What do all plants and animals need to survive?

Habitat: The area where an organism lives, which has the three essential components-Food, Water, Shelter.

Food

Plant and animal material

Water

Precipitation, like rain, snow, or ice, and lakes or rivers

Shelter

Places that organisms seek safety

Unlike animals, most plants make their own food through the process of photosynthesis. Using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide (the air we exhale) to create glucose---their main food source.

Plants are Producers

Organisms use adaptations to thrive

Adaptation: Physical or behavioral change that allows an organism to better survive in the habitat

Physical adaptation: Part of organism's body that makes it better suited to survive
Behavioral adaptation: Action of an organism that makes it better suited to survive

Camouflage

Organisms blending into surroundings for safety.

Seed Dispersal

Plants spread seeds (by wind, animals, water, propulsion) to prevent competition with offspring.

Poisonous

Monarchs are poisonous as a result of consuming milkweed when a caterpillar. Bright coloration warns of poison.

Water Storage

Local prickly pear cactus has the ability to store water and prevent evaporation during times of drought.

Migration

During times of harsh weather or lack of food/water some organisms move to a different habitat for a temporary period of time.

Mimicry

Organisms like the hognose snake impersonate other more dangerous organisms to survive. The hognose will rattle its tail and fan its head to mimic other venomous snakes. When all fails the snake plays dead.

Specialized Fur

Animals have fur for thermoregulation, but some types of fur have multiple purposes. Beaver fur not only keeps them warm but is also waterproof to keep them dry.

Thorns

Plants have thorns to protect from an animal eating the entire plant when it is consuming the fruit.

Live in Herds

Some animals live in herds (groups) to help share the duties of finding food, caring for young, protection from predators, and other struggles of living in the wild.

Inherited

Traits are passed down in plants and animals from parents to offspring. Beneficial adaptations being inherited provides an advantage for offspring to survive and reproduce.

Offspring are a combination of traits from both parents. Offspring can have some traits identical to one parent, or the offspring can appear like neither as a result of a mixture of the inherited traits-like the combination of red and white flowers creating pink offspring.