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Ecological Niches and Adaptation

Ecological Niches and Adaptation. Ecological niche Total way of life or functional role of a species in an ecosystem. Habitat Physical location of a species. Occupation. Address. Niches!!. Fundamental. Realized.

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Ecological Niches and Adaptation

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  1. Ecological Niches and Adaptation Ecological niche Total way of life or functional role of a species in an ecosystem. Habitat Physical location of a species Occupation Address

  2. Niches!! Fundamental Realized Narrower niche, a result of pressure from, and interactions with, other organisms (e.g. superior competitors). They are mostly highly adapted to this one • The full range of environmental conditions (biological and physical) under which an organism can exist According to the competitive exclusion principle, no two species can occupy the same niche in the same environment for a long time.

  3. Generalist Species Procyon lotor • Can live in many different places • Eat a variety of foods • Tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions • Makes them better adapters! Homo sapiens Racoon Human Brown Rat

  4. CONSIDER THE COCKROACH • Eat anything! (algae, dead insects, electrical cords, glue, paper, soap • Live and breed anywhere (except polar regions) • Can go months without food! • Real good at hiding! • High reproductive rates! Periplaneta americana Cockroaches

  5. Specialist Species • Live in only one type of habitat • Use only one or a few types of food • Tolerate only a narrow range of environmental conditions • Makes them more prone to extinction due to environmental change!

  6. CONSIDER THE KOALA • Only eats eucalyptus leaves • What would happen if there were no more eucalyptus?

  7. Patterns of Evolution

  8. Gradualism • Intermediate forms between extant (living) and extinct species • Species evolve slowly, small changes add up

  9. Punctuated equilibrium • S J Gould • Periods of rapid divergence alternating with periods of stability

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