Plant Adaptations

• Adaptation - process that makes organisms better suited to their habitat. It refers to an important trait for an organism's survival.
• According to Theodosius Dobzhansky, adaptation is an evolutionary process where organism becomes better and is able to live in its habitat.
• Adaptedness - state of being adapted; degree to which organism is able to live and reproduce in given set of habitats.
• Adaptive trait - aspect of developmental pattern of organism, enabling or enhancing the probability of organism to survive and reproduce.
• Three types of adaptation?

  Behavioral adaptation, Physiological adaptation, and Structural adaptation
• Behavioral adaptation - responses made by an organism that help it to survive and reproduce.
• Physiological adaptation - body process that helps organism to survive and reproduce.
• Structural adaptation - feature of organism's body that helps it to survive and reproduce.
• Our planet has about 260,000 species of plants
• The adjustment or changes in behavior, physiology, and structure of organism to become more suited to an environment.
• Plants have adaptations to help them live and grow in different areas
• Structural adaptations of plants include?

  Adaptations to get food, to get water and nutrients, for reproduction, for defense
• Structural adaptations for adaptations to get food - the leaves and stems absorb energy from the sun
• Roots - soak up water and nutrients from soil
• Brightly colored flowers with nectars - attract pollinators like bees, birds, and insects (structural adaptations of plants)
• Spines and thorns - protect plants from predators (structural adaptations of plants)
• Different biome plants include? (7)

  Desert plants, Temperate grassland plants, Tundra plants, Taiga plants, Tropical rainforest plants, Temperate rainforest plants, Temperate deciduous plants
• Desert Adaptations - small leaves or spines on desert plants conserve water
• Some plants have - short life cycle, germinating in response to rain, growing, flowering, and dying WITHIN ONE YEAR. These plants can evade drought
• Desert plants - can evade drought
• Desert plants - leaves with hair help shade the plant, reducing water loss. Other plants have leaves that turn throughout the day to expose minimum surface area to heat.
• Desert plants - spines to discourage animals from eating plants for water.
• Desert adaptations - plants have thick waxy skin that helps hold in water
• Desert Adaptations - have roots near soil surfaces to soak up rainwater quickly before it evaporates.
• Desert plants - have flowers that open at night to lure pollinators who are more likely to be active at during cooler night
• Desert plants - slower growing requires less energy. Plants do not have to make as much food, do not lose as much water.
• Waxy coating on stems and leaves help reduce water loss
• Desert plants - annual rainfall averages less than 10 inches per year! Plants must cope with extensive water loss
• In desert plants, there is a lot of direct sunlight shining onto them. The soil is often sandy or rocky, hence, unable to hold much water.
• In desert areas, winds are usually strong, and dry out plants. The plants are exposed to extreme temperatures and drought