ENVS2003 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Commensalism, Climax Community, Coevolution
29 Jun 2016
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Tolerance limits and species abundance tolerance limits- the maximum and minimum levels beyond which a particular species cannot survive or is unable to reproduce, ex. Temperatures, moisture levels, nutrient supply, soil and water chemistry, and living space. Saguaro cactus, sensitive to low temperatures, will begin to die in 12 hours of freezing temps. Young saguaros are more susceptible to cold than adults. Young animals also have more critical tolerance limits than the adults, ex. Pupfish -requirements and tolerances of species often are helpful in understanding the environmental characteristics of an area. The presence of a species can say something about the community and ecosystem environmental indicators- species with specific tolerance limits that tell us something about the area where they are present ex. Locoweeds grow in areas with a high soil concentration of selenium natural selection and adaptations -term adapt used in two ways 1. Limited range of physiological modifications, called acclimations, available to individual organisms.
