Adaptation

• Adaptation


  Features of an organism that enable it to survive in the conditions in which it lives
• Adaptations


  • Allow an organism to outcompete others and provide an evolutionary advantage
• Types of adaptations


  • Structural
  • Behavioural
  • Functional
• Structural adaptations


  Physical features that allow an organism to successfully compete
• Structural adaptations


  • Sharp teeth to hunt prey
  • Colouring for camouflage
  • Large or small body-surface-area-to-volume ratio
• Behavioural adaptations


  Behaviours of an organism that give it an advantage
• Functional adaptations


  Adaptations related to processes that allow an organism to survive
• Functional adaptations


  • Photosynthesis in plants
  • Production of poisons or venom
  • Changes in reproduction timings
• Extremophiles


  Organisms that live in very extreme environments where most other organisms could not survive
• Extreme environments


  • Very high or low temperatures
  • Extreme pressures
  • High salt concentrations
  • Highly acidic or alkaline conditions
  • Low levels of oxygen or water
• Bacteria that live in deep sea vents are extremophiles
• Deep sea vents have very high pressures and temperatures, no sunlight, and are strongly acidic
• Population


  The total number of organisms of the same species that live in one specific geographical area
• Community


  A group of two or more populations of different species living in one specific geographical area
• Ecosystem


  The interaction of a community of living organisms with the non-living parts of their environment
• Competition


  Contest between organisms within a community for resources
• Types of competition


  • Interspecific (between different species)
  • Intraspecific (between same species)
• What animals compete for

  • Food
  • Mates
  • Territory
• What plants compete for

  • Light
  • Space
  • Water and mineral ions from the soil
• Interdependence


  When species in a community depend on others for resources and shelter
• Abiotic factors


  Non-living factors in the ecosystem that can affect a community
• Abiotic factors that can affect a community

  • Carbon dioxide levels for plants
  • Light intensity
  • Moisture levels
  • Oxygen levels for aquatic animals
  • Soil pH and mineral content
  • Temperature
  • Wind intensity and direction
• Biotic factors


  Living factors in the ecosystem that can affect a community
• Biotic factors that can affect a community

  • Decreased availability of food
  • New predators arriving
  • New pathogens
  • Competition between species
• Stable community


  When all species and environmental factors are in balance, so population sizes remain fairly constant
• An example of a stable community is the interaction between predator and prey populations, which rise and fall in a constant cycle