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Ecology (definitions (habitat - the place where an organism lives,…
Ecology
definitions
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ecosystem - the interaction of a community of living organisms with the nonliving parts of their environment
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survival
organisms need things from their environment and from other organisms in order to survive and reproduce
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animals need space, food, water and mates
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adaptations
adaptations - the features or characteristics that allow organisms to live in different environmental conditions
structural
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animals that live in cold places (like whales) have a thick layer of blubber and a low surface area to volume ratio to help retain heat
animals that live in hot places (like camels) have a thin layer of fat and a large surface area to volume ratio to help them lose heat
behavioural
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many species migrate to warmer climates during the winter to avoid the problems of living in cold conditions
functional
these are things that go on inside an organism's body that can be related to processes like reproduction and metabolism
desert animals conserve water by producing very little sweat and small amounts of concentrated urine
brown bears hibernate over winter, they lower their metabolism to conserve energy so they don't have to hunt when there is little food about
abiotic factors
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examples
- moisture level
- light intensity
- temperature
- carbon dioxide levels
- wind intensity and direction
- oxygen level
- soil pH and mineral content
a change in the envirnment coukld be an increase or decrease of an abiotic factor and can affect the population sizes in a community
biotic factors
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examples
- new predators arriving
- competition
- new pathogens
- availability of food
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extremophiles - adapted to live in extreme conditions e.g. high salt, extreme temperatures, high pressure