Transcript Habitats - Noadswood Science

Habitats
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To understand what a habitat is, and how this
affects the organisms that live there
Key Terms
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What do we mean by the terms habitat and
environment?
Habitat – the place where an organism lives
 Environment – the conditions within the habitat
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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
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Different habitats can have some very different
environments (conditions in the habitat)
 The main factors are: -
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Amount of light / light intensity
Amount of water (fresh / salt)
Temperature
Oxygen levels
Nutrients
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Shelter
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School
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In pairs you task is to go outside, and find as many
different habitats as you can within the school
ground
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You may wish to sketch the habitat, and note the
habitat’s environment…
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Car park
Grassland
Forest
Etc…
Different Habitats
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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?
What type of Habitat does a polar bear live in?
How is it adapted to live there?
Habitat = Arctic
White
Fur
Black
Skin
Thick
Layers
of Fat
and Fur
Big Wide
Feet
How do these adaptations help the polar bear to survive?
Polar Bear
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Polar bears live in the Arctic, which is very cold
 Adaptations of a polar bear include: 
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Black skin to absorb heat well
White appearance to camouflage it against the snow and
ice
Thick layers of fat and fur for insulation
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
Hump to
Store
Fat
Thick
Fur
Slit like
nostrils and 2
sets of eye
lashes
Wide
Flat Feet
How do these adaptations help the Camel to survive?
Camel
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Camels live in deserts, which are hot and dry
during the day but cold at night
 Adaptations of a camel include: 
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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
Wide, flat feet to help them walk on the sand
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
No
Leaves
Thick
Stem
Spines
Roots that
are near to
the surface
but cover a
large area
How do these adaptations help the Cactus to survive?
Cactus
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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: 
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No leaves and small surface area (reduces water loss)
Thick stem to store water
Spines to stop herbivores eating them
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
Large
Eyes
Some are
adapted
to sense
pressure
changes
Gills
Streamlined
How do these adaptations help the Fish to survive?
Fish
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Fish live in the sea, where temperature is
reasonably stable
 Adaptations of a fish include: 
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Gills so they can breathe under water
Streamlined to move through the water easily
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