Download Abiotic A`s File - Learning on the Loop

Plant responses and Animal behaviour
Lesson one - answers
The Environment: Abiotic and biotic factors
For an organism to grow, survive and reproduce they have to be able to take advantage
of changes in their environments. Its habitat, where an organism lives does not change,
but the environment can change dramatically (eg: Barnacle). An organism’s niche is its
‘way of life’ – how it lives in that habitat.
1. What does environment mean? MB pg 6 – total sum of non-living and living factors
that can influence a way an organism lives. Can be divided into two factors
2. What are abiotic factors (physical factors)? Non living factors that influence the lives
of organisms. MB pg 6
Abiotic (physical) Factors
FACTOR
ASPECTS OF THE
FACTOR
Light
intensity, duration, wavelength
(photo-)
(colour of visible light, UV
and infrared)
SIGNIFICANCE TO THE
ORGANISM
photosynthesis, temperature, growth,
camouflage, vision
Water
(Hydro-)
availability, state, salinity, pH,
humidity, wave action and
exposure, current speed,
oxygen content
growth, internal state, cooling
fertilisation, dispersal, oxygen,
dissolved nutrients
Temperature
(Thermo-)
daily/annual range, extremes
and duration
growth, activity and dissolved gases
Atmosphere
wind, gases, humidity and dew
point
dispersal, pollination, water loss and
gain, heat loss and gain
Chemicals
(Chemo-)
pheromones and smells, O2,
CO2 and minerals
locating food, mates and predators;
territory; nutrients and waste
Vibrations
sound, vibrations from
movement
communication, avoid predators, find
prey
Substrate
hardness, composition, pH,
nutrients
attachment, burrow, camouflage
Fire
intensity, duration, timing
reproduction
Gravity
(Geo-)
direction
growth direction
Touch
(Thigmo-)
Response to a solid object
Direction of growth
MB pg 7 do questions 2. (abiotic)
3. What are biotic factors? All relationships between members of the same species (intra)
or members of other species (inter), these relationships can be harmful, beneficial, or
neutral.
Biotic factors are interactions with;
o The same species – intraspecific - and these interactions include;
Competition- for resources such as food, light, space, water, nutrients- where
demand exceeds supply
Cooperation- such as clumping of slaters to reduce water loss
Aggression- defending territory etc
Reproduction- pairing, mating behaviours
o Different species – interspecific – and these interactions include;
Competition- for the same resource
Cooperation or mutualism- both members will benefit eg, ants and vines
Exploitation – one will benefit at the expense of the other eg, predators
Commensalisms- one benefits and the other is unharmed eg, epiphytes libing on
the braches of trees
MB pg 7, questions at bottom of species
Analysis of effects of interactions – work through with class
(+ beneficial, - harmful)
Interaction
Effect on Species 1
Effect on Species 2
predation of 2 by 1
+
mutualism
+
+
commensalisms of 1 with 2
+
no effect
parasitism of 1 by 2
+
competition of 1 and 2
-
Responses of organisms to the environment
Environment = factors (abiotic and biotic)
Behaviour = response of the organism to environmental factors
Innate = has a genetic basis, it is usually stereotypical of an organism; therefore it is
inherited. Already have know behaviour to respond to environment.
Learned = learnt through being exposed to experiences. For learned behaviour there has
to be a capacity to learn.
Behaviour consists of 3 process:
1. Stimulus – change in environment
2. Receptor – any cell or group of cells that can detect the change
3. Effector – a cell or group of cells that respond to the change
In plants: pigments and hormones (receptors and effectors)
In animals: sense organs, muscles and glands (receptors and effectors)
4. Describe what is meant by ecological niche? MB pg 8 use statement and bullet points.
Adaptations are inherited in 3 ways:
(1) Structural = colour, shape, appendages
(2) Behavioural = learned or innate
(3) Physiological = to do with internal workings of organism, metabolism, sectretions
etc…