I/GCSE Biology - Life on Earth

In this post, we'll talk about the life on Earth in I/GCSE Biology. Let's get started! 😆

In I/GCSE Biology, make sure you can understand the following terms!

How do different species depend on each other?

• A group of organisms that can breed together and produce fertile offspring is called a SPECIES.
• All things rely on their environment and other species to survive.
• The individuals in a species are adapted to living in their environment

1. ADAPTATIONS of living organisms to their environment increases the species’ chance of survival by making it more likely that individuals will survive to reproduce.

• If an organism reaches sexual maturity, it is more likely to pass on its genes, including the genes coding for its adaptations, to the next generation.

Then, let's look at the example of polar bear in I/GCSE Biology!

For example – POLAR BEAR they are well adapted for survival in the Arctic. They have:

• A white appearance, as camouflage from prey on the snow and ice
• Thick layers of fat and fur, for insulation against the cold
• A small surface area to volume ratio, to minimise heat loss
• A greasy coat which sheds water after swimming

• When the same RESOURCES (E.g. shelter, food, water, light availability, etc) are needed by different organisms in the same habitat then there is COMPETITION.
• The organisms that are most successful at competing survive and pass on those genes that code for adaptations – SURVIVAL OF THE FITTESET.

• FOOD WEBS show how all the food chains in a given habitat are interrelated.
• It shows how the loss of one organism has an effect of other organisms in the food web.
• All the organisms in a food web are dependent on other parts of the web – this is called INTERDEPENDENCE.
• This means changes affecting one species in a food web could have an impact on other species that are part of the same food web.

• The environmental conditions change beyond its ability to adapt
• A new species that is a competitor, predator or disease organism of that species is introduces
• Another species (animal, plants or microorganisms) in its food web becomes extinct

And we're done with this topic! Well Done!

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Drafted by Alyssa (Biology)

References:

1. "Animal Drawing Pictures", https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1579762714453-51d9913984e2?ixid=MnwxMjA3fDB8MHxzZWFyY2h8MXx8YW5pbWFsJTIwZHJhd2luZ3xlbnwwfHwwfHw%3D&ixlib=rb-1.2.1&w=1000&q=80
2. "Polar bear", https://cdn-a.william-reed.com/var/wrbm_gb_food_pharma/storage/images/5/5/9/7/3147955-1-eng-GB/Polar-bear-study-of-high-fat-diet-adaptations-may-provide-human-benefits_wrbm_large.jpg
3. "Wildlife Encounters: Adaptations - Competition". Photo from the internet.
4. "Food web". Photo from the internet.
5. "Climate-induced Species Migrations", https://climatechange.lta.org/wp-content/uploads/cct/2017/04/F1.large_-e1491703793968.jpg