What are the responses of plants and animals to environmental clues, and how do hormones mediate them?

Question

What are the responses of plants and animals to environmental clues, and how do hormones mediate them?

Answer 1

Plant Indicators—The presence or absence of certain plant or other vegetative life in an ecosystem can provide important clues about the health of the environment.

Eg:Lichens-(not a plant), found on rocks and tree trunks, are organisms comprising both fungi and algae. They respond to environmental changes in forests, including changes in forest structure-(conservation biology), air quality, and climate. The disappearance of lichens in a forest may indicate environmental stresses, such as high levels of sulfur dioxide, sulfur-based pollutants, and nitrogen-oxides.

Animal Indicators—An increase or decrease in an animal population may indicate damage to the ecosystem caused by pollution.

For example, if pollution causes the depletion of important food sources, animal species dependent upon these food sources will also be reduced in number-population decline.

                      In plants , harmones help to tackle environmental stress. In animals , will favor those individuals that adjust the timing of their breeding according to environment.