THE PHYSICAL FACTORS

• LIGHT INTENSITY
• TEMPERATURE
• AMOUNT OF WATER AVAILABLE
• OXYGEN CONTENT
• SALINITY
• pH OF SOIL/WATER

The way in which animals and plants grow and carry out their different activities are a result of these abiotic factors. Organisms found in a region are usually adapted to the physical features of their environment.

EXAMPLES OF HOW ORGANISMS ADAPT TO THESE PHYSICAL FEATURES

Light intensity: -plants have hairs on the epidermis to screen off excessive light and heat.

Echeveria Leucotricha (MSN)

Temperature: -insulated by their 10cm blubber, their hide and their fur;they overheat at above 50F


polar bears (wikipedia)

Amount of water available: *Hydrophytes: -less rigid structure as water pressure support them
-flat leaves on surface plants and air sacs for flotation


Nymphaea Alba (water lily) (wikipedia)

*Xerophytes: -reduced permeability of epidermal layer
-succulent stems to store water


Euphorbia (wikipedia)
*Hydrophytes (aquatic plants): Plants adapted to living on or in aquatic environments.
*Xerophytes: Plants survive in ecosystem with little available water or moisture

Oxygen content: -mangrove plants have pneumatophores

-(snakehead) fish living in water of low oxygen content are usually air-breathers

Northern snakehead (wikipedia)

Salinity: -fresh water fish has scaly skins to keep water from entering their cells

-(amoeba) have contractile vacuoles to remove excess water that enters them by osmosis

Amoeba (www.sfu.ca)

pH of soil/water: -(freshwater fish) kidney reabsorbs salts and produces large amounts of dilute urine