Habitat is understood as the space used by living organisms for existence. Thus, the topic is directly related to the question of the life of any creature. There are four types of habitats, in addition, there are a variety of factors that transform the external influence, so they also need to be considered.
Definition
So what is an animal habitat? The definition appeared in the nineteenth century - in the works of the Russian physiologist Sechenov. Each living organism constantly interacts with the surrounding phenomena, which it was decided to call the environment. Its role is of a dual nature. On the one hand, all life processes of organisms are directly related to it - this is how animals get food, they are affected by climate, natural selection. On the other hand, their existence has no less impact on the environment, largely defining it. Plants maintain oxygen balance and obscure the soil, animals make it more loose. Virtually any change is caused by living organisms. The habitat needs a comprehensive study by anyone who wants to have an idea of biology. It is also important to know that some creatures can live in different conditions. Amphibians are born in the aquatic environment, but often winter and feed on land. Beetles living in the air often need soil or water to breed.
Symbiosis and parasitism
Surprisingly, the habitat of animals can be limited to organisms of other animals. So, inside a person there are all kinds of representatives of microflora, and sometimes the simplest, as well as flat or round worms. Using one organism as another habitat is a very common situation that has been present throughout the course of evolution. There is practically no animal species that does not have internal parasites. In their role are algae, amoeba, ciliates. In relation to this phenomenon, it is most important to learn to distinguish between parasitism and symbiosis. In the first case, the habitat of animals is used by them to the detriment of the body in which they are located. Parasites live solely at the expense of their master, while not killing him. Symbiosis, on the other hand, is a living that is beneficial for both parties, which does not bring problems and leads exclusively to advantages.
Water
The aquatic environment is the totality of all the oceans, seas, glaciers and continental waters of our planet, the so-called hydrosphere, in addition, sometimes it also includes Antarctic snows, atmospheric fluids and those contained in organisms. It occupies more than seventy percent of the surface of the globe with the bulk in the oceans and seas. Water is an integral part of the biosphere, not only water bodies, but also air and soil. Any organism needs it to survive. Moreover, it is water that distinguishes the Earth from neighboring planets. In addition, she played a key role in the development of life. It accumulates organic and inorganic substances, transfers heat, forms a climate and is found in both animal and plant cells. That is why the aquatic environment is one of the most important.
Air
The gas mixture that forms the Earth’s atmosphere plays a crucial role for all living organisms. The air habitat guided evolution, since oxygen forms a high metabolism, which determines the structure of the respiratory system and the water-salt metabolism system. Density, composition, humidity - all this is of serious importance to the planet. Oxygen was formed two billion years ago in the process of volcanic activity, after which its share in the air steadily increased. The modern human environment is characterized by 21% content of this element. An important part of it is also the ozone layer, which does not allow ultraviolet radiation to reach the Earth's surface. Without it, life on the planet could be destroyed. Now a safe human environment is under threat - the ozone layer is being destroyed due to negative environmental processes. This leads to the need for conscious behavior and constant selection of the best not only for people, but also for the Earth decisions.
The soil
Many living organisms live in the earth. The habitat is also used by plants, which serve as food for most living things on the planet. It is impossible to unambiguously determine whether the soil is an inanimate formation, therefore it is called a biocosal body. By definition, it is a substance that is processed during the life of organisms. The soil habitat consists of a solid mass, including sand, clay, silt particles; liquid component; gaseous is air; living - these are the creatures that inhabit it, all kinds of microorganisms, invertebrates, bacteria, fungi, insects. On each hectare of land there are five tons of such forms. The soil habitat is intermediate between water and ground-air, therefore, the organisms living in it often differ in the combined type of respiration. You can meet such creatures even at an impressive depth.
The interaction of organisms and the environment
Each creature differs from inanimate nature by the presence of metabolism and cellular organization. Interaction with the environment is ongoing and should be studied comprehensively due to the complexity of the processes. Each organism directly depends on what is happening around. The ground-air environment of human habitation affects it by precipitation, soil conditions and temperature range. Some of the processes are beneficial to the body, some are indifferent, while others are harmful. Each has a separate definition. For example, homeostasis is the constancy of the internal system that distinguishes living organisms. The habitat can change, which requires adaptation - movements, growth, development. Metabolism is a metabolism accompanied by chemical reactions, such as respiration. Chemosynthesis is the process of creating organics from sulfur or nitrogen compounds. Finally, it is worth remembering the definition of ontogenesis. This is a set of transformations of the body that are affected by all environmental factors over the entire period of its existence.
Environmental factors
For a better understanding of biological processes, it is also necessary to study this definition. Environmental factors are a set of environmental conditions that affect a living organism. They are divided according to a complex classification into several types. Adaptation of the body to them is called adaptation, and its appearance, reflecting environmental factors, is called the life form.
Nutrients
This is one of the types of environmental factors that affect living organisms. The habitat contains salts and elements supplied with water and food. The biogenic ones are those that are needed in large quantities for the body. For example, this is phosphorus, which is important for the formation of protoplasm, and nitrogen, the basis for protein molecules. The source of the first is dead organisms and rocks, and the second is atmospheric air. A lack of phosphorus affects existence almost as badly as a lack of water. Elements such as calcium, potassium, magnesium and sulfur are slightly inferior in value. The first is necessary for shells and bones. Potassium provides the nervous system and plant growth. Magnesium is a part of chlorophyll and ribosome molecules, and sulfur is a part of amino acids and vitamins.
Abiotic environmental factors
There are other processes that affect living organisms. The habitat includes factors such as light, climate, and the like, which are by definition abiotic. Without them, the processes of respiration and photosynthesis, metabolism, seasonal flights, reproduction of many animals are impossible. First of all, light is important. Its length, intensity and duration of exposure are taken into account. In relation to it, a whole classification stands out that biology studies. The habitat, filled with light, is needed for heliophytes - meadow and steppe cereals, weeds, plants of the tundra. Sciophytes need a shadow, they prefer to live under the forest canopy - these are forest herbs. Optional heliophytes can adapt to any conditions: trees, strawberries, geraniums belong to this class. An equally important factor is temperature. Each organism has a certain range that is comfortable for life. Water, the presence of chemicals in the soil and even fires - all this also applies to the abiotic sphere.
Biotic factors
Ground-air habitat is filled with living organisms. Their interaction among themselves is a separate factor worthy of study. Two important types of biotic processes should be divided. The interaction may be phytogenic. This means that plants and microorganisms are involved in the process, affecting each other and the environment. For example, root splicing, parasitism of vines on trees, symbiosis of legumes and bacteria living on tubers. The second type is zoogenic factors. This is the effect of animals. This includes eating, spreading seeds, bark damage, overgrowth destruction, thinning of stands, disease transfer.
Anthropogenic factor
The aquatic, air or terrestrial habitat is always associated with human activities. People intensively change the world around them, greatly influencing its processes. Anthropogenic factors include every impact on organisms, landscape or biosphere. It can be direct if directed at living things: for example, improper hunting and fishing undermine the abundance of some species. Another option is the indirect effect, when a person changes the landscape, climate, air and water conditions, soil structure. Consciously or unconsciously, but a person destroys many species of animals or plants, while cultivating others. So a new environment appears. There are also random effects, such as the sudden importation of alien organisms with cargo, improper drainage of swamps, the creation of dams, and the spread of pests. However, some creatures die out without any human involvement, so blaming people for all environmental problems is simply unfair.
Limiting factors
All kinds of influence exerted on organisms from all sides manifests itself to varying degrees. Sometimes the key substances are those that are required in a minimal amount. Accordingly, the law of minimum was developed . He suggests that the weakest link in the chain of needs of an organism is considered to be its endurance as a whole. Thus, if the soil has all the elements except one that is necessary for growth, the crop will be poor. If you add only the missing, leaving all the others in the same amount - it will become better. If you add all the others without correcting the shortage, no changes will occur. The missing element in this situation will be the limiting factor. However, it is worth considering the maximum impact. Shelford's law of tolerance describes him, suggesting that there is only a certain range in which the factor can remain beneficial for the body, but in excess it becomes harmful. Ideal conditions are called the optimum zone, and deviations from the norm - oppression. The maxima and minima of the impacts are called critical points beyond which the existence of an organism is simply impossible. The degrees of tolerance to certain conditions are different for each living creature and make it possible to attribute them to more or less hardy varieties.