Adaptation to Environment and Ecological Niches

Adaptation

Any characteristic that aids in an organism’s survival.

Habitat

The specific place that an organism lives and interacts with its surroundings.

Geographical location

Where on Earth an organism's habitat is located.

Physical location

The type of physical features present in an organism's habitat (e.g., tree, bush, grass).

Ecosystem

A community of living organisms and their physical environment interacting as a system.

Biotic factors

Living components of an environment that affect organisms, such as predators and food sources.

Abiotic factors

Non-living components of an environment that affect organisms, such as climate and water availability.

Marram grass

A species of grass that has adapted to live on sand dunes.

Halophyte

A plant species that can survive in high salinity environments.

Pneumatophores

Specialized aerial roots that help provide a plant with oxygen in waterlogged soil.

Range of tolerance

The range of conditions that a species can tolerate based on their adaptations.

Limiting factors

Environmental conditions that limit the growth, abundance, or distribution of an organism.

Biome

Groups of similar ecosystems that share common abiotic and biotic factors.

Climatograph

A graphical representation of average temperature and rainfall in an area.

Niche

An organism’s role in the ecosystem, including its habitat and interactions with other organisms.

Specialist species

Organisms that live in very specific conditions and have highly specialized niches.

Generalist species

Organisms that can survive in a broader range of conditions.

Competitive Exclusion Principle

States that no two species can occupy exactly the same niche at the same time.

Niche Partitioning

Competing species use the environment differently to coexist, minimizing direct competition.

Spatial Niche Partitioning

Organisms live in close proximity but have slight differences in locational preference.

Temporal Niche Partitioning

Organisms live in close proximity but are active at different times of the day.

Drought tolerance

The ability of a plant to survive periods of low water availability.

Root systems

Structures that anchor plants and absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy.

Ecosystem diversity

Variety of ecosystems found in a region or on the planet.

Salt tolerance

The ability of an organism to survive and thrive in high salt concentrations.

Predation

The preying of one animal on others.

Erosion control

Methods used to prevent the loss of soil and land due to water or wind.

Microhabitats

Small-scale habitats within a larger habitat that support different species.

Nutrient cycling

The movement and exchange of organic and inorganic matter back into the production of living matter.

Herbivores

Animals that primarily consume plants.

Detritivores

Organisms that consume decomposing organic matter.

Saprotrophs

Organisms that obtain nutrients by decomposing dead organic material.

Interspecific competition

Competition between different species for resources in an ecosystem.

Local extinction

The disappearance of a species from a specific geographic area.

Climate interaction

The relationship between temperature and rainfall in defining biomes.

Aerial roots

Roots that grow in the air to access oxygen.

Flora

The plant life occurring in a particular region or time.