Plant & Animal AdaptationsMrs. Geist, Swansboro High School

Biology, Fall 2010-2011

Plant Adaptations

Challenges to Life on Land

Plant Adaptation

1. Obtaining Resources

a. Below ground- roots absorb water & mineralsb. above ground- shoots bear leaves which photosynthesize

2. Staying upright a. lignin: a chemical that hardens the cell wall

Plant Adaptations

Challenges to Life on Land

Plant Adaptation

3. Maintaining Moisture a.waxy cuticle coats the leaves & stems, helping them to retain water.b.gases are exchanged through stomata (tiny pores in leaf’s surface)• guard cells- regulate the

opening/closing of each stoma• open at night to allow for gas

exchange• closed during the day to prevent

evaporation of water

Plant Adaptations

Challenges to Life on Land

Plant Adaptation

4. Reproduction- a. produce gametes in a protective jacket b. sperm travel in pollen grains, which are moved by wind or animalsc. eggs remain inside tissues of “mother” plant & are fertilized thered. embryos dispersed in protective seeds

Animal Adaptations--Innate Behaviors (Ch. 33, Section 1)

Innate behavior- inherited behavior of animals Natural Selection- Individuals with

behavior that makes them more successful at surviving and reproducing often produce more offspring than individuals without the behaviors.

Offspring inherit genetic basis for successful behavior

Reflex- simple, automatic response to a stimulus that involves no conscious control Ex: when you touch a hot stove, you

jerk your hand away from the hot surface

Animal Adaptations--Innate Behaviors

Fight-or-Flight response- when you are scared, your body is prepared to either fight or run from the danger Automatic Controlled by

hormones and the nervous system

Innate Behaviors--Instincts

Instinct- complex pattern of innate behaviors

Courtship behavior- behavior that males and females of a species carry out before mating

Territoriality- an animal defends a physical space against other members in its species Territory may contain

breeding areas, feeding areas, or potential mates

Doves in courtship flight.

Innate Behaviors--Instincts

Aggressive behavior- used to intimidate another animal of the same species Defend young, their

territory, or resources Ex: bird calling, teeth

baring, growling

Dominance hierarchy- form of social ranking within a group Usually one top-

ranking, dominant individual

Individuals in each level subordinate to the one above

Innate behavior

Circadian rhythm- 24-hour, light-regulated, sleep/wake cycle of behavior Diurnal- animals active during the day Nocturnal- animals active at night

Innate Behaviors--Instincts

Migration- instinctive, seasonal movement of animals Ex: 2/3 of birds in N.

America fly south in the fall to area such as S. America where food is available during the winter

Birds fly north in the spring to breed during summer

Innate Behaviors--Instincts

Hibernation- period of dormancy during cold months Period of biological rest or inactivity Food supplies are limited. Animal lives off its fat

stores. Metabolism, breathing, and body temp. drop to

conserve energy.

Estivation- dormancy in hot climates Ex: desert animals estivate in response to lack of

food or periods of drought

Learned Behaviors (33.2)

Learned behavior- behavior changes through practice or experience Learned behaviors are more common in vertebrates

(ex: humans), whereas innate behaviors are more common in invertebrates.

Learning has survival value for animals in a changing environment. Allows an animal to adapt to change

Learned Behaviors

Type of Learning

Description Example

Imprinting Rapid form of learning that occurs during a critical period of development

Some birds, duckling following mother

Habituation An animal learns not to respond to a stimulus without punishment or reward.

Dogs stop barking at familiar people entering the house. Horses become habituated to the city and ignore cars and noisy streets.

Learned Behaviors

Type of Learning

Description Example

Reasoning (insight)

Ability to solve unfamiliar problems in a new situation.

An octopus unscrews a jar to get food.

Spatial (Latent) Ability to create a mental map of the environment.

Blue jays know where they have hidden food, even if food is stored in up to 100 locations.

Learned Behaviors

Type of Learning

Description Example

Classical Conditioning

Associate a stimulus with a response that would not normally occur.

Pavlov’s dogs salivate at the sound of the bell.

Operant Conditioning

Associate an activity with a consequence

Toads flick their tongues at flying insects. If they are stung by a bee, they will learn not to flick their tongues at striped insects.

Pavlov’s Dogs

Pavlov noted that dogs salivate when they smell food.

Responding to the smell of food is a reflex, a type of innate behavior.

Pavlov rang a bell when he gave the dog food. Pavlov developed an association between the food and ringing bell.

Eventually, the dog salivated at the sound of the bell alone.

Pavlov’s Dogs

Structural Plant Adaptations

Physical traits to discourage herbivores from eating them Spines, thorns,

leathery leaves

Some plants produce chemicals that are poisonous or have a foul odor Milkweed, tobacco,

peyote cactus

Thorns on a Rose Bush

Structural Plant Adaptations

Venus flytrap catches insects with modified leaves.

Seed dispersal adaptations Some seeds have spines

that attach to animal fur Some seeds have

watertight buoyant outer shells

Other seeds have “wings” or “parachutes used to harness the wind

Sycamore seeds

Behavioral Plant Adaptations

Behavior- response to internal and external stimuli by an organism

Tropisms- growth of a plant in response to a stimulus. Positive tropisms-

toward the stimulus Negative tropisms-

away from the stimulus

Gravitropism

Behavioral Plant Adaptations

Phototropism- response to light Shoots and stems are

postively phototropic Roots are negatively

phototropic

Geotropism (or gravitropism)- plant’s response to gravity Roots are positively

geotropic Stems and leaves are

negatively geotropic

Behavioral Plant Adaptations

Thigmotropism- response to touch Climbing plants have

weak stems and will wrap around another plant, wall, fence, etc.

Kudzu, honeysuckle, beans

Other Plant Behaviors

Nastic movements- responses of plants to stimulus regardless of direction Flowers opening and closing

in response to light Mimosa leaves curling up

when touched by an object or blown by wind

Carnivorous plants close in response to something touch little hair-like structures inside their leaves ex: Venus flytrap Venus flytrap

Other Plant Behaviors

Circadian rhythms- behavior cycles that follow 24 hr. patterns of activity Some plants fold their

leaves and flowers at night and open them during the day

Other plants secrete perfumes and nectars when pollinators are active

Other Plant Behaviors

Photoperiodism- response of plant to amount of daylight Explains why plants

bloom in different seasons

Amount of daylight in fall and winter is less than in spring and summer