Changes in the environment affect the distribution of living organisms
Environmental changes can be measured using non-living indicators such as oxygen levels, temperature and rainfall
Animals and plants are subjected to environmental changes. Such
changes may be caused by living or non-living factors such as change
in a competitor, or in the average temperature or rainfall
Living organisms can be used as indicators of pollution:
Lichens can be used as air pollution indicators, particularly of the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere
lichens found in areas with low levels of sulphur dioxide in the air
invertebrate animals can be used as water pollution indicators and are used as indicators of the concentration of
dissolved oxygen in water
Adaptations
To survive and reproduce, organisms require a supply of materials from their
surroundings and from the other living organisms there
Plants often compete with each other for light and space, and for water and nutrients from the soil
Animals often compete with each other for food, mates and territory
Organisms, incl. microorganisms have features (adaptations) that enable them to survive in the conditions in which the normally live
Some organisms live in environments that are very extreme. Extremophiles may be tolerant to high levels of salt, high temperatures or high pressures
Animals and plants may be adapted to cope with specific features of their environment, eg thorns, poisons
and warning colours to deter predators
Animals and plants may be adapted for survival in the
conditions where they normally live, eg deserts, the Arctic
Animals may be adapted for survival in dry and arctic environments by means of:
changes to surface area
thickness of insulating coat
amount of body fat
camouflage
Plants may be adapted to survive in dry environments by means of:
changes to surface area, particularly of the leaves
water-storage tissues
extensive root systems
ADAPTATION - a feature or characteristic that allows a living thing to live
successfully in its habitat
Competition - the rivalry between members of
the same species (INTRASPECIFIC), [lion --> lion / humans --> humans], for a resource in limited supply that they both need
competition in different species (INTERSPECIFIC), [lions --> hyeena, cheetahs, tigers], for a resource in limited
supply that they both need
Reduction of other types of competition
mating rituals
courtship displays
features that allow warning fights for dominance
Link Between ADAPTATION & COMPETITION
If an organism is well adapted to the environment it lives in, it will compete well for limited resources and therefore is more likely to survive and reproduce