The Living Organisms and Their Surroundings

Habitat = the place where an organism lives and from where it gets everything it needs (food, water, shelter). Terrestrial: forest, desert, mountains, grasslands. Aquatic: pond, river, ocean.

Three adaptations: (1) Leaves are modified into spines — less water is lost as vapour; (2) The stem is filled with juicy tissue — stores water; (3) Roots are deep and spread wide — absorb even a small amount of water. Because of this, a cactus can survive for many days without rain.

Because it can move easily through the harsh conditions of the desert: fat stored in the hump provides energy — it can go without food for days; long legs keep the body away from the hot ground; it can travel long distances with very little water; eyelashes and nostrils protect it from desert storms.

Biotic — the living parts of a habitat: plants, animals, insects, bacteria. Abiotic — the non-living parts: water, soil, air, sunlight, temperature, rocks. Both together make up a habitat and constantly interact with each other.

(1) Streamlined body — moves through water easily; (2) Gills — take oxygen from water (for breathing); (3) Fins — for balance and direction; (4) Tail — for speed; (5) Scales — protect the body.

(1) Nutrition — taking in food; (2) Respiration — producing energy through breathing; (3) Growth — increasing in size; (4) Excretion — removing waste; (5) Reproduction — producing offspring (young ones/seeds); (6) Responding to stimuli. Whatever does all of these is alive — plants do them too (slowly), which is why they are also living things.