Adapting to change

• Plants and animals must constantly adapt to changes in their environment from season to season and year to year. 

Short term animal adaptations

• Hibernation: Many animals enter a state of hibernation during the winter to reduce their metabolic rate and conserve energy.

• Migration: Some animals migrate to warmer regions during the winter to find food and avoid harsh conditions.

• Growing thicker coats: Animals like sheep and bears grow thicker coats to stay warm during the winter.

Short term plant adaptations

• Losing leaves: Deciduous trees lose their leaves in winter to conserve energy and reduce water loss.

• Storing nutrients: Some plants store nutrients in their roots or stems to survive during harsh conditions.

• Changing color: The leaves of many trees change color in autumn to prepare for winter.

Predator-prey relationships

• Predator-prey relationships are examples of interdependence, where the populations of two species are closely linked. 

• Changes in the population of one species can directly affect the population of the other.

• Predator-prey relationships often exhibit cyclical patterns. 

• When prey populations increase, predator populations also increase. However, as predator populations grow, they consume more prey, leading to a decline in the prey population. This, in turn, causes the predator population to decline, and the cycle repeats.

A typical predator-prey cycle graph