Ecological tolerance refers to an organism's ability to withstand changes in its environment without suffering detrimental effects. It represents the range of environmental conditions within which an organism can survive and reproduce successfully.
Imagine you're at a party with different noise levels. Some people can tolerate loud music and still have fun, while others prefer quieter environments. Similarly, ecological tolerance is like an organism's ability to adapt and thrive within certain environmental conditions.
Habitat suitability: This term describes how suitable or favorable a particular habitat is for a specific species based on its ecological requirements.
Optimum range: The optimum range refers to the specific set of environmental conditions where an organism thrives best in terms of growth rate, reproduction, and survival.
Limiting factors: Limiting factors are aspects of an environment that restrict or limit the growth or distribution of organisms within it. Examples include temperature extremes or availability of resources like food or water.
What does ecological tolerance refer to?
What determines whether a species has a high or low ecological tolerance?
What happens to the population size of a species with low ecological tolerance when exposed to unfavorable environmental conditions?
What is the relationship between ecological tolerance and the range of environmental conditions?
Study guides for the entire semester
200k practice questions
Glossary of 50k key terms - memorize important vocab
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.