Ecological Niches and Nutrition in Organisms

These flashcards cover vocabulary and key concepts from the lecture on ecological niches and nutrition in organisms.

Ecological Niche

The specific role or function of a species within its habitat, including its interactions with other species and the abiotic factors.

Habitat

The place where a species lives.

Fundamental Niche

The full range of conditions and resources in which a species could survive and reproduce, based on its adaptations.

Realised Niche

The actual conditions and resources in which a species exists, influenced by biotic interactions.

Competition Exclusion Principle

The principle stating that two species competing for the same niche cannot coexist; one will outcompete the other.

Autotroph

An organism that produces its own organic molecules from inorganic substances, e.g. plants and some bacteria.

Heterotroph

An organism that obtains organic molecules from the tissues of other organisms.

Photoautotroph

An autotroph that uses light energy to convert carbon dioxide into organic molecules.

Chemoautotroph

An autotroph that obtains energy from the oxidation of inorganic chemicals.

Anaerobic Respiration

A form of respiration that does not require oxygen, used by obligate anaerobes.

Aerobic Respiration

A form of respiration that requires oxygen, primarily used by obligate aerobes.

Saprotroph

A heterotroph that ingests dead organisms and waste material by externally digesting them with enzymes.

Mixotroph

An organism that can utilize both autotrophic and heterotrophic methods of obtaining nutrition.

Facultative Anaerobe

An organism that primarily undergoes aerobic respiration but can switch to anaerobic respiration in the absence of oxygen.

Obligate Aerobe

An organism that requires oxygen to survive and cannot grow without it.

Obligate Anaerobe

An organism that cannot tolerate oxygen and exclusively relies on anaerobic respiration.

Holozoic Nutrition

A mode of nutrition in which an organism ingests, digests, absorbs, and assimilates organic molecules from other organisms.

Herbivory

The consumption of plant material by animals, leading to specific adaptations for extracting nutrients from plant tissues.

Predation

The interaction where one organism hunts and consumes another for food.

Endocytosis

The process by which a cell engulfs material from the outside environment, such as bacteria.

Chemical Crypsis

A strategy by which predators use chemicals to avoid detection while they lie in wait for prey.

Mechanical Deterrents

Structural adaptations in plants, such as spines and tough bark, that deter herbivores.

Aposematism

A defense mechanism in which prey signal their toxicity to potential predators through bright coloration.