B4.1 Adapations to enviroment

A geographic location or type of place thats inhabited by an organism(s)

biotic factors like food sources, vegetation, and other species,

abiotic factors such as temperature, sunlight, water availability, soil type, and topography (e.g., slope, elevation)

heritable characteristic, such as a physical trait or a behavior, that helps an organism survive and reproduce in its environment

Organisms which adapt to their environmental conditions and are able to survive and reproduce to pass on those traits(convergeant evolution). This results in an adaptation that allows a species to survive in this environment

raise the humidity of the air surrounding the leaf, reducing the steep concentration gradient and so reducing water loss by evaporation
Leaves are rolled up to reduce the exposure of surfaces to the wind; this traps water vapour inside the rolled leaf, The stomata are sunken in pits to trap water vapour
The inner surface of the leaf is covered in tiny hairs which trap water vapour
Thick waxy cuticle on their outer surface to reduce evaporation

aerial root system; the parts of the roots that are above the water take in oxygen for respiration
prop roots - These roots also provide stability in unstable soil
structures known as pneumatophores that grow vertically upwards out of the water-logged soil
cells that do not allow the entry of salt into their water-transport systems, allowing the trees to take up fresh water - prevent the outward movement of water, so prevent water loss by osmosis
take salt water into their cells and excrete excess salt through salt glands in their leaves

- Temp
- Humidity
- Water
- Light intensity
- PH
- Salinity
- Minerals

temperature is an abiotic variable that can affect species distribution. For example, polar bears are found in the Arctic because they are adapted to cold environments, while they cannot survive in tropical regions due to heat stress and lack of suitable habitat.

Water availability: Camels are found in deserts where water is scarce because they are adapted to conserve water, while frogs need moist environments and are found near ponds or wetlands.

the spectrum of conditions, such as temperature, pH, or social behaviors, that an individual or species can endure and still survive

Adaptations allow a species to thrive within its range of tolerance for an abiotic factor (like temperature or water availability), which in turn dictates its species distribution. Organisms with specific adaptations are able to live in environments where abiotic factors are at a certain level; their distribution is thus limited to the geographical areas where these conditions, and their corresponding adaptations, are present.

There is an optimum range of tolerance among organisms. Moving away from this range, there will be fewer and fewer organisms

- Random quadrant sampling -
Continuous belt transect
Quadrats are placed end-to-end along the line
Interrupted belt transect
Quadrats are placed at regular intervals, e.g. every metre, along the line
- Transect lines - lines laid out across a site that can be used to measure abundance and distribution across a habitat

SEE SLIDE 16

- Sunlight (for Zooxanthellae (provides photosynthesis for the coral, giving its color))
- PH (above 7.8)
- Depth (50m)
- Temp ( around 30 C)
- Salinity ( around 32 ppT)

Coral bleaching when outside tolerance zone

Combination of abiotic factors which develop specific environmental conditions

- Temp
- Precipitation

find the intersection of the average annual temperature and average annual rainfall values to see where they fall on the graph's grid

Tropical Rainforest: High temperature and high rainfall.
Desert: High temperature and low rainfall.
Temperate Forest: Moderate temperature and moderate rainfall.
Grassland: Moderate rainfall with varying temperatures.
Taiga (Boreal Forest): Cold temperature and moderate rainfall.
Tundra: Cold temperature and very low rainfall.

- Hot desert (dry, low precipitation, high light, high temp, cold at night)
- Taiga (low temp, med-low light, med-high precipitation, short summer/long winter)
- Tundra (low temp, very short summer/long winter, low precipitation, low light, dry)
- Tropical rainforest (Humid, high precipitation, high light, high temp, minimal variability)
Grasslands (med temp, med precipitation, med-high light, warm summer/cold wintee

leads to similar adaptations in distantly separated biomes because natural selection favors the same advantageous traits when different species face similar environmental pressures - Similar temp and precipitation conditions

Cacti in American deserts and euphorbias in African deserts both developed thick, fleshy stems for water storage despite being unrelated.

Kangaroo rats (Dipodomys sp.) are small rodents found in the hot deserts of North America
They spend daylight hours in underground burrows, a behavioural adaptation that allows them to avoid the high daytime temperatures
Kangaroo rats are able to extract enough water to survive from their diet, and can produce highly concentrated urine, so can go without drinking water for extended periods

Saguaro cactus
The saguaro cactus (Carnegia gigantea) is native to the hot deserts of North America, and is adapted for survival in dry conditions
Its stem has a thick waxy cuticle to reduce water loss by evaporation
It has spines instead of leaves; this reduces the surface area from which water can be lost by adaptation, and reduces grazing
Cells in the stem can expand to take on and store water
A deep tap root enables access to water deep under the ground, and shallow surface roots allow fast absorption of any water from rainfall

orchid mantis
looks very similar to an orchid flower, enabling it to attract insect pollinators which then become its prey; this is an example of mimicry
The male orchid mantis is much smaller and plainer in appearance, allowing it to camouflage in amongst the stems and branches of plants

Kapok tree
fapid growth allows Kapok trees to outcompete other species by growing tall very quickly; this height allows them to absorb enough sunlight in a densely forested habitat
Wide buttress roots provide a sturdy base to support the trees during their rapid growth