B4.1.1 Habitat as the place in which a community, species, population or organism lives Notes

Habitat as the Place Where Organisms Live

1. There are two main elements of habitats:
   1. Geographical Location: The physical area an organism inhabits.
   2. Physical Conditions: Environmental factors like temperature, light, soil type, and water availability.
2. Haitats can be as large as a tropical rainforest or as small as the underside of a leaf.
3. They includes all biotic (living) and abiotic (non-living) factors affecting an organism’s survival, reproduction, and behavior.

Who Lives in a Habitat?

1. Levels of Biological Organization:
   1. Individual Organism: A single polar bear on Arctic sea ice.
   2. Population: A group of polar bears in a specific region.
   3. Species: All polar bears worldwide.
   4. Community: All organisms in the Arctic (e.g., polar bears, seals, algae, fish).
2. Each level relies on the habitat for resources (food, shelter, breeding sites) and environmental conditions (temperature, salinity, etc.).

Components of a Habitat

1. Biotic Factors:
   1. Living elements (plants, animals, fungi, microorganisms).
   2. Include predation, competition, mutualism, and other interactions.
2. Abiotic Factors:
   1. Non-living elements (temperature, light, water, soil, air).
   2. Often define habitat boundaries and which organisms can survive there.

Types of Habitats

1. Desert Low rainfall, extreme temperatures, sandy soils. Organisms like cacti and fennec foxes adapt to water conservation and heat tolerance.
2. Tropical Rainforest High rainfall, warm temperatures, dense vegetation. Species like spider monkeys and yellow meranti trees compete for light and thrive in humid conditions.
3. Alpine Found at high altitudes with cold temps, strong winds, short growing seasons. Plants like Ranunculus glacialis cope with acidic soils and intense sunlight.

Habitat vs. Niche

1. Habitat: The "address" where an organism lives.
2. Niche: The "role" or "job" an organism plays in its ecosystem (e.g., what it eats, how it reproduces, how it interacts with others).

Why Are Habitats Important?

1. Support Biodiversity: A variety of habitats allows a wide range of species to coexist, maintaining ecosystem stability.
2. Provide Resources: Supply organisms with food, water, shelter, and breeding sites.
3. Enable Adaptation: Over time, organisms evolve traits to survive in specific habitats (e.g., thick fur of a musk ox for Arctic cold).

Challenges to Habitats

1. Habitat Loss: One of the greatest threats to biodiversity.
   1. Deforestation removes forest habitats.
   2. Urbanization converts natural landscapes into cities and roads.
   3. Climate Change alters temperatures and weather patterns, making some habitats uninhabitable.