Grade 8 Science : Life Cycles of living organisms - Part 1

Dear Children, you are aware that all living organisms on earth undergo several phases throughout their life time. These phases play a significant role in supporting the existence of the living component in the world. In the case of animals, a live birth or an egg can be cited as the very first stage in their life while the seed germination marks the beginning of the plant life cycle. All the living beings will go through the basic stages of birth, growth, reproduction and death. These stages showcase a cyclic pattern as it repeats with the birth of a new generation and this is the means by which life thrives on earth.

 

The orderly series of these developmental phases that seem to continue in a cyclic manner and are undergone by the living beings on earth from their birth to their death is called a life cycle. Although all animals face the stages of their life cycle, the process seem to be different in the case of certain animals. For example, the morphological changes are not visible in the life cycles of man, dog, rat and etc. However, if you observe the life cycles of animals like the frog, butterfly, cockroach and etc. you will notice the changes in morphological features. These animals are typically hatched from eggs and it must be noted that the nutrients of those eggs are not enough to support their growth. Thus, in order to ensure their continuation and survival, they go through several stages that specifically support them get the necessary nutrients to grow and reach the stage of an adult. Their existence is further supported by the adaptation showcased by these phases for various environments. This happens because some organisms are naturally born with morphological features that resemble their adults while some are required to undergo several morphological changes till they become adults. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Mekhala Egodawele

Photo source : Internet