Ecological Niche Flashcards
Spatial Habitat
The physical area inhabited by any particular organism
Fundamental and Realized Niches
Fundamental niche is the potential niche that a species can inhabit, given the adaptations and tolerance limits
Realized niche is the actual niche that a species inhabits, which differs to the fundamental niche due to competition with other species
Competitive Exclusion
Competitive exclusion states that two species competing for the same limiting resources can’t co-exist in the same niche
Adaptations of Plant to Harvest Light
Canopy: Trees form a dense layer which captures most of sunlight and have tall trunks and deep roots to support height
Liana: Plants use existing trees as support to reach sunlight, with adaptations such as hooks to help them climb
Epiphytes: Plants grow off branches of trees to access light without needing to have a strong trunk, and often have adaptations to capture rain and nutrients
Strangler Epiphyte: Starts as epiphyte but then sends roots down to the ground where it strangles host tree and takes its place in the canopy
Shade-tolerant Shrubs and Herbaceous Plants: Plants that are adapted to survive in low-light conditions, and usually have larger leaves to capture more available light
Mixotrophs
Both auto and heterotrophs meaning it can make use of more than one mode of nutrition, with there being two types:
Obligate: Needs both systems to grow and thrive
Facultative: Can survive on one system but uses the other as supplement
Predators Physical Adaptations
Predators use their senses to detect prey and chase them down
They can fly, run or swim rapidly and precisely which is key in chasing down prey
Predators have a brain that can process and assess situations quickly to change circumstances and make complex decisions rapidly
Prey Chemical Adaptations
Prey can produce chemicals to fool predators or produce chemicals that taste bad or poison the predator
Prey Behavioural Adaptations
Many animal behaviours are instinctive and coded in DNA, which includes fleeing when seeing a predator, hiding, or joining in packs to ward off predators
Obligate Aerobes
Organisms that can’t survive in the absence of oxygen, and rely on aerobic respiration to release energy from food. They can carry our anaerobic respiration, but it can only be for a short time as any longer would have damaging effects
Facultative Anaerobes
Organisms that mainly respire aerobically but can also switch fully to anaerobic respiration if oxygen is absent, with no negative effects unlike obligate aerobes
How Plants Protect Themselves from Herbivores
Thick bark is difficult for insects and some animals to penetrate which protects plants against animals
Thorns and spikes deter herbivores
Tiny hairs of silica on stem and underside of leaves are filled with chemical irritants which scratches animal’s skin if they try to rub against plant
Phytotoxins are plant poisons which can cause nausea and cardiac problems when ingested
Predators Chemical Adaptations
Some animals like the Black Mamba Snake inject venom (chemicals) into prey to paralyze them
Pheromones are organic molecules used to send airborne messages and can be used to attract mates
Holozoic Nutrition and Process
A way of getting nutrients by ingesting all or part of an organism
Eaten organism’s parts are ingested, digested and broken down into nutrients, absorbed and taken into the blood stream, assimilated and used within the body, and finally egested
Obligate Anaerobes
(Usually single-celled) organisms that cannot tolerate oxygen, and can only carry out anaerobic respiration
Types of Teeth
Incisors at the front of the mouth to cut and slice food
Canines are to the side of the incisors to tear and rip food
Premolars are in the middle of the mouth to crush and grind food
Molars are at the back to grind food
