ecological niche and keystone species Flashcards
what is an ecological niche?
an ecological niche of an organism or a population of organisms is the specific role that it plays in the community.
what is a fundamental niche?
the largest niche that the organism could occupy in the absence of competition from other species.
what is a realised niche?
the actual niche the organisms could occupy in the presence of competition from other species.
what is niche overlap and what are it’s consequences?
niche overlap occurs when one species compete for the same resource.
If the zone of overlap is small, the two species are likely to co-exist in the habitat.
If the competition is intense one species usually migrates away or becomes extinct.
what is a keystone species?
a keystone species plays an essential role in it’s ecosystem. Other species would not be stable without the it and a habitat is changed dramatically (trophic cascade) when a keystone species is removed.
what are some examples of keystone species?
southern cassowary, the hippopotamus, red-tailed black cockatoo.
what is a trophic cascade?
a trophic cascade occurs when a keystone species or a trophic level is reduced or removed from the environment. the environment undergoes dramatic chance, it affects the ability of species above and below it on the food web to survive and reproduce.
