How Plants Adapt to Their Environment

                                                                                    

Problems: Abundance of water Soil erosion Nutrients from the soil being washed away Not much sunlight is able to penetrate to the forest floor Plants at the top of the rainforest (in the canopy) must be able to survive 12 hours of intense sunlight every day of the year.

Solutions Drip tips and waxy surfaces allow water to run off, to discourage growth of bacteria and fungi

Special roots help support plants in the shallow soil. Solutions Special roots help support plants in the shallow soil.

Solutions There are lots of plants that live on other plants, so instead of collecting water with roots, they collect rainwater into a central reservoir from which they absorb the water through hairs on their leaves .

Problems The Four Seasons! The temperature varies from hot in the summer to below freezing in the winter. There are layers of forest, so some plants get lots of light, and others don’t get much at all.

Broad leaves can capture a lot of sunlight for a tree. Solution Broad leaves can capture a lot of sunlight for a tree.

Solution Many trees have thick bark to protect against the cold winters in the temperate deciduous forest.

Solution In the autumn, deciduous trees drop their leaves to minimize water loss. In the autumn, deciduous trees drop their leaves to minimize water loss. In the autumn, deciduous trees drop their leaves to minimize water loss.

Problems The tundra is cold year-round—it has short cool summers and long, severe winters. The tundra has a permanently frozen sublayer of soil called permafrost.

Solution These tundra plants are low-growing because their roots cannot penetrate the permafrost. This also helps keep them from freezing. Plants are dark in color—some are even red—this helps them absorb solar heat.

Solution This plant grows in a clump to help conserve heat. Some plants are covered with hair which helps keep them warm!

Problems Very hot temperatures Not a lot of water Loose, sandy soil Strong winds

Solution This cactus displays light-colored hair that helps shade the plant.

Solution This plant has a waxy coating on its leaves to prevent water from evaporating as quickly.

Solution It has spines rather than leaves to prevent as much water loss, and it stores water in its stem.

Adaptations are Awesome! Plants are just like animals. They must have certain body parts and behaviors that help them survive in the habitat that they live in. Next time you see a plant, ask yourself, “What adaptations does that plant have that helps it survive here?”

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