Adaptations/Factors/Practicals

• Abiotic factors include:

  • Light intensity
  • Wind intensity/direction
  • Temperature
  • Moisture levels
  • Soil pH & mineral content
  • Oxygen levels (for aquatic animals)
  • Carbon dioxide levels for plants
• Biotic factors include:

  • New predators
  • New pathogens
  • Availability of food
  • One species outcompeting another so the numbers are no longer sufficient to breed
• Interdependence


  All the different species in a community depend on each other for resources
• Habitat


  The environment in which an organism lives
• Population


  The total number of organisms of the same species living in the same geographical area
• Community


  The populations of all the different species that live in a habitat
• Biotic


  Living parts of an environment
• Abiotic


  Non-living parts of an environment
• Ecosystem


  Both the biotic and abiotic parts of an environment and how they interact
• Competition


  The struggle organisms have to obtain the material they need from their surroundings
• Stable community

  When the populations of a different species in a community remains fairly constant

  The populations of species are in balance with each other and abiotic factors - e.g. water.
• Plants compete for:

  • Water
  • Mineral ions
  • Light
  • Space
• Animals compete for:

  • Food
  • Mates
  • Territory
• Quadrat Sampling Method

  1. Use a tape measure to measure a 20m by 20m area of a field
  2. Pick a number from each bag of numbers 1-20 randomly - e.g. 18,3.
  3. Use the numbers to make coordinates of the position the quadrat will go
  4. Count the number of the species in the quadrat
  5. Repeat 10 times in total in other coordinates
  6. Calculate the total population size
• Transect Sampling INDOOR Method

  1. Take the clay soil sheet and draw a 1cm wide road on the left
  2. Choose 2 places to measure the distribution of the species with increasing distance from the road
  3. Draw 2 transects where the tape measure/rope would go (label them Transect 1 and Transect 2)
  4. Draw a 2cmx2cm square every 5cm across the transect, starting at the road
  5. Count the no. of species in each square
  6. Complete a results table
• There are 3 types of adaptations:

  • Structural
  • Behavioural
  • Functional
• Structural Adaptations

  • Physical features/adaptations that assist with survival/reproduction. E.g:
  • Bulls - horns
  • Fish - fins
  • Turtle - armour
  • Chameleon - camouflage
  • Brightly coloured flowers
• Behavioural Adaptations

  • Adaptations/things that an organism does to give it a benefit. E.g.
  • Reindeer - herding
  • Monkeys - socialisation
  • Spiders - setting traps
  • Octopi - mimicking other animals
• Functional Adaptations

  • Something the organism's body does without necessarily thinking about it. E.g.
  • Cows - producing milk
  • Snakes/toads/stingrays - producing poisons/venom
• Adaptations in dry habitats

  • Urinating less - reduces water loss - Behavioural/Functional
  • No leaves - reduces surface area to conserve water - Structural
• Adaptations in cold habitats

  • Blubber - keeps feet insulated so it stays warm - Structural
  • Thick, oily coat - isulates and waterproof - Structural
  • Small ears - prevents heat loss - Structural
• Adaptations in hot habitats

  • Humps to store fat - used for energy and doesn't insulate the body - Structural
  • Massive ears - dissipates heat faster from ears - Structural
• Cold habitats


  E.g. Penguins, seals, sea lions

  Small surface area to volume ratio = big animals

  Less heat loss because it has to travel further to escape

  Fat round, short legs
• Hot habitats

  E.g. Camel, fennic fox

  Large surface area to volume ratio = heat has less distance to travel to escape

  Elongated shapes and long legs
• Dry habitats


  E.g. Desert rats, cacti.
• Prey is always in higher numbers than predators.
• There is a time lag between predator numbers increasing and prey numbers decreasing due to the predator's gestation period.
• Extremophiles


  An organism that lives in an extreme environment.
• Extreme environments


  Most organisms would find it difficulut/impossible to survive and reproduce.

  Organisms that do live there have highly specialised adaptations.
• Examples of extreme environments

  • Polar regions
  • Deserts
  • Dark/deep ocean beds
  • Hot geothermal springs
  • Tops of highest mountains
• Food chains

  1. Producer - Grass (always a plant)
  2. Primary consumer - Cricket
  3. Secondary consumer - Frog
  4. Tertiary consumer (apex) - Snake
• Producers


  Plants and algae that make their own food
• Primary consumers


  Herbivores that eat plants/algae
• Secondary consumers


  Carnivores that eat herbivores
• Tertiary consumers


  Carnivores that eat other carnivores
• Apex predators


  Carnivores without any predators
• Only 10% of biomass is passed on through trophic levels.
• Why is only 10% of biomass passed on?


  Organisms don't normally eat every part.

  Parts they don't eat might not be absorbed.

  Most nutrients absorbed are used to release energy as biomass is released through waste products like water, carbon dioxide and urea.
• Efficiency = (biomass transferred to the next level/biomass available at the previous level) x 100