2.4 ecological tolerance

range of tolerance

• limits the abiotic factors a species can tolerate

• range of conditions such as salinity, ph, temperature, or sunlight that an organism can endure before injury/death occurs

how does biodiversity apply?

salmon have a basic temperature tolerance of 6-22C. but some individual salmon have adaptations that give them a temp tolerance outside the basic range. this is due to BIODIVERSITY and makes pop of salmon more resistant to disturbances (like global warming)

indicator species

organisms that monitor env quality. 

ex of indicator species

trouts with rivers and streams - trouts monitor DO & temp.

• high DO/cold water (mountain streams, lots of movement)

• warm water/less DO → trouts die

ex of indicator species 2

birds monitor by habitat loss.

• pesticides spraying DDT as pesticides, birds accumulate DDT in their bodies (eggs become fragile and cracked) thus reduction in bird pop.

ex of indicator species 3

butterflies and plant issues. 

• butterflies help pollinate so when plants are impacted, butterflies are impacted

ex of indicator species 4

amphibians development makes it vulnerable to diff env conditions as it grows

• early development —susceptible to env change, pollution could impact frogs, habitat loss, drought, increased UV radiation, parasites, and fungal disease

what are ecological range of tolerance divided into

optimal range, zone of physiological stress, and zone of intolerance

optimal range

range where organisms can survive, grow, and REPRODUCE. perfect conditions

zone of physiological stress

range where organisms survive, but experience some stress such as infertility, lack of growth, decreased activity, etc

zone of intolerance

range where the organism will die

ex. thermal shock, suffocation, lack of food/water/oxygen

limiting factors

an element that restricts a population’s growth, size, or distribution within an ecosystem determining the carrying capacity of the environment

abiotic range of tolerance conditions:

temp, salinity, nutrients, flow rate, and sunlight

generalist

an organism that can thrive under many conditions, can endure change in an environment, but not particularly good at anything

specialist

specific, need certain things to survive, if they don't have those they die. more change in env=dies, limited in ability to adapt. but they out compete generalists bc they’re good at that one thing

soil limiting factors

water, type of soil (sandy, silty, clay), and nutrients (N&P)

freshwater lakes and rivers limiting factors

sunlight, DO, nutrients (P&N), temp, and PH

bays and estuaries limiting factors

nutrients (P&N), sunlight, DO, salinity, and consistently changing env conditions

connections

global climate change is either pushing organisms outside their optimum range of tolerance (causing stress or death), and/or is shifting the geographic location of their optimum zone of tolerance

distribution

areas of the world in which a species live

fundamental niches

the suite of abiotic conditions under which a species can survive, grow, & reproduce

realized niche

the range of abiotic and biotic conditions under a species actually lives