Adaptations
There are three types of adaptations plants can have; behavioural, structural and physiological. Behavioural adaptations are ones that relate to how the organism will respond, and how they will react to survive. Some examples of behavioural adaptations are:
- Flowers opening at night due to more pollinators being active at this time [1] - Plants in the rain-forest, such as vines, that climb up tree to grow towards light [12] - Plants in arid conditions break away from their roots to move with the wind, spreading seeds and puts down roots where moisture is available.[12] |
When an organism has adapted physiologically, this is relating to what their body produces, and how it functions. The following are some examples of physiological adaptations:
- The scent of flowers changing to attract pollinators [23] - The colour of petals – bright to attract pollinators [23] - Plants developing the Crassulacean acid metabolism, allowing them to gain carbon dioxide at night [20]. |
Plant have adapted so they can live in a way that will allow them to best survive and reproduce in the environment they live in. The adaptations plants have are dependent on the ecological niche they live in so the plants can benefit from developing these adaptations.