"Natural Science 4" is an interactive encyclopedia that includes scientific information in the understanding of fourth grade students, wonderfully illustrated and animated.
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* Chapter 2 Lesson 6 *
* The Meadow *
In nature, living things live everywhere in the most varied environments. Even if we are talking about the terrestrial, aquatic or aerial environment, they have learned to survive by adapting to the conditions. Adaptations can be caused by: relief form, air temperature, presence or lack of precipitation, soil, duration and intensity of light.
The meadow is a natural living environment found in different geographical areas, regardless of the relief form. It is covered with small and thick grass, used for grazing. The soil here is loose and rich in mineral substances, with favorable conditions for the development of plants and the livelihood of numerous animals.
Are all meadows the same? Well no, they differ depending on the landform they are in.
Lowland or steppe meadows have perennial grasses of various heights, with roots deeply embedded in the ground, reduced leaves and covered with protective hairs. Since the summers here are hot and dry, the plants have to withstand these conditions. They are great heat and light lovers. Here we find spontaneous plants (poppy, dandelion, Saint John's wort, clover, chicory), cereals (wheat, corn, rye), industrial plants (sunflower, sugar beet, rape), but also shrubs (hawthorn). These places offer favorable living conditions especially for insects and small animals (worms, spiders, ants, ladybugs, mice, quails, larks, moles, voles, rabbits). To survive, some have borrowed the color of the environment, and others take shelter in galleries dug through the earth.
We meet meadows not only in the plains, but also in the mountains. Here, the living conditions are harsh because there is a strong wind and the temperature is lower, the summers are short and the winters are long, frosty, with a lot of snow. Because of this, on mountain or alpine meadows, the plants have short stems, some are creeping, with leaves covered with wax or hairs that have a protective role. There are no trees… here you can find shrubs (cranberries) and plants with brightly colored flowers (sloths, bells, carnations). Also here we meet the edelweiss, a rare plant, protected by law, with white flowers and leaves covered with hairs.
The animals in the mountain meadows have also undergone some adaptations: either they have a body covered with hairs (bumblebee), or they have a dark body color to attract the light and heat of the sun (viper), or they are active for a short time, then enter in a state of numbness (lizard). They can be very skilled rock climbers (the black goat) or very skilled hunters (the golden eagle, hawk ).
What other adaptations of living things to this living environment do you know?