Ecosystems, Organisms and their Environment
Video Quiz. Write your answers on the back of your outcomes.

15. Adaptation - a behavior or physical characteristic that allow an organism to survive or reproduce in its environment.

11. Natural Selection – a characteristic that makes an organism better suited to its environment that becomes common in that species
◦ These organisms tend to survive and produce offspring
◦ Offspring inherit these characteristics and pass them on to their offspring over many generations.
◦ Poorly suited characteristics may disappear in the same way.

an organism’s ability to survive and produce offspring.
10. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in a new environment become _________________ , while those that don’t become _______________ .

Plants and animals adapt and change as they respond to their surroundings.
1. What environmental pressures would cause an organism to adapt or change?
Drought, loss of habitat, temperature change, ?
Other examples?
2. Can environmental pressures favor one trait in a species over another?
◦ Yes, amount of fur vs beak size for temperature change.
◦ Other examples?
3. How could that effect a species over time?
◦ Fur may become thicker with colder weather.
◦ Other examples?

Many factors influence how organisms change over time.
4. What are the factors that can cause a species to change over time?
Abiotic?
Biotic?
5. How do those factors cause changes?
Think about your answers to #2 and #3. What examples can you add based on the factors from above?

6. What might lead to the predominance (high number) of certain traits in a population?
7. What might lead to the suppression (hiding) of certain traits in a population?

9. Can individual organisms adapt behaviorally? If so, what can cause these changes?
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Yes! A Behavioral Adaptation is something an animal
does - how it acts - usually in response to some type of external stimulus.
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Examples of Some Adaptions

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FORWARD and BACKWARD CIRCLES
1. Point your arms toward the ceiling.
2. Keep your elbow straight and move your right arm forward creating a large circle. Continue making forward circles with this arm. Now do the same with your other arm except go BACKWARD. Continue with both arms moving at the same time. Make sure you have this pattern working before you continue.
3. While both arms continue to move, lift your right foot off the ground and make a ninety degree angle with your knee. Hold this for a few seconds.
4. Now extend your right knee out to make your leg parallel to the ground. Hold for a few seconds.
5. Stop.
6. Repeat the same process again with your left leg.

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There are three major types of interactions among organisms:
◦ 1. competition
◦ 2. predation
◦ 3. symbiosis

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The struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same resources.
◦ Example: An area can only provide enough food, water and shelter for so many organisms.

2. Predations
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Predation - the interaction in which one organism kills another organism for food.
◦ Predator - the organism that kills
◦ Prey - the organism being killed

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The effects of predator/prey will change constantly.
Look at the graph on page 725 looking at wolves and moose populations.
Predators have adaptations that help them hunt more effectively.
Strategies For Animal Survival 1 Animal Video Clip

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Symbiosis – a close relationship between 2 species where at least 1 benefits.
There are three types of symbiosis relationships:
◦ 1. Mutualism
◦ 2. Commensalism
◦ 3. Parasitism

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A relationship where both species benefit.
◦ Example: Oxpecker and the rhino to the right
 the oxpecker benefits by getting a source of food
 the rhino gets a free cleaning and itch removal service
◦ Clownfish and sea anemone to the left
 The clownfish feed on small invertebrates in the sea anemone that could harm them has nutrients in their fecal matter (poop).
 The sea anemone provides protection for the clownfish because the clownfish is immune to the stinging cells of the sea anemone while other organisms aren’t.

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A relationship in which one species benefits but the other is not helped nor harmed.
◦ Example: Red tailed hawk and the saguaro cactus bottom right
 The hawk benefits by getting a home to live and hatch its eggs
 The cactus isn't harmed
◦ Example: ferns and tree bottom left
 The ferns get nourishment and a place to grow on the tree which is not harmed.
◦ Example: shark and fish top right
 The shark provides protection from the fish’s predators but is not benefited by the fish.

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3. Parasitism
A relationship where one organism lives inside another organism and is harming it.
◦ Host - the organism that is being HARMED
◦ Parasite - the organism that is benefiting
 A dog (host) and fleas or ticks (parasite)
 A human (host) and a tapeworm (parasite)

8. What are some methods humans use to influence certain characteristics of organisms?
Artificial Selection (12) – The breeding of plants and animals to produce desirable traits. Organisms with the desired traits, such as size or taste, are artificially mated or crosspollinated with organisms with similar desired traits.

Selective Breeding (13) – Same as Artificial Selection.
Choosing parent organisms with certain traits so that those traits will be passed on to the next generation. Ex., sweet corn, square watermelons, traits in dogs or racing horses, etc.

Human Influence on Traits
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Genetic Manipulation (also known as genetic engineering)
(14) – Transferring a gene from the DNA of one organism into another in order to produce a desired trait. Ex., cloning, golden rice, insecticide in corn, glow in the dark cats, etc.