Habitats  To understand what a habitat is, and how this affects the organisms that live there

Key Terms  What do we mean by the terms habitat and environment?  Habitat – the place where an organism lives  Environment – the conditions within the habitat  What conditions change between different habitats? Look at the following habitats, and make a list of the different factors…

Rainforest

Desert

Arctic

Caves

Mountains

Ocean

Deep Ocean

Different Habitats  Different habitats can have some very different environments (conditions in the habitat)  The main factors are: - Amount of light / light intensity Amount of light / light intensity Amount of water (fresh / salt) Amount of water (fresh / salt) Temperature Temperature Oxygen levels Oxygen levels Nutrients Nutrients Shelter Shelter

School  In pairs you task is to go outside, and find as many different habitats as you can within the school ground  You may wish to sketch the habitat, and note the habitat’s environment… Car park Car park Grassland Grassland Forest Forest Etc… Etc…

Different Habitats  Different habitats are able to support different organisms, however plants and animals develop features to adapt to their environment – they become better suited to the conditions  Think of the following organisms – how is a polar bear / camel / cactus / fish adapted to the environmental conditions of their habitat?

White Fur Big Wide Feet Black Skin Thick Layers of Fat and Fur What type of Habitat does a polar bear live in? How is it adapted to live there? Habitat = Arctic How do these adaptations help the polar bear to survive?

Polar Bear  Polar bears live in the Arctic, which is very cold  Adaptations of a polar bear include: - Black skin to absorb heat well Black skin to absorb heat well White appearance to camouflage it against the snow and ice White appearance to camouflage it against the snow and ice Thick layers of fat and fur for insulation Thick layers of fat and fur for insulation Wide feet with hair on their soles to avoid slipping Wide feet with hair on their soles to avoid slipping

What type of Habitat does a Camel live in? How is it adapted to live there? Habitat = Desert How do these adaptations help the Camel to survive? Hump to Store Fat Wide Flat Feet Thick Fur Slit like nostrils and 2 sets of eye lashes

Camel  Camels live in deserts, which are hot and dry during the day but cold at night  Adaptations of a camel include: - They can go for a long time without water (fat stored in hump) They can go for a long time without water (fat stored in hump) Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep the sand out Slit-like nostrils and two rows of eyelashes to help keep the sand out Wide, flat feet to help them walk on the sand Wide, flat feet to help them walk on the sand Thick fur to keep the sun off their skin (+ keep warm at night) Thick fur to keep the sun off their skin (+ keep warm at night)

What type of Habitat does a Cactus live in? How is it adapted to live there? Habitat = Desert How do these adaptations help the Cactus to survive? No Leaves Spines Thick Stem Roots that are near to the surface but cover a large area

Cactus  Cactuses live in deserts, which are hot and dry during the day but cold at night with <25mm rainfall per year  Adaptations of a cactus include: - No leaves and small surface area (reduces water loss) No leaves and small surface area (reduces water loss) Thick stem to store water Thick stem to store water Spines to stop herbivores eating them Spines to stop herbivores eating them Shallow but extensive roots to absorb water as quickly as possible Shallow but extensive roots to absorb water as quickly as possible

What type of Habitat does a Fish live in? How is it adapted to live there? Habitat = Ocean How do these adaptations help the Fish to survive? Gills Streamlined Some are adapted to sense pressure changes Large Eyes

Fish  Fish live in the sea, where temperature is reasonably stable  Adaptations of a fish include: - Gills so they can breathe under water Gills so they can breathe under water Streamlined to move through the water easily Streamlined to move through the water easily Some are highly adapted, such as a shark, to detect prey via highly sensitive taste glands Some are highly adapted, such as a shark, to detect prey via highly sensitive taste glands Some deep-sea fish have very large eyes, to detect what little light there is Some deep-sea fish have very large eyes, to detect what little light there is