EVSC 1080 Chapter Notes - Chapter 4: Interspecific Competition, Commensalism, Keystone Species
21 May 2016
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Document Summary
An important principle of ecology is that each species has a specific role to play in the ecosystems where it is found. The distinct role that a species plays in its ecosystem is its niche (the species way of life in a community, includes everything that affects its survival and reproduction) Generalist species have broad niches they can live in many different places, eat a variety of foods, and often tolerate a wide range of environmental conditions. Native species are those species that normally live and thrive in a particular ecosystem. Nonnative species are species that migrate into, or are deliberately or accidentally introduced into an ecosystem. Indicator species provide early warnings of damage to a community. Keystone species are species whose roles have a large effect on the types and abundance of other species in an ecosystem. Keystone species often exist in relatively limited numbers in their ecosystems.
