Download EnvSci-Community Ecology pp

Community
Ecology
1. Niche
The organism’s role in the environment
• What it eats and is eaten by
• How it finds shelter
• How it raises its young
• Reproductive strategy
Generalists
• Broad niche
• Tolerate a wide range of conditions
• Can adapt to a changing environment
Example: Opossum
Specialists
Very narrow
niche,
environmental
change may
cause extinction.
EX: Koala – only
eats one type of
plant
(eucalyptus)
2. Competitive Exclusion Principle
No two species occupy the same niche at the
same time.
One would out compete the other:
it would survive, the other would die
3. Resource Partitioning
Species share the resource
Ex: different bird species eat insects from
different parts of the same tree.
4. Predation
Predator adaptations:
• Sharp teeth
• Claws
• Speed
• strength
Prey adaptations:
• Camouflage
• Speed
• Plants may have toxins
5. Symbiosis-Two organisms survive as one
1. Mutualism- both benefit
2. Commensalism-one benefits, one is
not affected
3. Parasitism- one benefits, one is
harmed