Ecology of organisms

Ever changing environment

Organisms must be able to adjust to change in both the abiotic and biotic factors

These factors influence each other For example the amount of rainfall

influences plant growth which impacts the number of insects in an ecosystem

Range of tolerance All organisms have a range of conditions

that they can tolerate

This is represented as a tolerance curve

There are optimal levels of conditions (such as light, heat, humidity) that an organism can thrive in, but each is able to survive conditions outside of the optimal level

Acclimation

Living things can adjust or acclimate to changing conditions such as changes in light intensity or temperature

Don’t confuse acclimation with adaptation. Acclimation happens quickly to individuals where as adaptation happens slowly to populations

Control of internal conditions

Regulators maintain homeostatic through metabolic means (mammals & birds)

Conformers maintain homeostasis through their behavior (fish & reptiles)

Each has its advantages regulators can be active under a wider range of conditions but they must consume more energy to do so.

how conformer control temperature

how Regulators control temp.

Escaping unsuitable conditions

If an organism can’t acclimate it can either migrate or become dormant

Migration is leaving the area (bird flying south for the winter)

Dormancy is slowing down metabolism (e.g. trees loosing leaves in the winter)

Species Niche

A species role, how and where it lives is it’s niche

generalist can tolerate a wide range of habitats & foods

Rats are generalists

specialist can only live and consume certain things

Most butterflies are specialist, their larva can only eat one genus of plants

There are advantages and disadvantages to both strategies. Generalist can acclimate to a verity of conditions but they face more completion. Specialist have less competition but are limited in the resources they can exploit. How does specialization relate to about adaptive radiation? The mission blue butterfly eats only one

species of lupine and their larva are tended by ants. They are endanger of extinction.

Summary review

How do different organisms adjust to their environment? What strategies do species have for surviving change and utilizing a niche? Think of examples of each strategy and the pros and cons of each.