NCERT-Solutions-Class-6-Science-The Living Organisms Characteristics and Habitats
NCERT notes alongwith solutions for class 6: science – Chapter “The Living Organisms Characteristics and Habitats” are provided here. The notes as well as solutions are very much helpful for the students to understand the topic. The solutions will be handy for quickly completing the homework and preparing for exams.
If you look at the map of the world, you will find many places which are different from one another. Some places are cold, some are very hot & dry and some are humid. Some places have mountains covered with ice, some have deserts and some have large oceans. Different kinds of flora and fauna can be found in each of these locations as shown in the table below:
Table 6.1 Animals, plants and other objects found in different surroundings
Habitat and Adaptation
Habitat
- Terrestrial habitats
- Aquatic habitats
Terrestrial habitats
- Forest: Forest is a large area dominated by trees
- Grasslands: Grassland is an area where the vegetation is dominated by the grass
- Desert: Deserts are the driest place on the earth. There is very little water available in the desert. The day is very hot whereas the night is cold
Aquatic habitats:
- Fresh water habitat: The water of fresh water habitat is not salty. Rivers, lakes, ponds, streams are the examples of fresh water habitat.
- Marine water habitat: The water of marine water habitat is saline (Salty water). Sea and Oceans are the examples of marine water habitat.
Components of a habitat
- Biotic Component: Biotic components include all living organisms like plants and animals living in a habitat.
- Abiotic Component: It includes non-living things like air, light, soil, rocks, water etc. that influence the organisms living in a habitat.
Adaptation
- The presence of specific features or certain habits, which enable an organism to live naturally in a place is called adaptation.
- Adaptation of organisms differs depending on their place of dwelling.
- Adaptation does not take place in a short time because the abiotic factors of a region also change very slowly.
- Those organisms which cannot adapt to these changes die, and only the adapted ones survive.
Acclimatisation
Acclimatisation is the process in which an organism allows some temporary changes to take place in its body to help itself to overcome small problems due to changes in the surroundings.
Adaptation of plants and animals in different habitats
Adaptive features of plants and animals in desert regions
Adaptive feature of plants in desert regions:
Adaptive feature of camels:
Other animals:
Desert animals like rats and snakes which do not have long legs like a camel, they stay in burrows deep in the sand to protect themselves from the intense heat during the day. These animals come out only during the night when it is cooler.
Adaptive features of plants and animals in mountain regions.
Mountain regions are very cold and windy. some of its areas also receive snowfall in winter. Trees which are commonly found in mountain regions are: Pine, Fir, Maple, Oak, Deodar etc.
The adaptive features of trees like – Pine, Fir etc. are:
The animals residing in mountainous regions have developed special adaptations to withstand severe weather, low oxygen levels, and rough terrain. The adaptive features of Animals like snow leopard, Yak, mountain goats etc. are:
Adaptive features of animals (Predators and Prey) in grasslands
Adaptive feature of a lion (Predators):
Adaptive feature of Deer (Prey):
Adaptive Features of some aquatic animals in Oceans
- They stay deeper in the ocean, near the seabed and catch any prey that moves towards them.
- when they move in water they make their body shapes streamlined.
- These animals have gills to help them use oxygen dissolved in water.
- They breathe in air through nostrils or blowholes that are located on the upper parts of their heads.
- They can stay inside the water for a long time without breathing.
Adaptive Features of some plants in lakes and ponds
Characteristics of organism
Some of the significant characteristics which are common to all living things are:
- All living things need food to obtain energy.
- All living things grow and develop.
- All living things respire and excrete.
- All living things respond to stimuli.
- All living things reproduce their own kind.
- All living things move from one place to another and also show other body movements
Solution of the Exercise
1. What is a habitat?
Ans:
The word habitat means “dwelling place or a home”. It is a place where organisms live. The habitat provides plants and animals with food, water, shelter and space to live.2. How are cactus adapted to survive in a desert?
- Spiny leaves on cacti help to prevent water loss through transpiration.
- Photosynthesis is carried out in stems of cactus.
- The stem of the cactus is covered with a thick waxy layer which helps to retain water in the tissues of cacti.
- The roots of the cactus go very deep into the soil to absorb water.
3. Fill in the blanks
- The presence of specific features, which enable a plant or an animal to live in a particular habitat, is called …………………
- The habitats of the plants and animals that live on land are called …………habitat.
- The habitats of plants and animals that live in water are called ………….habitat.
- Soil, water and air are the ———— factors of a habitat.
- Changes in our surroundings that make us respond to them, are called ………..
Ans:
- Adaptation
- Terrestrial
- Aquatic
- Abiotic
- Stimuli
4. Which of the things in the following list are non-living? Plough, Mushroom, Sewing machine, Radio, Boat, Water hyacinth, Earthworm
Ans:
Non-living things: Plough, sewing machine, radio and boat.
5. Give an example of a non-living thing, which shows any two characteristics of living things.
- It shows movements.
- It requires energy for movement.
6. Which of the non-living things listed below, were once part of a living thing?
Butter, Leather, Soil, Wool, Electric bulb, Cooking oil, Salt, Apple, Rubber
Ans:
Butter, leather, apple, wool, cooking oil and rubber were once a part of a living things.
7. List the common characteristics of the living things.
- Growth and Development
- Respiration
- Excretion
- Reproduction
- respond to stimuli
- movements
8. Explain, why speed is important for survival in the grasslands for animals that live there.
(Hint: There are few trees or places for animals to hide in grasslands habitats.)
Ans:
In grassland habitats, there are few trees or places for animals to hide. When their enemy attacks they have to run faster so as to reach a safe place. If they fail, they will lose their life. So, speed is very important for the survival of grassland animals. Let’s take the example of a deer. The deer has to run very fast to keep herself safe from the attack of predators like lions or tigers. Otherwise, the deer will lose her life.