How Is An Organism’s Behavior Related to Its Environment?

1. How Is An Organism’s Behavior Related to Its Environment?

2. Hibernation and Inactivity • Hibernation- a state of inactivity that occurs in some animals when temperatures are cold. • Some animals conserve energy by slowing down their body functions. • Animals may move some or may remain totally inactive. • Ex: Black bears prepare in the summer by eating large amounts of food to gain weight. They live off the extra fat. • Ex: The seeds of many plants become inactive once they are released from the plant. They will stay that way until conditions in the environment are right for the plant to grow. They need a certain amount of water, light, and temperature to grow.

3. Migration • Some animals migrate for the same reasons that other animals hibernate. • Mammals, birds, and butterflies fly south for the winter to escape cold temperatures and to find food. • Cold temperatures reduce the amount of food. • Ex: Aquatic birds migrate from Canada to spend the winter in South Carolina. • Ex: Monarch Butterfly- millions migrate together from Canada to Mexico or in California. These Monarchs pass through South Carolina in late March and early April as they head back north.

4. Active at Night • Nocturnal- are active at night and sleep during the day. • Ex: bats, opossums, and owls • Some animals are nocturnal to avoid competition with other animals that feed on the same prey. • Ex: Both owls and hawks feed on mice. Hawks hunt during the day and owls hunt at night. • Some animals are nocturnal because it helps them survive harsh environmental conditions. • Ex: Desert animals • Other desert animals are NOT nocturnal because they are active only at dawn and dusk. • Ex: Mule deer and jackrabbits search for food in the early morning or late in the evening. • Many plants bloom at night. Others bloom at night so they will not release scents during the day that attract moths and bats during the night. • Ex: Evening Primrose

5. Competitive Behaviors • Competition happen when two or more organisms share limited resources. • Territory- an area where an animal hunts, finds a mate, or raises its young. Defending a territory is a competitive behavior. • Ex: Cardinals, blue jays, sparrows, and chickadees sing throughout the day in SC. People find this pleasant. However, birds recognize these sounds as warnings. Birds sing to protect their territory. • Plants can claim territories. • Ex: The creosote plant, which grows in the desert, seems to claim a territory where no other plants grown. The roots spread out near the surface to collect as much water as possible. This keeps other plants from growing there.

6. Feeding Behavior • One way to reduce competition for resources is through how different organisms feed. • Males and Females of the same species may have different feeding behaviors. • Ex: Diamond-backed terrapin lives in marshes, creeks, and lagoons in SC where fresh water mixes with salt water. Both males and females eat snails, blue crabs, fiddler crabs, barnacles, and small clams. However, they eat animals of different sizes. Females are larger than males.

7. The Worm-Eating Warbler • Changes its feeding behavior according to the season is the worm-eating warbler. • Spend the Spring and Summer in the eastern U.S. Live in forests and feed on spiders, caterpillars, and other insects. • In the fall, they migrate to warmer areas, such as the islands in the Caribbean. These birds spend the winter in tropical rain forests. They look for food on dead leaves rather than on live leaves. The dead leaves are curled up and large spiders live inside. Almost no spiders are found on live leaves in the tropical rain forests during the winter.