LWB: Lesson - Ecological Tolerance (Topic 2.4) š
ā³ Estimated Reading Time: 3 - 5 minutes
Describe ecological tolerance.
Ecological Tolerance
Ecological tolerance refers to the range of abiotic conditions within which a species or population can survive and reproduce, such as temperature, salinity, pH, or oxygen levels.
Different species have different tolerance ranges for the same factor. Some species are highly tolerant and can thrive in a wide range of conditions (known as generalists), while others are more specialized and have narrow tolerances, requiring specific environmental conditions to survive (known as specialists). Ecological tolerance is influenced by the evolutionary history of a species, as well as its capacity to adapt to new environmental conditions. Tolerances can also vary at different life stages or reproductive phases within a species. Ecological tolerance can also apply to populations or communities of organisms that share similar environmental requirements.
Ecological tolerance refers to the range of conditions, such as temperature, salinity, flow rate, and sunlight that an organism can endure before injury or death results.
Ecological tolerance can apply to individuals and to species.
The concept of ecological tolerance is particularly relevant when studying how organisms respond to changes in their habitat or face challenges posed by human activities, such as pollution or climate change.
Click through the presentation below to read and see some examples of species that have shown ecological tolerance.
When thinking about the ecological effects of human activities, you should think about the tolerance of individual species.
[CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 Links to an external site.] UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED | IMAGES: LICENSED AND USED ACCORDING TO TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION - INTENDED ONLY FOR USE WITHIN LESSON.