Where and how organisms live. Today The basics of ecology. Before Where and how organisms live. Today Specifically how organisms interact. Tomorrow

Today’s Objectives: To communicate the difference between an organism’s habitat and an organism’s niche. To identify species in competitive exclusion. To classify species as ecological equivalents.

Terms for Notes Habitat: All the biotic and abiotic factors in the area where an organism lives (living and nonliving factors) Ecological Niche: All the factors that a species needs to survive. How it lives. Its Role. Includes food, abiotic conditions and behavior.

Question 1 What a species does while it is active would be a(n): Habitat Abiotic Factor Behavior Great way to stay healthy.

Question 2 What are the THREE parts of an organism’s ecological niche? Food, Respiration, Parasites DNA, Abiotic conditions, Behavior Behavior, Food, Location Abiotic conditions, Behavior, Food

What exactly is a niche? A niche is an animal’s ROLE in a community. This could be compared to what social group you ‘ROLL’ in. Are you the artist? The jock? The cheerleader? Animal Example: A Lion sleeps all day and hunts in the evening due to the heat Uses the grass to camouflage itself while hunting for antelope. A lion’s role is to be the top predator.

Is it part of a Lion’s habitat or niche. Food. Trees. Zebra. Sand Is it part of a Lion’s habitat or niche? Food Trees Zebra Sand Grass Wildebeast Watering hole Temperature Savanna Other lions Hunting behavior Niche Habitat Food Trees Zebra Sand Grass Wildebeast Watering hole Temperature Savanna Other lions Food Trees Zebra Sand Grass Wildebeast Watering hole Temperature Savanna Other lions and Hunting Behavior

Competitive Exclusion A principle that states when two species are competing for the same resources, one species will be better adapted to the niche, and the other will be pushed into another niche or go extinct. Two other results of competitive exclusion: Niche partioning Evolutionary Response – divergent evolution

Compare gangs Each gang has its own ‘niche’ Some gangs may be into auto theft Others into dealing drugs, etc. Consider a situation where two gangs in the same area are both stealing cars. If we use the competitive exclusion principle two things could happen…

The gangs could become violent The gangs could become violent. The more dominant gang will push the other gang to ‘extinction’ One gang may decide to take up another branch crime to avoid directly competing with the other gang. This is similar to what niche partitioning and evolutionary response are.

Question 3 Which of the following is NOT a result of competitive exclusion? Both species will happily coexist in the same niche. One species will die off. One species will change its food type, habitat and behavior. One species will succeed over the other species.

Ecological Equivalents A species that occupies a similar niche but lives in different geographical regions.

Another Example There are multiple gangs across the US and the World. A gang that deals drugs on the East Coast is an ECOLOGICAL EQUIVALENT to a gang on the West Coast who is also dealing drugs. Both fill the same niche. Their niche is that they work in a gang, and they deal drugs. They do not have to have the same gang affiliation.

Question 4 In the case of the two types of frogs, which of the following explains how the species evolved into the same niche? Adaptive Radiation Convergent Evolution Divergent Evolution Natural Selection

Mussels Wreaking Havoc in the Colorado River Zebra Mussels (China) Quagga Mussels (Ukraine) Invasive Species How did they get here?

Read the Article and answer the following on your own paper Read the Article and answer the following on your own paper. (will be collected with other classwork on FRIDAY) 1. Are the zebra and quagga mussel ecological equivalents? Explain!! 2. Is competitive exclusion at work between the two species? If so, how? 3. What kind of damage do the quagga mussels do? 4. How are people trying to manage this problem? 5. What do you think should be done?

Exit Questions What does the term ‘ecological equivalent’ describe? Species that occupies the same niche in the same community Species that occupy similar niches in different geographical regions Species that occupy different niches in the same habitat Species that occupy different niches in different geographical regions

Exit Questions Which is not part of an organism’s niche? Food Behavior Abiotic Conditions Population Size

Exit Questions What is the habitat of a zebra? African savannah Tropical rain forest Wetland Mountainside

Exit Questions What does the principle of competitive exclusion state? Two species cannot have the exact same habitat If two species share the same niche, the ywill both be equally adapted Two species cannot have the exact same niche in a community If two species share the same niche, one will become extinct

Exit Questions Which of the following behaviors will not cause competition between two bird species sharing the same tree? Eating different kinds of insects Ieating the same insects at the same time Eating insects from different parts of the tree Eating at different times of day

Please put your name and date on this paper and keep it until FRIDAY! Thank you 