Adaptations of animals in the Boreal Forest

Commensalism

• One organism benefits and one does not
• Remora fish attach themselves to sharks and eat their bacteria
• They also eat leftovers

Mutualism

Symbiotic relationships

Structural

Adaptations

• both organisms benifit in the relationship
• Oxpeckers (birds) live on zebras/rhinos and eat parasites/bugs on the animal
• Rhino/zebra stay clean and bird is full
• Oxpeckers alert the zebra/rhino when predators are nearby

• Long legs help tiger walk in deep snow and pounce onto prey.
• Large paws act as snow shoes.
• Long canine teeth help them kill their prey.

• Symbiotic relationships are interactions between species
• They are essential for many organisms and ecosystems
• Provide balance

Behavioral Adaptations

Parasitism

• Patiently waits for prey in the bitter cold, helps the tiger have the element of surprise and gain endurance.
• They are very territorial, causing them to mark territories.They mark their territories by using their urine,feces, and scratch marks on trees.

• One organism benefits at the expense of another
• Female Costa Rican wasps lays eggs on abdomens of orb spiders
• The larva live off spider then inject poison causing it to spin an unusual web
• When the web is done, the larva eat the spider

The Siberian Tiger

• Also known as the Amur tiger.
• Has typical markings of all tigers and is the largest of all wildcats.
• Can grow to heights of 10 feet tall in length and 3 feet in height.
• They are located in small numbers in China and North Korea. Large range found in Southeastern Russia.
• Adult males can grow up to 320 kilograms and a female significantly smaller at 180 kilograms.

Structural adaptations

• Tough roots, (both underground and areial), used to get water. Roots are tough enough to destroy sidewalks and clog drains
• Thick roots that can help the tree reach more water
• Thick scaly bark Protecting the tree from outside elements
• Produces salicylic acid that is toxic for protection

Physiological

Adaptations

The Weeping Willow

• The Siberian Tigers ability to keep warm through frigid winters with their thick furs.
• Their inset eyes help them see prey farther away.
• Their incredible hearing allows them to communicate with other tigers and hear prey from greater distances.

Adaptations of animals and plants in the Boreal Forest

Physiological adaptations

• Grows in sunny and wet environments
• Can grow to heights of up to 60 feet
• Bark hasa grey black colour
• Grows both male and female flowers appearing in silvery green catkins (flowering spike of trees, wind pollinated)
• visited by insects such as Aphids, Borers, Lacebugs, Caterpillars
• branches can be damaged due to heavy snow/ice
• lots of litter

• easily reproduce through fallen twigs and or leaves
• can create flowers with both male and female reproductive organs

By Wesley, Simran, and Kimberly

Behavioral adaptations

• Grows quickly
• short lifespan of up to 30 years
• takes root from fallen branches or cutlings (increases abundance)

Invasive species:

Garlic mustard

Bibliography

• First sighting in North America was on Long Island NY in 1868
• Distributed throughout Europe (England to Czechoslovakia, Sweden to Germany and Italy
• Two to three feet tall
• Has flowers growing off it
• Have black fruits (cylindrical/grooved)
• May have been introduced as medicine

Biotic relationships

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weeping_Willow
• garden.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Weeping_Willow_Tree_facts
• www.softschools.com/facts/plants/willow_tree_facts/555/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/commensalism
• animalsymbiosis.weebly.com/sharks-and-remora-fish.html
• examples.yourdictionary.com/mutalism-examples.html
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/parasitism
• www.columbia.edu/itc/cerc/danoff-burg/invasion-bio/inv_spp_summ/Alliaria_petiolata.html
• jackofsanders.tripod.com/garlicmustard.htm
• www.natureconservancy.ca/en/what-we-do/resource-centre/invasive-species/garlic_mustard.html

• if percentage of garlic mustard increases, other species will decrease
• Heights of garlic mustard stems increase, Other plants will grow shorter

Abiotic relationship

• Dominates nutrients, space, light
• Displaces native understory species (spring beauty, etc)
• Kills american butterfly larvae
• Looks like toothwort confusing West Virginia butterflies, killing many of their larvae