B4.2 - Ecological Niches Flashcards
ecological niches
What is an ecological niche?
The functional position and role of an organism within its environment.
What are the components of an ecological niche?
Includes habitat, resources, activity patterns, and interactions with other species.
What are obligate anaerobes?
Organisms that cannot tolerate oxygen and rely solely on anaerobic respiration.
What defines an obligate aerobe?
An organism that cannot survive without oxygen and requires aerobic respiration.
What is a facultative anaerobe?
An organism that can respire both anaerobically and aerobically.
What is photosynthesis?
The mode of nutrition in plants, algae, and some prokaryotes that uses light energy to synthesize food.
Define holozoic nutrition.
Ingestion and internal digestion of carbon compounds by animals.
What is saprotrophic nutrition?
The process of releasing enzymes to chemically digest organic material externally.
What is autotrophic nutrition?
The synthesis of organic compounds from simple inorganic molecules.
What is heterotrophic nutrition?
Obtaining organic compounds from other organisms via feeding.
What is the difference between a fundamental niche and a realized niche?
Fundamental niche is the theoretical habitat; realized niche is the actual habitat occupied after interactions.
What is competitive exclusion?
When one species outcompetes another for resources, leading to the latter’s extinction.
What is resource partitioning?
When species alter their habitat use to divide resources and reduce competition.
What adaptations do herbivores have for feeding on plants?
Specialized mouthparts, digestive systems with specific bacteria, and unique metabolic processes.
How do plants adapt to resist herbivory?
Through physical structures (spines, thorns) and chemical compounds (toxic chemicals, bitter tastes).
List adaptations of predators for catching prey.
- Heightened sensory organs
- Sharp teeth and claws
- Camouflage
- Hunting behaviors
What are mixotrophs?
Organisms that can use both autotrophic and heterotrophic nutrition.
What is the role of archaea in nutritional diversity?
They can utilize light, inorganic molecules, or organic compounds to synthesize ATP.
What are the four types of nutritional modes?
- Autotrophic
- Heterotrophic
- Holozoic
- Saprotrophic
What adaptations do prey have to resist predation?
- Tough outer shells
- Camouflage
- Chemical toxins
- Defensive behaviors
Describe the dental adaptations of omnivores.
Specialized teeth shapes for feeding on both vegetation and meat.
What is the significance of the Hominidae family in dietary adaptations?
They exhibit different dental profiles based on diet, with variations for meat and plant consumption.
Fill in the blank: The process of using energy from chemical reactions to synthesize food is known as _______.
Chemosynthesis
