Habitat: Where Living Things Live: It introduces the concept of a habitat as the natural home of a plant or animal. Different places like forests, deserts, ponds, and oceans are examples of habitats.
Types of Habitats: The chapter likely discusses different types of habitats, broadly categorizing them as:
- Terrestrial Habitats: Land-based habitats like forests, grasslands, deserts, and mountains.
- Aquatic Habitats: Water-based habitats like ponds or lakes etc
- Adaptation: Fitting into the Habitat: This is the core of the chapter. It explains that living things have special features or characteristics, called adaptations, that help them survive and thrive in their specific habitats. These adaptations can be in their body structure, how they behave, or even their life processes.
Examples of Adaptations: The chapter will likely provide examples of adaptations in different habitats:
- Desert Animals: How camels store water, have padded feet, and are active at night. How desert plants have small leaves or thorns to reduce water loss.
- Aquatic Animals: How fish have gills to breathe in water, fins to swim, and streamlined bodies. How aquatic plants have flexible stems and floating leaves.
- Forest Animals: How animals have camouflage to blend in with their surroundings or sharp claws for climbing. How forest plants adapt to get enough sunlight.
Interdependence: The chapter might also touch upon how living things in a habitat depend on each other for food, shelter, and other needs.
In simple terms, this chapter teaches you that every living thing has a specific place where it naturally belongs (its habitat), and it has special features (adaptations) that help it survive successfully in that environment. It’s all about how living things are perfectly suited to where they live!
Multiple Choice questions:
1. Put a tick mark (✓ ) against the correct alternative in the following statements:
(a) In cactus plant found in desert regions, the photosynthesis occur in:
(i) leaves
(ii) spines
(iii) modified roots
(iv) modified stem
(b) The animals such as birds have:
(i) light pneumatic bones
(ii) solid heavy bones
(iii) heavy pointed bones
(iv) no bones
(c) The biotic components of environment includes:
(i) green plants
(ii) animals
(iii) decomposer
(iv) all of these
(d) The presence of hollow plant stems is the characteristics of:
(i) desert plants
(ii) aquatic plants
(iii) mountainous trees
(iv) none of these
(e) Slow breathing is the characteristics of:
(i) desert animals
(ii) aquatic animals
(iii) aerial animals
(iv) mesophytic animals
(f) Diversity of organisms are found in the different habitats because of different for
(i) average temperature
(ii) soil type
(iii) annual precipitation
(iv) all the these
Short Answer Questions:
Question 1.
List any four abiotic factors which affect different living beings.
Answer:Sunlight fuels life and our daily rhythms, temperature governs life’s pace and habitats, water is essential and shapes our world, and soil feeds plants, provides support, and shelters diverse life.
Question 2.
How is a whale similar to a fish in adaptation to life in water ? Explain any two features.
Answer:That streamlined body shape is a real testament to the power of the aquatic environment. Think about it – whether you’re a tiny sardine or a massive blue whale, slicing through the water with the least amount of drag is crucial for everything from chasing prey to escaping predators and even just efficient travel. That sleek, often torpedo-like form you see in both groups is a perfect solution to that fundamental challenge.
And you’re spot on about the fins and flukes! While the anatomy is different – bony fins in fish versus cartilaginous flukes and mammalian flippers in whales – the function is remarkably parallel. Fish use their various fins for a combination of pushing themselves forward, making sharp turns, and staying stable in the water column. Whales, having evolved from land-dwelling mammals, have adapted their limbs into flippers for steering and balance, while their powerful tail flukes provide the main thrust for gliding through the ocean. It’s a beautiful example of how different evolutionary paths can lead to analogous solutions when facing similar environmental demands
Question 3.
Describe any two adaptations seen in desert plants.
Answer : Desert plants are truly remarkable in how they’ve adapted to such harsh conditions. It’s fascinating how they’ve evolved these clever strategies to thrive where water is scarce.
Think about it: those tiny leaves, or even the complete absence of them in some species, are a brilliant way to minimize the surface area exposed to the drying effects of the sun and wind. It’s like they’re saying, “I’m not giving up any precious water!”
And those extensive root systems? They’re like the ultimate water-seeking missiles! Stretching far and wide, and often deep down into the earth, they maximize the chances of finding any hidden pockets of moisture. It’s a testament to the power of natural selection – only those with the most effective water-gathering techniques can survive and reproduce in the desert’s challenging environment.
Question 4.
Describe the aerial adaptations in birds.
Answer:It’s incredible how birds are built for flight! Their light, hollow bones keep them airy, while strong chest muscles power their wings, which are shaped perfectly for lift. Feathers give them a sleek shape and act as the lifting surfaces. Plus, their super-efficient breathing system makes sure they have enough oxygen for all that flying. And with their sharp vision, they can easily navigate and hunt from way up high.
Question 5.
Briefly explain the term “Habitat”.
Answer:Think of a habitat as a living room perfectly designed for its resident. For a fish, that “living room” might be a coral reef, bustling with colorful snacks (smaller fish and algae), providing cozy nooks and crannies to hide from bigger fish, and offering the right water conditions for them to thrive and lay their eggs.
Similarly, a soaring eagle’s habitat could be a rugged mountain range with high cliffs for nesting, open skies for hunting, and a plentiful supply of small mammals below. It’s not just any place; it’s the right place, tailored to meet all the needs of that specific creature, ensuring its survival and the continuation of its kind. Just like we need our homes to feel safe and provide what we need, every organism has its own essential habitat.
Question 6.
Give two adaptations in animals found in mountain habitat by which they protect themselves from the cold climate.
Answer:Mountain animals have neat tricks for staying toasty! Think thick fur or feathers acting like built-in blankets. Others snooze through the super cold winters by hibernating, which is like their bodies going into slow-mo to save energy.
Question 7.
Define the following: habitat, adaptation.
Answer:A habitat is a living thing’s natural home, providing everything it needs. An adaptation is a special trait or behavior that helps it survive and reproduce in that home.
Question 8.
List the environmental factors that influence a habitat.
Answer:The things that affect what lives in a certain place are called environmental factors. These are key elements like:
- Temperature: How hot or cold it usually is.
- Water: How much rain falls or how much water is around.
- Sunlight: How much light reaches the area.
- Air: What gases are in the air and how strong the wind blows.
- Soil: What the ground is like and what nutrients it contains.
Question 9.
Differentiate between an aquatic habitat and a terrestrial habitat.
Answer:
Aquatic habitats are water-based environments like oceans, lakes, and rivers, supporting organisms adapted to live in water.1 Terrestrial habitats are land-based environments such as forests, deserts, and grasslands, home to organisms adapted for life on land.2 The main difference lies in the surrounding medium (water vs. land) and the adaptations required for survival in each.
| Feature | Aquatic Habitat | Terrestrial Habitat |
| Medium | Surrounded by water (fresh or salt). | Surrounded by air and soil. |
| Oxygen Source | Organisms breathe dissolved oxygen from the water. | Organisms breathe atmospheric oxygen from the air. |
| Respiration | Commonly use gills or skin for gas exchange. | Commonly use lungs, tracheae, or stomata (in plants). |
| Temperature | Temperatures are stable and change slowly. | Temperatures can fluctuate widely and quickly. |
| Gravity & Support | Water provides buoyancy, helping support the body weight. | High influence of gravity; requires strong skeletons or woody stems. |
| Light Availability | Light decreases with depth; absent in the deep ocean. | Light is generally abundant on the surface. |
Question 10.
Name any three types of terrestrial habitat.
Answer:Imagine stepping into a forest, a realm ruled by towering trees where raindrops pattern on a dense canopy above. Sunlight filters through in dappled patterns, nourishing a vibrant tapestry of plants and sheltering a multitude of creatures, each finding its niche within the forest’s layers.
Now picture a vast grassland, an open expanse swaying with grasses under a wide sky. Here, rainfall is gentler, and the land often whispers with the wind. This is a domain for grazing animals, their movements shaping the landscape.
Finally, envision a desert, a land sculpted by extremes. Rainfall is scarce, and temperatures can swing from scorching days to chilly nights. Yet, life persists here, with plants and animals possessing remarkable abilities to hoard water and endure the harshness.
Question 11.
Name two types of terrestrial habitats with low temperature.
Answer:Two terrestrial habitats characterized by low temperatures are tundra and taiga (or boreal forest).
Question 12.
Complete the table given below. Write down two points in each given column.
Answer:
