Ecological Adaptations of Ecological Adaptations of Plants & AnimalsPlants & Animals

CCoe oe LLake ake OOutdoor utdoor SScience cience EEducationducation

Environmental Science Unit

AdaptationsAdaptations

Adaptations help plants & Adaptations help plants & animals survive (live and animals survive (live and grow) in different areasgrow) in different areas

If you can’t run you have If you can’t run you have to hide-called to hide-called camouflagecamouflage

See if you can find Waldo See if you can find Waldo in these pictures. This will in these pictures. This will test your predator skills of test your predator skills of looking closely and looking closely and finding something that is finding something that is very well hidden!very well hidden!

Some plants/animals Some plants/animals have to adapt to seasons, have to adapt to seasons, if they can’t… if they can’t…

On The Road Again…& On The Road Again…& Land Has Changed…Land Has Changed…

Can’t hibernate? Then Can’t hibernate? Then MigrateMigrate!! Some animals migrate (fly, walk, Some animals migrate (fly, walk,

swim)swim) Can’t find habitat? Then keep moving Can’t find habitat? Then keep moving

until you find it, or die off.until you find it, or die off.Habitat Has Changed-teach here…Habitat Has Changed-teach here…

Examples of Habitat Loss or Examples of Habitat Loss or Renewal Renewal

As human habitat expands natural As human habitat expands natural habitat decreases.habitat decreases.

Added stress b/c of Added stress b/c of increased edgeincreased edge

Less foodLess food Less shelterLess shelter Decreased chance Decreased chance

finding matefinding mate Leads to decrease in pop. Leads to decrease in pop.

Size unless you are a Size unless you are a generalist species. generalist species. Teach here…Teach here…

OspreyOspreyOsprey Link ODNROsprey Link ODNR

Pictured Left: Our meeting with Pictured Left: Our meeting with ODNR Division of Wildlife ODNR Division of Wildlife

Osprey SpecialistOsprey SpecialistInvestigating “Osprey Island” on Investigating “Osprey Island” on

Coe Lake to install an osprey Coe Lake to install an osprey nesting platform.nesting platform.

Alum Creek Ohio Osprey MigrationAlum Creek Ohio Osprey MigrationOver winter in Brazil Along Amazon RiverOver winter in Brazil Along Amazon River

Spring MigrationSpring Migration – head north – head north from Mexico (begins in March); few from Mexico (begins in March); few weeks to live, they race to produce weeks to live, they race to produce the next generation (have up to 4 the next generation (have up to 4 generations each summer, one generations each summer, one traveling a little further north than traveling a little further north than the last).the last).

SummerSummer- breeding season, - breeding season, monarchs live from 2-5 weeks monarchs live from 2-5 weeks during which they mate and lay the during which they mate and lay the eggs (only on Milkweed) that eggs (only on Milkweed) that become the next generation. become the next generation.

Last GenerationLast Generation (in reproductive (in reproductive diapause) are the ones that migrate diapause) are the ones that migrate to Mexico. to Mexico.

Enormous TaskEnormous Task: weigh less than a : weigh less than a gram & have to fly 2,000-3,000 gram & have to fly 2,000-3,000 miles! miles!

Then this generation of butterflies Then this generation of butterflies become reproductive in February become reproductive in February and March as they move north, and March as they move north, laying eggs on milkweeds as they laying eggs on milkweeds as they progress northward into the United progress northward into the United States. Some of these butterflies States. Some of these butterflies can live as long as 9 months!can live as long as 9 months!

Monarch MigrationMonarch Migration

The Fall Migration (September - The Fall Migration (September - November)November). This figure is an . This figure is an

interpretation of the routes taken by interpretation of the routes taken by Monarchs during the Fall migration. Monarchs during the Fall migration.

The pathways are based on tag The pathways are based on tag recoveries and observations of recoveries and observations of

Migrating Monarchs. Migrating Monarchs.

Journey North: Monarch Butterfly MigrationLiveLink

MIGRATION NORTH MIGRATION SOUTH

Over-wintering Site for MonarchsOver-wintering Site for Monarchs

Copy CatsCopy Cats MimicryMimicry- Animals can - Animals can

make copies. Smaller, make copies. Smaller, weaker animals can weaker animals can imitate stronger animals imitate stronger animals to stay alive. These to stay alive. These "copycats" are called "copycats" are called MIMICSMIMICS. .

Take a look at these two Take a look at these two butterflies. One is a butterflies. One is a Monarch and very yucky Monarch and very yucky to eat. The other is a to eat. The other is a Viceroy and very yummy. Viceroy and very yummy.

This moth caterpillar defends itself by mimicking a snake.

Plant AdaptationsPlant Adaptations help them survive help them survive

(live and grow) in (live and grow) in different areas; different areas; they are special they are special features that features that allow a plant to allow a plant to live in a particular live in a particular place or habitat. place or habitat.

Desert Plants AdaptationsDesert Plants Adaptations Succulents (store water)Succulents (store water) Deep rootsDeep roots Little/no leaves (reduce SA, Little/no leaves (reduce SA,

reduce vapor. Of water)reduce vapor. Of water) Spines (discourage predation)Spines (discourage predation) Little hairs shade the plant Little hairs shade the plant

reducing water lossreducing water loss Waxy covering (cuticle) reduce Waxy covering (cuticle) reduce

water losswater loss Flowers at night; lures Flowers at night; lures evening evening

pollinatorspollinators bc they are more bc they are more likely to be nocturnal as well.likely to be nocturnal as well.

Desert/Evening PollinatorsDesert/Evening Pollinators Mexican long-tongued batMexican long-tongued bat Lesser long-nosed batLesser long-nosed bat Both have an incredibly long migration Both have an incredibly long migration

path (at least 1,000 miles of agave and path (at least 1,000 miles of agave and cactus that bloom cactus that bloom in sequence in sequence (coevolution) with their migration from with their migration from south to north), these animals fly from south to north), these animals fly from Central Mexico to Arizona and New Central Mexico to Arizona and New Mexico. Mexico.

These bats may fly more than 100 miles in These bats may fly more than 100 miles in one night!one night!

Both of these threatened Both of these threatened nectivorous bat species visit nectivorous bat species visit hummingbird feeders. hummingbird feeders.

Pictured here: they visit Pictured here: they visit hummingbird feeders in hummingbird feeders in Tuscon,AZ.Tuscon,AZ.

Temperate Deciduous AdaptationsTemperate Deciduous Adaptations Where we liveWhere we live Wildflowers grow on forest floor early in Wildflowers grow on forest floor early in

the spring before trees leaf-out and the spring before trees leaf-out and shade the forest floor shade the forest floor

Many trees are deciduous (they drop Many trees are deciduous (they drop their leaves in the autumn, and grow their leaves in the autumn, and grow new ones in spring; provides nutrients new ones in spring; provides nutrients for itself w/ help of decomposers).  for itself w/ help of decomposers). 

Thin, broad, light-weight leaves that can Thin, broad, light-weight leaves that can capture a lot of sunlight to make a lot of capture a lot of sunlight to make a lot of food for the tree in warm weather; when food for the tree in warm weather; when the weather gets cooler, the broad the weather gets cooler, the broad leaves cause too much water loss and leaves cause too much water loss and can be weighed down by too much can be weighed down by too much snow, so the tree drops its leaves.  New snow, so the tree drops its leaves.  New ones will grow in the spring. ones will grow in the spring.

Trees have thick bark to protect against Trees have thick bark to protect against cold winters cold winters

Flowers Bloom on Flowers Bloom on Forest Floor FirstForest Floor First

They draw on  food They draw on  food (starches,sugars also called (starches,sugars also called “bottled sunshine”) stored the “bottled sunshine”) stored the year before in bulbs, tubers, year before in bulbs, tubers, fleshy roots and rootstocks.  fleshy roots and rootstocks. 

In a few short weeks they In a few short weeks they bloom, make seed, replenish bloom, make seed, replenish their underground  stores of their underground  stores of plant food, then wither, soon plant food, then wither, soon after the trees come into full after the trees come into full leaf  and shade them. leaf  and shade them.

Picture Right: top-Hepatica Picture Right: top-Hepatica also called Liverleaf (early also called Liverleaf (early bloomer,Feb/March), bloomer,Feb/March), Bloodroot, Springbeauty.Bloodroot, Springbeauty.

Anthropogenic Effects on Anthropogenic Effects on EcosystemsEcosystems

Negatives-human expansion & settlement Negatives-human expansion & settlement has converted natural/wild habitat into has converted natural/wild habitat into human habitat (impervious surfaces like human habitat (impervious surfaces like parking lots, driveways, roads); less habitat; parking lots, driveways, roads); less habitat; less resources for plants & animals; less resources for plants & animals; increased stress; decline in #’s individuals; increased stress; decline in #’s individuals; decline gene pool; eventual extinctiondecline gene pool; eventual extinction

Positives-we can bring it back! Replace low Positives-we can bring it back! Replace low biodiversity habitat (lawns, parking lots) into biodiversity habitat (lawns, parking lots) into high biodiversity habitat (habitat-renewal).high biodiversity habitat (habitat-renewal).

Habitat RenewalHabitat Renewal food / water /cover food / water /cover

Add native plants Add native plants to your yardto your yard

Hang a bird feederHang a bird feeder Add a simple Add a simple

water featurewater feature Install a nesting Install a nesting

box (provides box (provides cover, place to cover, place to raise young)raise young)

Invite nature of all kinds to Invite nature of all kinds to share your yard share your yard

Help the environment Help the environment Do your part to counter the Do your part to counter the

effects of Urban Sprawl effects of Urban Sprawl Make a homes for Make a homes for

butterflies, songbirds & butterflies, songbirds & moremore

Reduce chemical and Reduce chemical and rainfall runoff to help rainfall runoff to help improve water quality improve water quality

Save on energy costs Save on energy costs Add science & Add science &

entertainment value for entertainment value for children & family members children & family members of all ageof all age

Green Roof Idea

ProjectProject Construct bird Construct bird

houses-select your houses-select your species.species.

What You Should Know:What You Should Know:Key Words/ConceptsKey Words/Concepts

AnthropogenicAnthropogenic ImperviousImpervious AdaptationsAdaptations PollinatorPollinator HabitatHabitat International Env. LawsInternational Env. Laws Broad-leafedBroad-leafed Spines(desert)Spines(desert) CamouflageCamouflage Deep rootsDeep roots MimicryMimicry CoevolutionCoevolution MigrationMigration Habitat renewalHabitat renewal Habitat lossHabitat loss ExtirpationExtirpation NocturnalNocturnal Northern FlickerNorthern Flicker DeciduousDeciduous LiverleafLiverleaf SucculentsSucculents BloodrootBloodroot

Spring Beauty Spring Beauty NectivorousNectivorous Mexican long-tongue Mexican long-tongue

batbat Urban sprawlUrban sprawl Lesser long nosed batLesser long nosed bat Run-offRun-off cuticlecuticle Green roofGreen roof