Lecture 4 Flashcards
Who is recognized as the Father of Modern Ecology and developed the niche concept?
G.E. Hutchinson.
What is the niche concept?
The role that an organism has in its ecosystem. Includes both the physical and environmental conditions.
What is the niche?
n-dimension hypervolume.
What is a dimension?
Environmental conditions and resources that are needed for a population to exist.
What is an ecological niche?
The unique set of resources used by a species, which includes its interactions with other species.
What is a fundamental niche?
The entire set of conditions under which a species can survive and reproduce.
What is a realized niche?
The set of conditions actually used by the species after interactions with other species.
What is the size of the realized niche compared to the fundamental niche?
The realized niche is smaller than the fundamental niche.
What are trophic levels?
Groups based on how species get energy and nutrition.
What are autotrophs?
Organisms that get their energy from the sun and produce their own food (such as plants).
Why are autotrophs called producers?
Because they are the foundation of energy for all other organisms.
What are hetertrophs?
Organisms that eat other organisms to get energy.
Why are heterotrophs called consumers?
Because they consume other organisms.
What is a Herbivore?
An organism that eats only plants.
Why are herbivores referred to as primary consumers?
Because they are the first to consume the producers.
