Surviving in an Ecosystem

Organisms could not survive unless they were adapted to the conditions of their surroundings.

In order to meet their basic needs, plants and animals must change to fit into their environments.

Adaptations An adaptation is a trait that enables an

organism to survive and reproduce in its environment. Many adaptations help organisms to:

obtain food. enable them to avoid being eaten. survive in different environments reproduce.

Brightly colored petals are a reproductive adaptation of some plants.

The care that some animals give their young until the young can survive on their own is a reproductive adaptation.

Example-Mammals, Birds, Lizards

Deceptive Coloration“Camouflage”

Example-Frogs, Snakes

Alerts, Warning Colors

Example- Insects

Mimicry

Example-Alligator

•Third, clear sideways eyelid that protects their eyes underwater.

•Wide flap of skin at the back of the throat, keeps water away from the lungs while swallowing underwater.

Example-Prairie Dogs•“Kiss" and “Hug" when

they meet to identify each other as family!

•Take turns keeping watch! If the watch dog

sees danger.

• Sound an alarm call by stretching their heads

into the sky and barking!

Traits

Most adaptations are traits or characteristics that offspring inherit from their parents.

Traits are determined by genes. Genes are sets of information

inherited by an organism’s parents.

Changes to an organism’s environment

Environmental changes affect the organisms that live in the environments.

If an organism’s environment changes, the characteristics that it has inherited help determine whether it can adapt.

If a niche disappears then an animal can go extinct!

Internal Adaptations Allow organisms to function and

survive in their environments. Examples

Birds have hollow bones to make them light weight enough to fly

Fish have gills so they can breathe under water

Animal Behavior Behavior consists of all the

actions an animal performs. Examples:

Things it does to get food Avoid predators Find a mate

Behaviors Behavior is an important

adaptation. Most behaviors help an animal

survive and reproduce. An organism’s reaction to a

stimulus is called a response.House Sparrows aggressively protect a small territory just around their nesting site..

House Sparrows use a set of postures and behaviors to communicate with others of their species.

House Sparrows also have a set of vocalizations that are used to attract mates, deter intruders, and warn others. 

Stimuli and Response All behaviors are responses to

stimuli. Some stimuli come from outside the

animal’s body, like a noise. Some stimuli come from inside the

animal’s body, like hunger.

Types of animal behaviors Instinct-behaviors an animal is born being able

to do. Usually done correctly the first time. Ex: A bird can build a nest. A spider spinning a complicated web. Earthworms crawling away from bright light

Learning-changes in behavior based on practice or experience. Result from an animal’s experience and are

not usually done perfectly the first time. Learned behaviors depend in part on instincts. Ex: Lion cub learns to hunt from his mother,

birds learn songs from other birds

Patterns of Behavior

Scientists classify patterns of behavior into different types.  

Aggression

Threatening behavior that one animal uses to gain control over another.

Competition for limited resources such as food, water, space, shelter, or mates.

Establish a territory, an area that is occupied & defended by an animal or group of animals.

Courtship behavior Behavior in which males

and females of the same species prepare for mating.

Courtship behaviors ensure that the males and females of the same species recognize one another, so that mating and reproduction can take place.

Living in groups A characteristic that

usually helps animals survive. Protection Find food

Society-A group of closely related animals, like “prides” of lions, “packs” of wolves, “herds” of elephants, “gaggles” of geese, “towns” of prairie dogs, etc…

Communication

Communication is used for sending information to other organisms. Sounds for defense Body positions and

movements for courtship Movements or body position

to communicate information of food and resources

Scents  

Behavior cycles Some animal behavior occurs in

predictable patterns Nocturnal- active at night  Diurnal- active during the day. Circadian Rhythms- daily behaviors

Other behavior cycles are related to seasons

Hibernation- state of greatly reduced body activity that occurs during the winter. During the fall, animals eat more food

than usual. “Sleep” in nests, dens and burrows.

Migration- periodic journey of an animal from one place to another and back again.

Animals travel for food. Animals travel for a favorable

environment for reproduction.

Estivation- dormancy, or "sleep", occurs in hot or desert climates.

Heat and water are important. Some animals need protection from

high temperatures and drought.

Symbiosis

Close relationship between 2 organisms in which one organisms lives near or inside the other.

Commensalism

Relationship where one organism benefits and the other is not harmed.

Ex: Sparrows and Ospreys Small bird benefits from larger

hawks protection. Ex: Tiny mites live at the

base of the hairs of your eyebrows. Mites get food, you’re not hurt

Mutualism

Relationship where both organisms benefit.

Ex: Bacteria in many animals intestines Bacteria get food and shelter. Animals get help digesting

food. Ex: Goby fish and snapping

shrimps Shrimp build homes for Goby

and itself Goby alerts shrimp to danger

because shrimp is almost blind

Parasitism

Relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.

Ex: Wasps and caterpillars Certain wasps lay their eggs on

caterpillars. Young wasps eat the caterpillars flesh but keep it alive so they can grow.

Ex: Heartworms and dogs/cats Worms can kill pet by strangling their hearts.

Tropisms A growth response to an

environmental stimulus occurring in plants. Positive= growth towards the

stimulus. Negative= growth away from

stimulus.

Gravitropism- response to gravity.

Hydrotropism- response to water.

Phototropism- response to light.

Animals learn new behaviors in different ways

Imprinting – some newborn animals bond with the first moving object it sees (usually its mother).

Conditioning -connecting some sort of stimulus with a good or bad event.

Trial-and-error learning- repeated practice, gaining more and more skill.

Insight learning – highest form of learning, this is problem solving by applying past experiences.

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