Questions and Answers
What is Shelford's Law of Tolerance?
What term describes organisms with a narrow range of tolerance?
What does the range of tolerance determine about organisms?
Where an organism can live and how successful that population is in those habitats.
What may alter an organism's tolerance to environmental factors?
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What are two types of specialists mentioned?
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What are climographs used for?
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What is the definition of a niche?
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Gause's Principle of Competitive Exclusion states that two species can occupy the same niche for an extended period of time.
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What is one outcome when two species share a niche?
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What is fundamentally important to wildlife management?
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Study Notes
Shelford's Law of Tolerance
- Success of organisms is influenced by the adequacy of environmental factors in relation to their needs.
- Three key aspects: minimum requirement, maximum tolerance, and optimum conditions.
Range of Tolerance
- Determines where organisms can thrive based on their tolerance to environmental variables.
- Affects population distribution and success; wide tolerance leads to broader distribution, while narrow tolerance limits species habitats.
- Groups of species with similar tolerance ranges form communities.
Factor Interaction
- Organisms may not thrive at optimal conditions due to the lack of other necessary factors, such as escape cover or competition.
- Limited availability of one factor worsens the overall tolerance (e.g., low food leads to increased predation).
- Optimal conditions in one factor can enhance tolerance to other factors (e.g., high food availability reduces predation).
Tolerance Curve
- The shape is often irregular; critical maximum and minimum thresholds do not have to be equally distant from the optimum.
- Some variables may not have a defined critical maximum.
Specialists vs. Generalists
- Specialists thrive in narrow tolerance ranges, making them vulnerable to habitat changes and extinction risks (e.g., endangered species).
- Generalists possess broad tolerance ranges, allowing them to adapt easily and invade new habitats, often identified as game or nuisance species.
Climographs
- Useful for predicting wildlife success when introducing new populations based on temperature and precipitation data.
- Specific examples include the Gray Partridge in Missouri and Pheasants in South Carolina and Georgia.
Niche
- Represents an organism's role in an ecosystem, shaped by physiological, behavioral, and morphological adaptations.
- Considerations include habitat usage, timing, interactions with other species, and environmental impacts.
- Fundamental niche is conceptualized as an N-dimensional hypervolume; realized or ecological niche reflects actual conditions.
Competition and Shared Niches
- Sharing niches can lead to competition, especially when resources are limited.
- Dominant species are often more efficient, resulting in interspecific (between species) and intraspecific (within species) competition.
Gause's Principle of Competitive Exclusion
- States that two species cannot occupy the same niche indefinitely; one must outcompete the other.
- Possible outcomes include extinction of one species, exclusion, or niche diversification/adaptation.
Wildlife Management Considerations
- Aligning habitats with the specific niche requirements of species is crucial for effective wildlife management.
- Focus on preserving habitats for endangered species with limited tolerance and mitigating the impacts of exotic species on native populations.
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Description
Explore the key concepts of Shelford's Law of Tolerance and the behavioral and physiological requirements of organisms with these flashcards. This quiz will help you understand the nuances of how environmental conditions impact the success of species. Perfect for biology students and ecology enthusiasts.
