Organisms and the surroundings where they live

Key Notes :

Definition of Habitat:

• A habitat is the natural environment where an organism lives. It provides food, water, shelter, and the right conditions for organisms to survive.

Types of Habitats:

• Terrestrial habitats: Habitats on land, such as forests, deserts, grasslands, mountains, and polar regions.
• Aquatic habitats: Habitats in water, including freshwater (ponds, lakes, rivers) and marine (oceans, seas) environments.

Components of Habitat:

• Biotic components: The living things in a habitat, such as plants, animals, and microorganisms.
• Abiotic components: Non-living parts of a habitat, like sunlight, temperature, water, soil, and air.

Adaptation:

Organisms develop adaptations to survive in their specific habitats. These adaptations can be structural (physical features), behavioral (the way an organism acts), or physiological (internal processes).

Examples:

• Fish have gills to breathe underwater.
• Camels store fat in their humps to survive in deserts.

Diversity in Habitats:

• Different regions on Earth have varying environmental conditions, leading to a diverse range of habitats.
• Polar regions: Extremely cold, home to polar bears and penguins.
• Tropical rainforests: Warm and wet, supporting a wide variety of species like monkeys, snakes, and frogs.

Ecosystems:

• An ecosystem is a community of living organisms interacting with each other and their non-living environment.
• Ecosystems can be large (forests, oceans) or small (a pond, a garden).

Interdependence:

• All organisms in a habitat are interdependent, meaning they rely on one another for survival.
• Example: Plants provide food for herbivores, and herbivores are prey for carnivores.

Human Impact on Habitats:

• Human activities like deforestation, pollution, and urbanization can destroy or damage habitats, leading to loss of biodiversity.

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