pollution survey

Air Pollution MapLook at the air pollution map, and explain

the distribution of the different types of lichen.