Ecological Niches
This reading defines and introduces the topic of ecological niches and the biogeography of a species.
It also explains how ecological niches determine the stability of ecosystems and the biodiversity of a region.
Step By Step Guide
Use this reading, ‘Ecological niches’ by Britannica.com, to define the ecological niche of a species, describe its characteristics and explain the factors involved in defining it.
Use the examples given in the text to explain how natural selection works on the physical and biological constraints of a species in a given environment, and thereby determines the ‘niche’ that it occupies within elaborate ecosystems.
Discuss how this ‘niche’ cannot be shared with another species competing for the same resources.
Further, discuss how the biodiversity of a region is defined by these ecological niches that permit a wide variety of species to coexist with a finite set of resources.
Navigate to the section on ‘Biogeographic aspects of biodiversity’ and use it to define the biogeography of a species.
Use the embedded link to help explain ‘island biogeography’ and to describe the factors involved in the colonization of this controlled area of study, by different species of flora and fauna.
Explain how isolated land areas like mountaintops and fragmented forests also follow the rules of island biogeography for species colonization.
Discuss the examples given in the text to support this theory.
Now proceed to the link below and read the text [page 10, 11,12, section 2.2 & 2.3] and also attempt the exercises at the Questions and Assignments section: