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Basic Needs of Living Organisms

All living things share common characteristics including the need for energy, growth, reproduction, organization, and death. Plants and animals both require nutrients, water, and oxygen to survive and grow, though they obtain these resources differently. Plants can produce their own food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, while animals must consume other organisms for food and obtain nutrients.

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51 views3 pages

Basic Needs of Living Organisms

All living things share common characteristics including the need for energy, growth, reproduction, organization, and death. Plants and animals both require nutrients, water, and oxygen to survive and grow, though they obtain these resources differently. Plants can produce their own food through photosynthesis using sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide, while animals must consume other organisms for food and obtain nutrients.

Uploaded by

syedputra_teen
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

All individuals which have life in them are known as living things.

Broadly, these living things can be classified as plants and animals. They both have common characteristics as they depend on oxygen for life. These living things follow a universal circle of life with birth, reproduction and death. They need all the basic nutrients for growth and development and are prone to disturbances in their metabolism. They share a mutual bonding through the ecosystem they survive in i.e. plants depend on animals for carbon dioxide and animals depend on plants for oxygen. Take a look at some of the similar characteristics of living things given below. Read more on 5 kingdoms of living things and classification of living things. Cells The basic component present in every living thing is the cell. Both plants and animals are made up of one to countless number of cells which carry out different sets of functions. Life before evolution began from a single cell. Similarly even today life is generated from a single cell which then divides or multiplies to give rise to a complex living form. After fertilization, once the zygote is formed, the cells start differentiating into their types and over a certain period of time give rise to a fully developed, mature living thing. Energy One of the most important characteristics of living things is the energy that they need to survive. Plants and animals, use various forms of energy for the development of their bodies. The complete use of chemical energy they use to carry out their life processes is called metabolism. Plants use the energy from the sun or solar energy to carry out photosynthesis which is the process for making their food (glucose). They are hence known as Autotrophs. Animals and humans, however cannot produce their own food and are dependent on plants and other animals for their food and hence they are called the Heterotrophs. Therefore, energy is a common characteristic needed by all living things. Growth One of the rule of nature is growth which is followed by all living things. As development is an involuntary process, every cell in living things has to age. Growth and change is a part of all living organisms as cells divide to give rise to new and identical ones. Sometimes due to some genetic defects, during differentiation, some cells mutate to form other types of cells and result in complex organisms. This process of constant development and growth is also called as organogenesis. Reproduction All organisms reproduce to continue their species' life. This is also one of the main characteristics of living things. Plants and animals have a reproductive system which is completely developed at puberty. There are two types of reproduction prevalent in nature, viz. sexual and asexual. The sexual reproduction involves the combination of genetic material to give rise to a single zygote that further develops into a bigger organism. The asexual reproduction involves the splitting of one organism or cell to form two separate individuals of the same species. Organization Every living thing is highly organized when it comes to the pattern or built of the body. Plants as well as animals have very complicated cell structures arranged very uniquely in the different organs. The cells form organelles, and organelles form organs. The organs make up the various parts of the organism. This is a network which every cell follows and thus living things are called highly organized beings. Read more on levels of organization of living things. Death This is also considered as one of the most important characteristics of living things as whatever is created has to come to an end. Both plants and animals have limited life spans during which they go through their life processes like development and reproduction. As the cells age over a particular time period, these overgrown cells start becoming weak and loose their functions. They can't survive the atmospheric pressures and give into them eventually. This is called death of the living things. They all have a particular age they live up to and then surrender to nature. Other Characteristics Some of the other living thing characteristics include homeostasis, which is the process to maintain stable internal conditions for survival. These conditions have to be maintained for body temperature, heart beat, water content, etc. When the homeostasis is regulated the metabolism of the body is regulated and the living things stay healthy and fit. More on maintaining homeostasis. Movement is also one such characteristic which is common to all living things. These movements depend on each species of plants and animals. Adaptation and defense are considered as common traits too. Every living thing has to adapt to certain conditions for survival and if it can't then it won't survive. Defense is also a gift that is given to every living thing and it is their right to protect themselves from predators.

All living things have their basic needs to stay [Link] will die if their basic needs are not fulfilled for a long time. The basic needs of humans and animals are food, water, air and shelter. However, the basic needs of plants are water, sunlight and air. Humans and animals need food for: -growth -repairing of tissues -energy -defence against diseases -producing heat to keep the body warm. Humans and animals cannot make their own food. Thus humans and animals obtain food from plants and other animals. Humans and animals will die without food. Water is essential to humans and animals. Humans and animals need water to: -maintain the body temperature -transport digested food throughout the body -help in removing waste from the body -help in blood circulation Humans and animals will die if they do not get sufficient water for a long time. Humans should drink about eight glasses of water daily. Vegetables, milk and fruits contain water. Air is even more essential humans and animals for survival. Without air, humans and animals will die in just a short time. Humans and animals use oxygen in air to breathe. Humans and animals need shelter to protect themselves from danger, the sun and the rain. People need houses to live in; where members of the family can enjoy, relax and have a good meal. Comfortable homes and good environment will make people happy and healthy. There are many types of houses such as hut, long house, flat, terrace house and bungalow. Different animals live in different places. Some lives on land, some in water while some live both on land and in water. Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots. Plants need water for: -making food during photosynthesis -transporting food and minerals to the plants tissues. -keeping the plant cells turgid. Green plants can make their own food through photosynthesis. Sunlight is necessary for photosynthesis. Without sunlight plant will die. Green leaves contain chlorophyll (a green pigment) to trap sunlight. Sunlight provides the energy needed for water to combine with carbon dioxide to produce glucose in the leaves. Oxygen is produced as a by-product. Carbon Dioxide + Water chlorophyll sunlight Glucose + Oxygen

Identify 8 characteristic of living things Explain that anmimal and plant need food air and water to live Observe the behaviour of one type of animal and make inferences about its basic needs Demonstrate to show plant needs minerals [Link] [Link]

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Structurally, plants and animals differ as plants have cell walls, chlorophyll, and are capable of photosynthesis, while animals lack these features and depend on external food sources . Despite these differences, both share functional objectives related to metabolism, growth, reproduction, and maintaining homeostasis to ensure survival .

In animals, homeostasis is maintained through physiological mechanisms such as temperature regulation, heartbeat stabilization, and fluid balance. Plants achieve homeostasis by regulating processes like transpiration and photosynthesis, which manage water content and energy capture efficiently to support their metabolic activities .

Reproduction, either sexual or asexual, ensures the continuity of life by allowing plants and animals to pass their genetic material to the next generation. Sexual reproduction involves genetic material combination to form a zygote, leading to genetic diversity. Asexual reproduction enables organisms to reproduce without a mate, ensuring rapid population growth and stability of species presence in an environment .

Living organisms exhibit a high degree of organization, which includes cellular organization where cells form organelles, organelles form organs, and organs constitute the organism's body parts . This organization is vital for the coordinated functioning and survival of complex life forms as it enables different parts to perform specialized functions efficiently .

Water is crucial for animals as it helps maintain body temperature, transport nutrients, aid in waste removal, and facilitate blood circulation . For plants, water is essential in photosynthesis, transporting nutrients, and maintaining cell turgor, which is necessary for structure and growth . Without adequate water, both plants and animals would fail to function properly and eventually die .

Plants and animals both rely on oxygen for life and are part of a mutual relationship within the ecosystem, where plants depend on animals for carbon dioxide and vice versa. They both engage in metabolism, where plants use solar energy for photosynthesis to generate food, and animals, being unable to produce their food, rely on plants and other animals for sustenance .

Cellular organization is fundamental to the development and functioning of living organisms as it dictates the formation of tissues, organs, and ultimately organ systems, enabling specialized functions and complex life processes. This complexity allows for adaptability and survival in varied environments .

Organogenesis, the process of organ formation during development, is closely related to genetic variation as it involves cell differentiation and growth following genetic instructions. Mutations during cell differentiation can lead to genetic diversity, which contributes to organism complexity and evolution .

Basic needs like food, water, and air are essential for survival, prompting organisms to adapt to their environments by developing features or behaviors to acquire these necessities. For example, plants adapt to optimal sunlight for photosynthesis and animals develop mechanisms to secure resources, showcasing the evolutionary drive to satisfy basic life requirements .

Autotrophs, like plants, harness solar energy to produce food via photosynthesis, forming the base of ecological energy pyramids. Heterotrophs, such as animals, depend on consuming autotrophs or other heterotrophs for energy. This difference establishes a food web that impacts ecosystem dynamics, with autotrophs supporting energy flow and heterotrophs driving nutrient cycling .

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