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Multiple Choice
What is the relationship between an organism's fundamental niche and its realized niche?
A
The fundamental niche is always larger than the realized niche because it includes all possible habitats an organism can occupy.
B
The fundamental niche is the full range of environmental conditions under which an organism can survive, while the realized niche is the range it actually occupies due to competition and other biotic factors.
C
The realized niche is always larger than the fundamental niche because it includes all possible habitats an organism can occupy.
D
The realized niche is the full range of environmental conditions under which an organism can survive, while the fundamental niche is the range it actually occupies due to competition and other biotic factors.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Begin by understanding the concept of a niche in ecology, which refers to the role and position a species has in its environment, including all its interactions with the biotic and abiotic factors.
Define the fundamental niche as the full range of environmental conditions (such as temperature, humidity, and resources) under which an organism can survive and reproduce without the presence of limiting factors like competition or predation.
Define the realized niche as the actual conditions and resources in which the organism exists due to biotic interactions such as competition, predation, and symbiosis, which can restrict the organism's presence to a smaller range than its fundamental niche.
Explain that the fundamental niche is typically larger than the realized niche because it represents all potential living conditions without the influence of other organisms, whereas the realized niche is limited by these interactions.
Conclude by emphasizing that the realized niche is a subset of the fundamental niche, shaped by ecological interactions that prevent the organism from occupying all the environments it could potentially inhabit.