Adaptations

Question 1

Abiotic factors

Answer 1

a property of the environment relating to non-living things.

Question 2

Biotic factors

Answer 2

a property of the environment relating to living things.

Question 3

Structural adaptations

Answer 3

a physical characteristic of an organism’s body that helps it survive and reproduce in its environment.

Question 4

Behavioural adaptations

Answer 4

any action or behavior an organism takes to increase its chances of survival and reproduction in its environment

Question 5

Physiological adaptations

Answer 5

the internal, metabolic processes that help an organism survive in its environment

Question 6

Carrying capacity of a habitat

Answer 6

the maximum number of individual species that the environment can sustain indefinitely, given the available resources like food, water, shelter, and space

Question 7

Keystone species

Answer 7

an organism that helps hold the ecosystem together.
- Removing a keystone species from an ecosystem can cause major disruptions as they play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance, so their absence often leads to overpopulation of some organisms, extinction of others, and a breakdown of natural processes. The ripple effects can reduce biodiversity, alter food webs, and destabilise the entire ecosystem.

Question 8

Kangaroos as a keystone species

Answer 8

Kangaroos help control vegetation through grazing, which reduces fire risk and supports plant diversity. Their movement and droppings also improve soil health and seed dispersal. Kangaroo grass stabilises soil, supports native wildlife, and plays a key role in fire management by promoting low-intensity burns. Together, they help maintain ecological balance and biodiversity across grassland habitats.

Question 9

Adaptations for dry environments for plants

Answer 9

reducing water loss with features like small leaves, or hairs on the leaves. As well as developed ways to access and store water, including deep or wide, shallow root systems and specialised water-storing tissues in stems or leaves, often called succulents.

Question 10

Adaptations for dry environments for animals

Answer 10

Physical adaptations: large ears to radiate heat, light-colored coats to reflect sunlight, and specialised feet for sand.
Behavioral adaptations: being nocturnal or living in burrows to avoid the heat of the day.
Physiological adaptations: efficient kidneys to produce concentrated urine and the ability to extract water from their food.

Question 11

Adaptations for aquatic environments for plants

Answer 11

Developed air-filled tissues helping plants float and transport oxygen.
Their leaves are often thin and flexible to move with currents and maximise light absorption.
Reduced root systems since they absorb nutrients directly from the surrounding water.

Question 12

Adaptations for aquatic environments for animals

Answer 12

Streamlined bodies to reduce drag and swim efficiently.
Gills or modified lungs for underwater respiration
Buoyancy control mechanisms such as swim bladders or oily livers to stay afloat

Question 13

Apex predators

Answer 13

a predator that has no natural predators and is at the top of its food chain

Question 14

Population density

Answer 14

the number of individuals in a population per unit area

Question 15

Population distribution

Answer 15

the range of geographical areas that members of a population can be found in

Question 16

Genetic diversity

Answer 16

the variety of different genes and inherited traits within a population

Question 17

Interactions between ecosystems

Answer 17

movement of energy, nutrients, and organisms across boundaries through lakes or rivers. Migration animals connect distant ecosystems by transporting seeds, nutrients, and energy. These interactions help maintain biodiversity and ecological balance across regions.

Question 18

Biodiversity

Answer 18

the variety of life in the world or within a particular habitat

Question 19

Species richness

Answer 19

a measure of biodiversity that counts the number of different species within a defined area, such as an ecosystem or a region

Question 20

Mutualism

Answer 20

two different species interact and both benefit from the relationship

Question 21

Commensalism

Answer 21

one species benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped

Question 22

Parasitism

Answer 22

one organism benefits by living on or in another organism, in which it harms

Question 23

Competition

Answer 23

an interaction where two or more organisms use the same limited resources, which negatively affects both participants