28 Ecological Niches and Community Assembly

Flashcards covering key concepts related to ecological niches, community assembly, and species interactions.

Fundamental Niche

The full range of environmental conditions under which an organism can survive and reproduce.

Realized Niche

The actual conditions and resources in which a species exists due to biotic interactions, such as competition.

Habitat Filtering

The process where certain species are excluded from environments based on their tolerance levels.

Biotic Filtering

Exclusion of species due to interactions with other species, such as competition.

Resource Partitioning

The division of resources by different species to reduce competition.

Storage Effect

A phenomenon where species can survive adverse conditions through seed banks or other mechanisms.

Equalizing Mechanisms

Processes that reduce fitness differences among species, allowing for coexistence.

Competitive Exclusion

The principle stating that two species competing for the same resource cannot coexist indefinitely.

Neutral Ecology

A theoretical framework that assumes species have equal fitness and that chance largely determines community composition.

Dispersal Limitation

When species are unable to reach and populate certain areas, impacting community structure.

Tilman’s R* Hypothesis

A hypothesis that explains coexistence in communities based on resource availability.

MacArthur’s Paradox

The idea that communities can be structured by both niche differences and neutral processes.

Stabilizing mechanisms

reduce competition among species via niche differentiation

Equalizing mechanisms

reduce fitness differences among species such that none is a stronger competitor