1. Chapter 3
January 17th

2. Light Sunlight controls the distribution of plants
Amount of sunlight depends on latitude
With respect to light, plants classified into 2 categories:
Heliophytes
Obligate
Facultative
Sciophytes

3. Figure 3.2

4. Morphological Adaptations to Light
Succulents
Sargassum
Sunflower
Banana plant (Moorea)

5. Temperature
Transpiration allows plants to be cooler than or warmer than the surrounding air temperature
The rate of photosynthesis is dependent upon temperature

6. Figure 3.3

7. Figure 3.4

8. Figure 3.6

9. Adaptations to heat Features that decrease leaf temperature:
Reflective coatings
Small hairs
Leaves oriented vertically
Heliotrophs
High transpiration rates
Leaf loss
Dimorphism

10. Temperature Cold-blooded animals are pokiliotherms
Warm-blooded animals are homeotherms
Allen’s Rule – short extremities relative to body mass decreases heat loss
Bergmann’s Rule – warm-blooded individuals from cooler climates tend to have larger bodies and smaller surface-to-volume rations, and individuals of the same species from warmer climates

12. Allen’s Rule/ Bergmann’s Rule

13. Allen’s Rule/ Bergmann’s Rule

14. Moisture Required by plants for photosynthesis and temperature control
Xerophytes
Mesophytes
Hydrophytes
Transpiration
Evapotranspiration

15. Moisture Three categories of adaptations to dry conditions:
Water stress escapees
Water stress avoiders
Water stress toleraters

16. Two fundamentals for describing geographic distributions of a species: range and density
Geographic range – entire area where a species can be found regardless of whether it is common or rare
Density – Difference in abundance of species within its range
Carrying capacity – the number of individuals an environment can support per meter or hectare

17. Carrying Capacity

18. Ordination Analysis
Figure 3.13

19. Environmental Gradients for Physiological Functioning and Density
Zone of optimum –
Zone of stress –
Zone of intolerance –
Zone of tolerance -

20. Niche – the function of a species in the environment
Habitat – explicit spatial environment where a species can be found
Generalists – species that can tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions
Specialists – species that have narrow environmental tolerances

21. Limiting Factors