Monthly Archives: June 2010

Physiological Adaptations for Survival

salt tolerant plants at Port Fairy

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Over the semester break, please read through Chapter 10 carefully and start to answer the Chapter review questions. Leave a comment below or email me if you have any trouble with those questions. Physiological adaptations are ways that organisms are able to survive due to the way that they function. So succulent plants, such as those pictured above in Port Fairy, and mangroves are able to tolerate salty environments due to physiological features such as a thick cuticle that reduces water loss and salt glands that excrete excess salt.

Koalas have physiological adaptations that enable them to survive on a high fibre, low protein diet. As well as the obvious behavioural adaptations (usually slow moving and sleepy), koalas have reduced metabolic requirements and a slow metabolism, that enables them to survive on a diet of Eucalyptus leaves. Living organisms have evolved a great variety of strategies that enable them to survive extreme conditions in almost every place on the planet – temperature (hot and cold); moisture (wet and dry); chemical (high salinity for example); oxygen availability and fire tolerance. Some great examples at BBC Wildlife Finder – Adaptations.

Habitats, Environment and Survival

Otway forest

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This chapter of work is about habitats and the factors that affect the survival of organisms in their environments. You will learn about biotic (living) factors – predators, competitors, pathogens, parasites – and abiotic (non-living) factors – temperature, wind speed, pH, atmospheric gases, turbidity, salinity, solar radiation etc. You will also learn about niches and resource use graphs. Match some Australian species to their habitats at DECC.

Living organisms survive in their environments due to structual, functional and behavioural adaptations. Evolution is the process by which living organisms have changed over thousands of years to become more suited to their environments. Google ‘evolution’ and you will find an enormous selection of contradictory articles confirming or condemning “The Theory of Evolution”, first proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859.

To summarise Darwin’s Theory of Evolution;
1. Variation: There is variation in every population.
2. Competition: Organisms compete for limited resources.
3. Offspring: Organisms produce more offspring than can survive.
4. Genetics: Organisms pass genetic traits on to their offspring.
5. Natural Selection: Those organisms with the most beneficial traits are more likely to survive and reproduce.

Congratulations!

Fireworks celebration

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Well done on completing your mid-year Biology exam. It was a real test of everyone’s knowledge and understanding of Unit 1: Cells and Functioning Organisms. The degree of difficulty is an indication of the Unit 3 and 4 course, so you will need to continue to work hard to do well. Please complete the student survey by clicking on the Survey tab at the top of this page. The purpose of this survey is to assist me to improve my teaching and your learning.

I have given those students who did not sit the GAT a list of words from the end of each chapter in Unit 2. Each student is required to create a worksheet to distribute to the whole class to assist each of us to understand these words. You could use a crossword, word search with definitions, ‘fill-the-gaps’, concept map or flashcards. Try Puzzlemaker, Tools for Educators, Wordsearch Generator or FlashcardsDB.

Chapter 9 – Melissa

Chapter 10 – Stephanie

Chapter 11 – Chloe

Chapter 12 – Monique

Chapter 13 – Tara

Chapter 14 – Emily

Chapter 15 – Charlotte

Chapter 16 – Catherine

Chris and James, your job will be to read Chapter 9 and prepare a unit of work to teach the class. Each pair of students will be required to do this for one chapter. You will still be required to answer all the chapter review questions and this is a good place to start to ensure you have a full understanding of the concepts. Have a great long weekend and see you Tuesday!

Biology Exam Revision

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vce_unit_1_biology

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The two revision quizzes above were created using My Studiyo with multiple choice questions from past exams. You could create your own, using the questions from your Activity Manual. Check your email for a summary of Unit 1. You could also create Flashcards, like the ones below:

Photosynthesis Flashcards

Cell Biology Flashcards

Cardiovascular System

Digestive System

Meiosis Flashcards