Lecture 2: Ecology and Niche

Vocabulary terms covering ecological levels of organization, environmental components, fundamental versus realized niches, and ecosystem services.

Ecology

The study of the processes influencing the distribution and abundance of organisms, and how organisms interact with one another and their physical environment.

Individual

A single organism.

Population

A group of individuals of the same species that live in the same region and interact with each other via competition, cooperation, and sexual reproduction.

Species

An evolutionary unit in nature comprised of one or more populations that evolve as a unit, thus sharing genetic and physical characteristics.

Community

A collection of species found in the same area at the same time.

Ecosystem

Interacting biotic and abiotic components present in a geographic area.

Ecological Niche

The range of abiotic and biotic conditions a species lives in to maintain a viable population.

Abiotic Components

Physical and non-living components of an ecosystem (such as temperature, water source, light, elevation, physical barriers, soil, and geology) that help identify where organisms can potentially live.

Biotic Components

The living components of an ecosystem.

Range of Tolerance

The range of environmental conditions within which an organism can survive, grow, and reproduce.

Fundamental Niche

The possible range of environmental conditions (abiotic) that a species can tolerate.

$n$-dimensional Hypervolume

A concept describing that a species' niche consists of many different environmental dimensions.

Realized Niche

The dimensions within the fundamental niche where a species actually survives after the effects of biotic interactions.

Ecosystem Services

Goods and services provided to humans by the natural environment, such as oxygen, high quality and abundant water, productive soils, food and fiber, and recreational and spiritual resources.