Adaptations, Interdependence And Competition
Overview
Pick any patch of ground: a strip of sand dune, a puddle in a hot spring, the mud under a lily pad. Something already lives there, and whatever it is, it is holding that place against everything else that would like it. Living space is never handed out. It is won, held, and eventually lost, and the winners are the organisms whose bodies and habits happen to fit the conditions best.
This lesson is about that fit. You will sort out what plants and animals are actually competing over, and why two organisms that want the same thing cannot both have all of it. You will learn to split adaptations into the three groups the specification asks for: shape and structure, behaviour, and the chemistry going on inside. Then you will meet the specialists, from cacti and camels to the microorganisms that thrive in boiling, salty or crushing conditions. Along the way you will practise the skill this topic is really examined on: being handed a picture or a set of measurements for an organism you have never studied, and working out what each feature does for it.
Objectives
- 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, including microorganisms, have features (adaptations) that enable them to survive in the conditions in which they normally live.
- Some organisms live in environments that are very extreme, containing high levels of salt, high temperatures or high pressures. These organisms are called extremophiles.
- Adaptations include: structural adaptations, eg the ways in which organisms are shaped, or coloured; behavioural adaptations, eg migration, huddling together; functional adaptations, related to processes such as reproduction and metabolism. Students given appropriate information should be able to suggest how animals and plants are adapted to their environment.
Mind map
This topic is mapped out so you can see how the ideas connect.
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Adaptations, Interdependence And Competition. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which of these is a behavioural adaptation? A. A thick layer of fat beneath the skin B. Migrating to a warmer region for winter C. Producing very concentrated urine D. White fur that matches snow Answer: B
- Which of these do plants NOT compete with each other for? A. Light B. Space C. Mineral ions from the soil D. Mates Answer: D
- Which conditions describe the environment of an extremophile? A. A high salt concentration, a high temperature or a high pressure B. Low light and moderate temperature C. Fast-flowing fresh water D. Deep, well-drained garden soil Answer: A
- A water plant has broad leaves that float on the surface of a pond. Which feature most helps a leaf to stay at the surface? A. Air spaces inside the leaf and its stalk B. A deep root growing into the mud C. A small, narrow leaf blade D. A high concentration of salt inside its cells Answer: A
- Producing small volumes of very concentrated urine in order to conserve water is best described as which type of adaptation? A. Structural B. Behavioural C. Functional D. Seasonal Answer: C
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