4.2 Niches and Community Interactions Flashcards
Every species has its own
range of tolerance
when environmental conditions go beyond and organisms optimum range:
it expirences stress bc it has to use more energy for homeostatsis so has less energy for growth/reproduction
a species tolerance for environmental conditions helps determine:
it habitat
a niche describes what an organism:
does and how it interacts with biotic and abiotic factors
a niche involves:
physical aspects (humidity, temp) and biological aspects (what food, way it gets food, how it reproduces)
what is intraspecific and interspecific competition:
intraspecific: between same species
interspecific: between differnet species
by casuing species to divide resources:
competition helps determine the number and kinds of species in a community and the niche each species occupies
predators affect the size of prey populations in a community and
determine the places prey can live and feed
various zones of tolerance:
optimum, zone of physiological stress, and zone of intolerance
resources and the niche (necesssities of life)
food, nutrients, water, light, space
physical aspect (abiotic factors) of a niche requires them to
adapt to conditions or have to move to another area or die
Biological aspect of a niche
when and how an organism reproduces (number of offsprings) manner that it obtains food, way it finds shelter
Instead of competing, some species
adapted to divide resources
What is a niche?
The physical and biological conditions that a species lives in, obtains its food and shelter, and reproduces.
Each species has a range of conditions under which they grow and reproduce.
What determines the habitat where organisms can live?
A species’ tolerance to environmental factors.
Tolerance levels can vary greatly between species.
Name three pollution-tolerant organisms.
- Aquatic Worms
- Pouch Snails
- Leeches
These organisms can survive in polluted environments.
What are the three zones of tolerance for environmental factors?
- Optimum
- Zone of Physiological Stress
- Zone of Intolerance
These zones represent the varying levels of tolerance to environmental conditions.
True or False: Alligators can live in Canyon Lake.
False
Alligators have specific tolerance levels that prevent them from living in certain environments.
List the fundamentals of niches.
- Food
- Nutrients
- Water
- Light
- Space
These are the necessities of life for organisms within a niche.
Abiotic factors, physical aspects of a niche require
organisms to adapt, move, or perish.
Examples include water availability and temperature.
What biological aspects must organisms cope with in their niche?
- When and how the organism reproduces
- Numbers of offspring
- Manner of obtaining food
- Manner of finding shelter
These factors are crucial for survival in an ecosystem.
What is the Competitive Exclusion Principle?
When two competing species occupy the same habitat, one is likely to out-compete the other for resources.
This generally leads to the exclusion of the less competitive species.
What is resource division?
An adaptation where species divide resources to avoid competition.
For example, different warblers occupy different heights in trees to reduce competition.
What are the three types of symbiosis?
- Mutualism
- Parasitism
- Commensalism
These interactions describe how different species coexist and interact within their niches.
