Adaptation for SurvivalL4: Environmental ChangesLearning Objectives:1. Describe different methods to monitor the environment.2. Explain how living and non-living environmental factors that may

affect the distribution of organisms.3. Compare different methods of monitoring pollution.

What factors might affect organisms?

Non-living factors•Temperature•Amount of light•Amount of water•Amount of oxygen (water environments)

Living factors•New predators•Pathogens (disease)•New plants (food, shelter)•New competitors

Environmental changes can cause changes in the distribution of organisms

• Distribution = how an species is spread out over an area, where they are located

• What kinds of factors would cause the distribution of living things to change?

Monitoring distribution

• Quadrats – equipment used to measure distribution of plant species.

• Quadrats are used to estimate the number of plants in an area.

Monitoring environmental changes

• Indicator species = a species which is sensitive to one particular environmental factor and can be used to monitor the environment

Example: Indicator of air pollution• Lichens are sensitive to air pollution.• If many species of lichens are found, then the air is

very clean.• If very few types of lichens are found, then the air

pollution has increased.

Example: Indicator of water pollution

• A huge number of species of invertebrates can be found living in water.

• Many are sensitive to pollution.• The more species of invertebrates, the cleaner

the water.• The less species of invertebrates, the more

polluted the water environment is.

Practice Exam Question: Lichens

• Describe the patterns in the data.• Suggest what causes the

patterns in the data.

Distance from City Centre

Practice Exam Question: Water Pollution

• Analyse the data and make conclusions about water pollution.