Question

How do living organisms cope with the unfavourable situation?

Answer 1

Whether organisms are conformers or regulators, they are able to cope with unfavourable conditions by adapting to the surroundings if the fluctuations are minor. Adaptations can be physiological, morphological or behavioral.

Regulators have homeostatic mechanisms whereas most conformers have other physiological adaptations. The physiological adaptations are as follows:

• CAM pathway: Special photosynthesis pathway which helps to prevent evapotranspiration.
• Increasing red blood cell count and breathing rate: To adapt to high altitudes.
• Internal fat oxidation by Kangaroo rats to meet water requirements.
• Biochemical adaptations: Especially archaebacteria living in extreme climates have enzymes and proteins that can work in extreme temperatures.
• Thick cuticle, sunken stoma, leaves reduced to spines in xerophytes helps reduce transpirational water losses.
• Shorter limbs and ears in animals living in cold climates.
• Blubber below the skin of polar aquatic animals acts as an insulator to an extremely cold environment.
• Migration: Birds migrate to other countries to escape harsh conditions.
• Suspension: Seeds undergo dormancy, zooplanktons suspend embryological development till favourable conditions return.
• Hibernation and aestivation: Metabolic activity is reduced to escape the cold and hot climates respectively.

Some desert animals bask in the sun if they need to be warm and go to the shade to cool down.