Interdependence and adaptation

Q What is an ecosystem? A: The interaction of living things with each other and non-living things in an environment is called an ecosystem.

Q What is environment? A: Our environment is made up of all the living and non-living things around us that affect our lives.

Q What are the characteristics of an environment Q What are the characteristics of an environment? A: Air, water, light, food, other organisms and soil are some characteristics of an environment.

Q What is a habitat? A: A habitat is a place where an animal or plant lives.

Q What is an organism? A: An organism is a living thing.

Q What is population? A: All of the members of one species that live in the same area is called a population.

Q What is community? A: All the population living together in a habitat, form a community.

Eco system pyramid

Q What do you mean by adaptation Q What do you mean by adaptation? A: An adaptation is a characteristic that helps an organism to survive in its natural habitat. Adaptation can be structural and behavioral.

Q What do you mean by structural adaptation Q What do you mean by structural adaptation? A: Special parts of an organism help it to survive in its natural habitat. Example its colour, shape and body covering. Example camouflage.

Q What do you mean by behavioural adaptation Q What do you mean by behavioural adaptation? A: Special ways an organism behaves to survive in its natural habitat. Example migration and hibernation.

What are innate or learned behaviour What are innate or learned behaviour? A: Innate behaviour = Behaviour which animals have when they are born. Like new born babies know to suck milk. Learned behaviour = Humans have to learn skills such as talking and walking is called learned behaviour.

Q What are signals or stimuli Q What are signals or stimuli? A: Animals respond to signals which trigger different kinds of behaviour. Signals can be internal or external. Like a baby will cry if it is hungry or wet. Birds are born knowing how to build a particular shape and size of nest at the right time of the year.

Q What do you understand by the term camouflage Q What do you understand by the term camouflage? A: Some animals change their skin or fur during different times of year. This adaptation is called camouflage.

Q Give some examples of camouflage Q Give some examples of camouflage. A: Arctic foxes and arctic hare change their fur into white color during winter and brown colour in summers. So they can blend with their surroundings.

Q What do you understand by migration Q What do you understand by migration? A: Some animals migrate to warmer climates in the winter. Some animals respond to days getting shorter in autumn, while other animals respond to harsh weather conditions.

What do you understand by hibernation What do you understand by hibernation? A: Some animals eat more in summer when there is plenty of food. Then during winter, they go into a deep sleep so that they need less energy to survive.

What are nocturnal and diurnal animals What are nocturnal and diurnal animals? A: 1) Nocturnal = Animals that are awake at night are called nocturnal animals. Example Owl. 2) Diurnal = Animals that are awake at day time are called diurnal animals.

Q How do nocturnal animals survive at night Q How do nocturnal animals survive at night? A: They have wide pupils to collect light to see at night. They have good sense of smell and hearing to hunt in the dark.

Q How do animals survive in the Arctic Q How do animals survive in the Arctic? A: Animals must adapt to keep warm by having fur, feathers or thick layer of fat under their skin to survive in sub zero temperature.

Q How do camel survive in desert Q How do camel survive in desert? A: 1) Camel has three eyelids and thick eye lashes to protect him from the blowing sand.2) They can drink 100 liters water at one time 3) They can survive without water for few days.4) They have flat feet which help them to walk on sand. 5) have hump to store food.

Q Why should plants and animals adapt themselves to their environment Q Why should plants and animals adapt themselves to their environment? A: Organisms that are adapted to their environment are able to: 1) Get air, water and food. 2) Cope with physical conditions such as temperature and light. 3) Protect themselves from their enemies. 4) Reproduce.

Q What would happen, if plants and animals do not adapt themself to their surrounding? A: Plants and animals which do not adapt themself, cannot survive.

Q Why do plants and animals need to live in their own habitat Q Why do plants and animals need to live in their own habitat? A: Because they don’t wear clothes and make houses like humans.

Q Why are humans able to adapt in any environment Q Why are humans able to adapt in any environment? A: People adapt to their environment by changing their clothing, food and shelter.

Q Why do Arctic plants only grow for a short period in the summer months? A: 1) The ground in Arctic is frozen solid for most of the year. 2) During the winter, it is dark for24 hours each day. 3) Most of the rain that falls is as snow.

Q How do plants survive in the Arctic Q How do plants survive in the Arctic? A: 1) The plants in the Arctic grow in summer when it is always light. 2) The only grasses, mosses and some shrubs grow there. 3) The plants grow with fuzzy covering on the stem, leaves and buds. 4) They also grow close together. These features help them to survive cold winds and blowing snow.

Q What do you understand by the term ‘dormat’ Q What do you understand by the term ‘dormat’? A: In cold weather places, during winter plants do not get enough light to make their food. They lose their leaves. Some plants survive as seeds which grow into new plants during spring. This means that plants become inactive during winter.