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Essay On Terrestrial Environment

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Organisms living in aquatic and terrestrial habitats have very different physical environments. A terrestrial environment is that which is found only on the earth's land area, whilst an aquatic environment is solely based in water. The species that inhabit these environments face distinct problems that are unique to them because they possess different characteristics. The transition of animals from aquatic environments to land was a major change in evolution and vertebrate history that caused a sudden expansion of species diversity. This transition was not easy , with the first animals to venture on land encountering numerous challenges for support, movement, gaseous exchange, reproduction, feeding, desiccation and functions of some sensory …show more content…

In the terrestrial environment, the problem of sperm swimming to the egg and the embryos drying out was severe because of the high temperatures and harsh environmental conditions. In insect populations, females often produce large numbers of eggs where most of the eggs hatch and the life cycle is relatively short. Together, these characteristics enable insects to produce remarkably large numbers of offspring therefore creating better chances of survival for the species. Female insects can also store sperm for months or years within the spermatheca and some species example the scale insects can contribute offspring through a process of asexual reproduction. This allows insect species to survive and be successful which is not the case with the fishes who in order to survive had to develop different functions which took time in order to survive in terrestrial environments. Laura Klappenbach a Colorado-based biologist says that a main challenge to life on land is the adjustment of sensory organs to function on land instead of in water. She states that “Modifications in the anatomy of the eye and ear were necessary to compensate for the differences in light and sound transmission through air instead of water. Additionally, some senses were lost such as the lateral-line system which in water enables animals to sense vibration in the water and which in air holds little

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