NoWorriesBiology

Ecology: Abiotic Environmental Factors

Ecosystems in different biomes are inhabited by distinct organisms. This is because organisms can only exist in a specific range of environmental factors. They are adapted to this spectrum of environmental factors. Where there are abiotic factors to which they are not adapted, these organisms cannot survive.

On this page, the environmental factors water, light, and temperature are examined. How do they influence life in lake, grassland, desert and forest ecosystems?

Environmental Factor: Water

The three-page text "Adaptation of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor" discusses the importance of water for the survival of plants. It presents different groups of plants (hydrophytes, hygrophytes, mesophytes, xerophytes) that differ in their adaptations to the quantity of water available in their habitat. The text explains how certain characteristics of these groups of plants enable them to cope with the particular conditions of their environments.

In parallel, the one-sided text “Adaptation of animals to the environmental factor water” divides the animals into different groups with regard to their adaptability to the amount of water available in their habitat. Individual examples illustrate how animals depend on water in their habitat and what characteristics some animals can make do with extremely little water.

In both documents the learners are asked to summarize the information presented in the text by hand or using the comment function (DOCX).

(Ecology - Adaptations of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor;

Ecology - Adaptations of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor - Solution)

(Ecology - Adaptations of Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor;

Ecology - Adaptations of Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor - Solution)

Lake Ecosystems

Grassland Ecosystems

(Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Lake Ecosystems;

Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Lake Ecosystems - Solution)

This worksheet guides students in summarizing the information provided in the texts “Adaptations of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor” and “Adaptations of Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor”. It also encourages students to transfer this knowledge to the specific circumstances in lake ecosystems by applying it in a number of tasks.

These documents can also be obtained as a bundle through our Online Shop.

Desert Ecosystems

(Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Grassland Ecosystems;

Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Grassland Ecosystems - Solution)

This worksheet guides students in summarizing the information provided in the texts “Adaptations of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor” and “Adaptations of Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor”. It also encourages students to transfer this knowledge to the specific circumstances in grassland ecosystems by applying it in a number of tasks.

These documents can also be obtained as a bundle through our Online Shop.

Forest Ecosystems

(Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Desert Ecosystems;

Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Desert Ecosystems - Solution)

This worksheet guides students in summarizing the information provided in the texts “Adaptations of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor” and “Adaptations of Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor”. It also encourages students to transfer this knowledge to the specific circumstances in desert ecosystems by applying it in a number of tasks.

These documents can also be obtained as a bundle through our Online Shop.

(Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Forest Ecosystems;

Ecology - Adaptations of Plants and Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor in Forest Ecosystems - Solution)

This worksheet guides students in summarizing the information provided in the texts “Adaptations of Plants to Water as an Environmental Factor” and “Adaptations of Animals to Water as an Environmental Factor”. It also encourages students to transfer this knowledge to the specific circumstances in forest ecosystems by applying it in a number of tasks.

These documents can also be obtained as a bundle through our Online Shop.

Environmental Factor: Light

Environmental Factor: Temperature

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Back to Ecology

The YouTube video “Joshua Trees – Adaptations to Life in the Mojave Desert” offers a virtual field trip to Joshua Tree National Park. It explores how Joshua trees are adapted to the harsh living conditions in the Mojave desert.

As a companion to this video, the worksheet "Ecology - Joshua Trees - Adaptations to Life in the Mojave Desert" can be downloaded as a DOCX or as a PDF file by clicking the buttons below.

Worksheet: Ecology - Joshua Trees - Adaptations to Life in the Mojave Desert (DOCX)

Worksheet: Ecology - Joshua Trees - Adaptations to Life in the Mojave Desert (PDF)

Solutions for this worksheet are available at our Online Shop.

(Ecology - Joshua Trees - Adaptations

to Life in the Mojave Desert - Solution)

To support language acquisition in connection with water as an environmental factor, our Online Shop offers a vocabulary list, vocabulary cards, and a crossword puzzle on this topic.