8.1 Responses to Environment
Ecology is the scientific study of the interactions between organisms and the environment. These interactions determine both the distribution of organisms and their abundance.
To Think About:
Why do organisms respond to changes in their environment? How do organisms exchange information with one another? How can an organism’s signaling behavior produce changes in behavior of other organisms and affect reproductive success? What types of signals do animals use to indicate dominance, find food, establish territory, and ensure reproductive success? What types of behavior does natural selection favor? How does cooperative behavior impact individual fitness and survival of a population? How does timing and coordination of biological mechanisms involved in growth, reproduction, and homeostasis depend on organisms responding to environmental clues? How does the transmission of information result in changes within and between biological systems?
Watch: AP Daily Video Response to the Environment
Answer the Following Questions:
- How do organisms respond to changes in their environment?
- What is a stimulus?
- What is a signaling behavior and what does it produce?
- List five types of communication mechanisms used in animals.
- List four uses of these communication mechanisms.
- Natural selection favors the behaviors that increase _________________ and __________________ _____________________
- Explain the difference between innate and learned behavior.
- What is a cooperative behavior? Why do organisms use cooperative behaviors?
- What is aposematism? Give two examples.
- How do mammals establish territories?
Supplementary Resources:
- Bozeman Science: Mr. Andersen’s “Ecosystems” video
- Bozeman Science: Mr. Andersen’s “Ecosystem Change” video
- Bozeman Science: Mr. Andersen’s “Environmental Matter Exchange” Video
University of Michigan: The Concept of the Ecosystem
Wikipedia: Biofilms
Article: Predator-Prey Relationships Make Possible the Rich Biodiversity of Complex Ecosystems
