Types of Habitat

Types of Habitat Habitat is the place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism.

Terrestrial Habitat Habitat is the place that is natural for the life and growth of an organism. Now let us discuss how animals and plants adapt themselves for the terrestrial and aquatic habitats. Terrestrial habitat: All the deserts, mountains and forests and plain lands has come under terrestrial habitat. Camels have long legs for adaptation. Snakes and rats live in burrows and come out only during the night when it is cool. Xerophytes or desert plants shows some adaptations to sustain in the desert conditions. In desert plants, the leaves are either absent or reduced to spines as in cacti. The leaf-like structure seen in cactus is its stem and it carries photosynthesis. The roots grow deep into the soil for absorbing water. The reduced leaf and the thick waxy layer of stem minimise transpiration. The plants and animals in the mountain habitat show some adaptations. Most of the trees in cold mountains are cone shaped. The leaves are also very thin and look like needles For the sliding of water and snow during rains and snowfall. Animals in mountain areas have long hair and thick skin to protect them from cold climate. Thick fur all over Bodies of Yak and Snow Leopard protects them from the cold climate. The mountain goat, have strong hooves that help them run on the mountain slopes easily The animals living in the grasslands show some adaptations. Lions live in forests and prey on other animals, like deer, for food. The lions brown skin colour blends easily with the colour of dry grass in grasslands and helps in the catching the prey. They have strong claws to tear and eat their food. The eyes of the lion in front of its head helps in identifying the prey from long distances. Deeers  have long ears to help them sense the presence of a predator.

Deers  have eyes on the side of its head to look in all directions for danger and have long legs to run away from predator. Aquatic Habitat All the fresh water and marine water bodies , has come under terrestrial habitat. Fish have special features that help them to live in water. They have streamlined bodies, which reduce friction and allow them to move freely in water. Sea animals like the octopus and the squid do not have streamlined body as they stay deep insidethe ocean on the ocean bed, but make their body streamlined when they move in the water. Sea animals, like fish, octopus and squid have gills that help them to absorb the dissolved oxygen from the water they drink! Dolphins and whales have blowholes to breathe in air when they swim close to the surface of the water and there by stay inside the water for a long time without breathing. In general the aquatic plants have much smaller roots and helps the plant in holding on the surface. Stems are long and light.  Leaves and Submerged plants such as Ulva has narrow and ribbon-like leaves. These allow the plants to bend themselves in the direction of the flow of water.In milfoil, leaves are highly dissected, making water to easily flow without Frogs usually live in ponds and lakes. A frog can live both in water and on land. Frogs have strong hind legs to hop on land and webbed feet to swim in water. Frogs also have a membrane called the nictitating membrane on their eyes. This membrane helps protect their eyes inside water.