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Niche Theory

early Niche = habitat requirements of a species

(1927) species role in an ecosystem (trophic relationship)
(1957) Current hypervolume of conditions and resources
- abiotic (Weather, climate, soil, water, light) and biotic (plants, animals, bacteria, fungi)

Fundamental niche (physiological niche): environmental conditions under which a species can survive and reproduce

Realized Niche: the portion of the fundamental niche that a species actually exploits as a result of interactions with other species

Trait vs. Niche

Functional traits - measurable physiological or morphological characteristics of an organism (e.g., beak size, height),

Ecological niche - functional role, position, or "job" a species holds within its environment, including resource use.

Traits determine how an organism interacts with its environment
- directly defining its niche

Distribution is influenced by habitat suitability

Competition is one of the main reasons why realized niche differ from fundamental niche

Dispersal occurs all the time