UNIT 3
Tree Ecology
The Ecological Niche:
•The organism’s role in its environment
•Takes into account all aspects of its
ecosystem: physical, chemical and
biological factors that it needs to
survive, reproduce and remain
healthy
Definition: an organism’s role in all aspects of the environment
including survival, reproduction and health
A Niche includes:
•Its habitat (where it lives)
•What it eats
•What eats it
•Who it competes with
•How it interacts with the environment
•How it is influenced by abiotic factors
= the totality of and organism’s
adaptations, its use of resources and its
general lifestyle.
Definition: an organism’s role in all aspects of the environment
including survival, reproduction and health
Niches include:
an organisms adaptations,
place on the food web, use of resources and general lifestyle
There are two types of niches:
•Fundamental
niche:
• the potential
roles an organism
can play
•All organisms
could live in other
habitats or use
new resources, but
choose not to.
•Realized Niche:
•The actual
lifestyle an
organism pursues
and the resources it
uses
Niches include:
an organisms adaptations,
place on the food web, use of resources and general lifestyle
Two types:
1. Fundamental niche:
potential habitat or resources an organism could use
2. Realized niche:
the actual habitat and resources an organism uses
Definition:
Niches include:
Two types:
Fundamental niche:
Realized niche:
THINK ABOUT IT…
What does limiting factor mean?
Limiting Factors:
•Any environmental resource, whether scarce or
unfavorable, that restricts some organisms from
living there.
•Examples: sunlight and moisture
Limiting Factors:
Definition: Any environmental resource that restricts some
organisms from living there; usually it’s a resource
organisms must compete for
examples: sunlight and moisture
hilltop limiting factors:
types of trees:
South slope factors:
North slope factors:
indicator species:
Lowland factors:
So, limiting factors at the top of the hill
(upland forests) would be:
Low moisture
Intense sunlight
Predict what adaptations trees might need in order to grow in
these conditions.
Limiting Factors:Any environmental resource, whether scarce or
unfavorable, that restricts some organisms from living there.
examples: sunlight and moisture
hilltop limiting factors: low moisture, intense sunlight
adaptations of trees found here: drought resistant, sun-loving
South slope factors:
North slope factors:
indicator species:
Lowland factors:
Midland slopes
• South facing slopes have:
Low Moisture and intense sun- why?
hilltop limiting factors:low moisture, intense sunlight
adaptations of trees: drought resistant, sun-loving
South slope factors: low moisture, warmer temps, intense sunbecause we are north of the equator, the sun moves in the southern
parts of the sky and its rays have direct contact with the south slope.
adaptations of trees: drought resistant and sun loving
Lowland factors:
Midland slopes
North facing slopes have what conditions?
• What would grow there to suggest this?
• North facing trees have larger leaves, why?
South slope factors: low moisture, warmer temps, intense sunbecause we are north of the equator, the sun moves in the southern
parts of the sky and its rays have direct contact with the south slope.
adaptations of trees: drought resistant and sun loving
North slope factors: high moisture, cooler temperature, shade
because the southern slope blocks the sunlight from hitting the slope
directly
adaptations of trees found here: shade trees; grow taller to
reach sunlight; larger leaves have more surface area to absorb
sunlight
indicator species: moss, ferns
Bottomland factors:
THINK ABOUT IT:
What would the environment be on eastern and
western facing slopes?
Eastern slopes: Partial sun/shade- Sun rises in the east; morning
temperatures stay cooler because sun is more indirect; by the time
the atmosphere warms up, this area is in the shade
Western slopes: Shady in morning but receives intense sun in
afternoon, in the hottest part of the day; sun sets in west so full sun
in afternoon/evenings
Bottomlands typically get
high amounts of water.
Also, grasses grow steadily
here
Why would that be?
Bottomland (Lowland factors): shade, high amounts of water- water
runs down the hill and collects at the bottom in streams.
Adaptations: Plants have to complete with more grasses and
shrubs due to high water; sun varies based on location around
the hill; if near a stream trees must be flood tolerant
Definition:
examples:
Upland (hilltop) limiting factors:
adaptations of trees found here :
Mid-slope limiting factors
South slope factors:
adaptations of trees found here:
North slope factors:
adaptations of trees found here:
indicator species:
Eastern slopes:
Western slopes:
Bottomland (Lowland) factors:
adaptations of trees found here: