APES 3.1 Generalists and Specialists

Enduring Understanding:

• Populations change over time in reaction to a variety of factors

Learning Objective:

• Identify differences between generalist and specialist species.

Essential Knowledge:

• Specialist species tend to be advantaged in habitats that remain constant, while generalists species tend to be advantaged in habitats that are changing.

• A generalist species is able to thrive in a wide variety of conditions and can utilize many resources

  • Large/wide niche
  • Wide range in diet, usually omnivores
  • Can tolerate wide range of environmental variations
  • Can tolerate environmental changes
  • Cockroaches, rats, raccoons

• A specialist can only thrive in a narrow range of conditions and utilize few resources

  • Small/narrow niche
  • Limited/unique diets
  • More likely to suffer from habitat loss and become endangered
  • Cannot tolerate environmental changes
  • Commonly found in stable climax communities

• The advantage of being a specialist is that competition is reduced, but they are also at greater risk due to a lack of adaptability

• All species have a range of tolerance for the abiotic features that vary within an ecosystem