Kristy Archambault's Digital Scavenger Hunt Set 1

           This picture is of a simple flower located near my house. The flower is an example of an autotroph, which means that the flower makes it own food and doesn't have to eat other organisms or their molecules. Flowers make their own food through the process of photosynthesis to capture and convert the suns energy into food for itself and other organisms. Autotrophs are significant because they serve as a food source for herbivores and omnivores and create oxygen for humans and other animals to breathe. Without an abundance of autotrophs animals would have a difficult time sustaining their food supply and ultimately many would die. Additionally, it would be difficult for life to continue because without oxygen there is no life.  

          This lizard is an example of an ectotherm, which just means that the organism keeps itself warm by absorbing heat from its surroundings; in other words an ectotherm is a "cold-blooded" organism. If the organism is in a cold environment, then the organism will be cold and if the organism is in a warm environment, then the organism will be warm. This lizard was found in Florida where it is warm; therefore, the lizard will be warm too. There are many advantages to being an ectotherm, for example they require less energy to survive in comparison to endotherms. On the other hand, in cold temperatures it's hard for an ectotherm to survive because they cannot remain active and search for food.

            This picture showcases a bees nest that I found on my deck. A bees nest is an example of a habitat, a place where an organisms lives. In addition to living in the nest, bees make honey and store pollen in the nests. Bees nests are important because they keep bees safe from threats and without a nest bees would die. If bees all around the world were to die, then flowers would soon wither away and stop growing because they would not be getting pollinated. An organism cannot do its job without a safe resting place, which is why bees often create their habitats in crevices and in corners hoping that they will not be bothered. Just as any other habitat, a bees habitat is a crucially important variable needed for their survival.

          This picture is of a hummingbird hovering near a feeder making sure it's safe before drinking any of the sugar water. Hummingbirds are an example of a keystone species. A keystone species is a species that's not very abundant in a community, but has a strong effect on the community because of niche. A hummingbird's niche is to help in the pollination of flowers. Over time certain flowers have adapted so that only hummingbirds can pollinate them, so if hummingbirds were to just disappear some flower variations would go extinct as well. Additionally, hummingbirds are important because they help in the cross pollination of flowers in two completely different areas that are far away from each other. While bees also help in cross pollination, hummingbirds can fly longer distances; therefore, expanding the area of pollination. In places such as South America, hummingbirds are so important that they pollinate about 20% of the flowers. 

           This picture is of a cucumber growing in a garden, cucumbers are just one of the many types of foods that people grow and eat on a daily basis. Food is essential for human life to continue and grow, which is why food is considered a limiting factor. Limiting factors are environmental factors that restrict population growth. Food is considered a limiting factors because without an abundance of food sustaining the population, the population cannot grow and expand; in all actuality the population would most likely start to die off. Limiting factors are always important to consider and keep control of, for example when the Great Potato Famine occurred in Ireland many people died because of their shortage of food. Limiting factors are crucial to the survival of species and if limiting factors such as food are not controlled then it could be very possible for another famine to occur and take innocent lives. 

          This butterfly is in the process of pollinating flowers near a lake. Pollinating flowers is one of the many niches that butterflies occupy. A niche is a population's role in its community. Butterflies pollinate flowers as they fly and search for nectar inside of the flowers. The significance of a butterflies niche is that without the butterfly helping in pollinating flowers, cross pollination would not occur and flowers would start to die. In general, niches are important because it makes everything in an ecosystem run smoothly and ensure that everything that needs tending to is tended to. If too many populations have the same niche, then the populations would be in competition until one either goes extinct or moves away. On the other hand, in special cases some populations such as bees and butterflies can coexist with a similar niche because they don't get in the way of each other.  

          This picture is of a sloth at a zoo showing off it tricks and listening to commands. Every time the sloth successfully completed a trick or listened to a command it was given a treat as an incentive. The treats always varied between insects and leaves. The sloth is an example of an omnivore, which just means that the organism eats both plants and animals. The diet of a sloth includes insects, small lizards, leaves, buds, and shoots. Omnivores are significant because. they eat both herbivores and carnivores, so they have a better chance of survival due to their varying diet. For example, if all of the plants in an area died, the herbivores would soon die as a result, but since omnivores eat plants and animals, they would still have a source of food to survive. The same would occur if all the carnivores died, instead of eating meat the omnivores would just eat plants. 

          This picture is of a bumble bee pollinating a flower as it flies around. The bumble bee and the flower are both a part of a symbiotic relationship. A symbiotic relationship is a close association between organisms of two or more species. Symbiotic relationships are significant because they help to explain how populations and species get along and interact with each other. The different kinds of symbiotic relationships are commensalism where one organism gains from the relationship and the other is not helped or harmed, parasitism where one organism gains from the relationship and the other is harmed, and mutualism where both organisms benefit. The relationship between the bee and flower is mutualism because the bee gathers nectar and pollen which the bee uses for food and as the bee benefits in these ways the flower benefits because it can get pollinated and pollination between flowers can occur.