1st Edition EST 200 Lecture 9 Outline of Last Lecture I Climate and Vegetation II Leaf Size and the leaf boundary layer III Different thermal thresholds in plants IV Dark Respiration V Different plant species have different thermal niches VI Water uptake through the SPAC VII Differences in drought tolerance VIII Nutrient cycling within the SPAC IX Morphological and Physiological Adaptations of Riparian Plants Outline of Current Lecture Adaptations of Animals to the Environment I Adaptation II Green Plants III Mechanical and chemical processes of breaking down organic matter IV Animal Nutrition V Disrupting the continuity of the elevated active surface VI Three groups of animals VII Using behavior to regulate body temperature VIII Circadian rhythms Current Lecture I II III Adaptation changes that evolved through long periods in the genetic character and condition of a species and passed to future generations through long term natural selection making it better fit for the native and gradually changing environment a Morphological structural b Physiological c Behavioral Green Plants a Ultimately animal organisms derive energy from green plants via linkages of the food web with its interconnecting food chains b Without green plants no animal life c Plants exist and thrive because they fix incoming solar energy into biomass through photosynthesis d Energy passes across trophic levels via the food web Trophic level These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute IV V VI a Classification of organisms according to feeding relationships from autotrophs through successive level of herbivores and carnivores and omnivores b Autotrophs producers produce complex organic compounds from simple substances c Heterotrophs consumers use consumed organic substances for growth d Herbivores directly eat plants e Carnivores eat animals including animals that directly eat plants f Omnivores eat both plants and other animals g Detritivores organisms that consume dead organic matter Mechanical and chemical processes of breaking down organic matter a R organic matter b F fragmentation c C chemical breakdown into complex molecules d L leaching of soluble molecules e D resynthesized into decomposer tissues f M mineralization decomposition or oxidation of chemical compounds from organic matter into plant accessible forms Herbivores a Grazers adapted to eating leafy material grasses b Browsers adapted to eating mostly woody material twigs c Granivores adapted to eating mostly seeds d Frugivores adapted to eating mostly fruits e Nectavores adapted to feeding on nectar f Each adapted morphologically and physiologically to consume digest absorb and assimilate vitamins minerals and other chemical compound from the kinds of foods that they consume Carnivores mammals have high fat and protein content i Animals need the nitrogen in protein ii The ratio of the carbon to iii nitrogen about 14 1 in animals iv Carnivore get that nitrogen by eating animal tissues high in protein and nitrogen b Herbivores eat plants that have a high cellulose content i Largely carbohydrates ii Limited protein content with nitrogen a major component iii The ratio of carbon to nitrogen about 40 1 c Carnivorous animals and omnivores have digestive systems like people i Suited to digesting meats as well as plants but not woody materials ii For a stomach they essentially have a long hollow tube with muscles as walls 1 Mucus enzymes and hydrochloric acid speed digestion they regurgitate or pass indigestible materials VII VIII IX iii Grazers and browsers intake large amounts of cellulose in the foods they eat 1 A diet rich in carbon but low in protein with cellulose rather indigestible and proteins in chemical compounds Digested by bacteria and protozoa in the gut 2 Due to a more complex arrangement for a stomach The stomach of a ruminant an even toed hoofed cud chewing mammal bacteria and protozoa digest cellulose and proteins and synthesize fatty acids amino acids proteins the bacteria and protozoa concentrated in the foregut and hindgut they cause anaerobic fermentation Animal Nutrition a Includes mineral elements and 20 amino acids b Best quality food has high nitrogen content and ultimately this and other nutrients come from plants c N and K concentration highest in growing tips new foliage and buds but the content decreasing as plant tissues mature and become senescent d High N can be detected through smell and taste e Sodium and Magnesium are also required with distribution of minerals sources of these often influencing the distribution of animals as well as behavioral adaptation f Quality food resources also leads to increased fecundity the potential for an animal to produce young and the rate of reproduction by a female g Abundant but good quality food resources in robust females and more offspring Disrupting the continuity of the elevated active surface a To promote understory plant establishment and development i Like creating an open meadow and water sources in area of extensive forest ii Recognizing an inevitable connection between quality of food resources and the fitness of a species and population seen as well in size and robustness b Morphological characteristics of a species may adapt it to niche specialization for securing food i Hummingbirds have specialized beaks that provide access to nectar and a hovering capability ii Woodpeckers a stout bill that facilitates hammering and toes for gripping bark c Other environmental factors also affect fitness i Example temperature Three groups of animals X i Homoeotherms or endotherms like mammals and birds they keep a stable and constant body temperature they generate heat through metabolism ii Poikilotherms or ectotherms like reptiles ad insects they absorb heat from surroundings iii Heterotherms involve endo and ecto thermy like some insects with occasional heat generation through muscle activity in flight b Adaptations to thermal conditions i Where metabolism heat production maintains the core body temperature aided by insulation by muscle fat and fur feathers too ii Metabolism chemical reactions in cells breaking down organic molecules to release energy via cellular respiration using energy to build up more complex molecules from simpler ones helping to maintain core body temperature 1 Fur and feathers help by reducing heat loss by insulating the body core iii Poikilotherms or