Therefore in a damp climates of high moisture levels Slaters will tend to move slowly and accumulate in these areas, however in dry climates of very low moisture levels Slaters will move rapidly and tend to disperse into damper conditions where they consequently begin to slow down and cluster. Moving more rapidly in unfavourable conditions with a random assortment of directions increases the Slaters likelihood of finding more favourable conditions of high moisture levels to inhabit, decreasing the risk of their desiccation. .
Gas exchange: Slaters have a structural adaptation of psuedotrachea which are contained within the 1st pleopod of the abdomen area (annotated in diagrams above). They contain a pore opening to the outside which allows exchange of gases directly in and out of the 'lung'. This pore is unable to be closed so water is able to continually diffuse/transpire from the inner surface of the pseudo-lung out into the surroundings[3]. The feature of the psuedotrachea and permeable exoskeleton (due to open pore) is therefore a structural adaptation as it allows for the Slater to maintain a very efficient gas exchange system. The system requires far less energy to maintain than the likes of the internal human respiratory system and other similar gas exchange methods found in mammals. This is necessary as the Slater is unable to build energy reserves as large as those found in the likes of humans and mammals, and resultantly would not have enough energy to carry out respiration using these complex internal gas exchange systems. .
Sensitivity.
Slaters have behavioral, physiological and structural adaptations which assist with protecting them from elements they are sensitive to such as dry and bright conditions which bring about the danger of desiccation. Many of the adaptations concerning sensitivity within the Slaters are based around this feature of dry conditions, as a result relating to the conservation of water and the need to avoid desiccation.