What is Niche Conservatism?

The term niche in ecology refers to the role that an organism plays in a community. The physical and environmental conditions that a species requires, as well as the interactions it has with other species, comprise a species niche like predation or competition.

Classification of Niche

The niche of an organism is classified as fundamental or realized based on its position in the ecosystem. The fundamental niche refers to the whole range of environmental conditions and resources that an organism can occupy and exploit, particularly when limiting constraints are absent from its surroundings. The environmental position that a species actually occupies and lives in is characterized as its realized niche. "Post-competitive" refers to a realized niche. The presence of limiting variables causes a niche to be realized, such as food, light, water, the presence of other species, etc. Niche conservatism refers to a species' tendency to maintain characteristics of its basic niche throughout time. In a variety of biological areas, such as species, community assembly, and long-term regional and global diversification processes, species niche evolution is a critical component of research.

Evolutionary Niche

The evolution of niches is essential for the niche construction theory. Niche construction theory aims to transform and unite evolutionary biology and ecology. Environmental changes that modify the active selection forces change the evolutionary niche, and these are examples of niche building. Environmental modification in the long–term is essential for the evolutionary niche. For niche construction theory to claim evolutionary significance, understanding niche building as a process of modifying evolutionary niches is critical. Selection pressures are the variables that cause fitness disparities in a population, determining the direction, pace, and likely outcome of natural selection. Another evolutionary process, including drift, natural selection, and migration, determines the evolution of a population. In evolutionary terms, niche conservatism is crucial. In the evolutionary process, niche conservatism plays an important role. The evolutionary niche is a primary element in the evolutionary significance of niche construction. Climate change is one of the factors of niche conservatism.

Phylogenetic Niche Conservatism

Phylogenetic niche conservatism relates to a species' ability to preserve ancestral characteristics. Phylogenetic niche conservatism is equivalent to phylogenetic signals. The statistical dependency among species' characteristic values as a result of their evolutionary connections may be characterized as a phylogenetic signal. Closely related biological species have trait values that are quite similar, whereas distantly related biological species have trait values that are not as similar. In phylogenetic conservatism, most of them are focused on the ecological niche. Johnathan Losos is an American evolutionary biologist. The "phylogenetic niche conservatism, phylogenetic signal, and the connection between phylogenetic relatedness and ecological similarity among species" was written by Losos.

The importance of phylogenetic niche conservatism

Some factors, such as allopatric speciation, historical biogeography, and sensitivity to global climate change are influenced by phylogenetic conservatism. The geographic barrier in allopatric speciation is composed of unfavorable environmental conditions that restrict gene flow between populations, leading to speciation. Speciation is the evolutionary method through which populations develop into separate species. The adaptation to environmental conditions at the geographical barrier is controlled by phylogenetic niche conservatism. Biogeography is generally examined in terms of the ecological niche and historical causes that have affected species' geographical distribution throughout time in historical biogeography. Biogeography is divided into mainly three types: historical, ecological, and conservation biogeography. Each of the biogeographic types addresses the distribution of organisms from a different angle. Historical biogeography is the study of animal distributions over evolutionary time scales, with an emphasis on evolution and the use of phylogenetic and distributional data. The ecologist, John. A. Wiens wrote a book based on niches, biogeography, and species interactions. The study of the factors that influence the global distribution of plant and animal species is defined as ecological biogeography. Climate, habitat, and primary productivity are some examples of environmental factors that are commonly studied. Conservation biogeography aims to help policymakers properly manage the current amount of biodiversity around the world by giving data on future conservation biology problems.

Ecology as niche conservatism

An American ecologist, Joseph Grinnell, was the first to propose the concept of an ecological niche. Ecology's primary goal is to explain patterns of species richness in all sizes, from global to local. Finally, theories of diversity patterns must incorporate the factors that directly impact species counts in a region or community: dispersal, extinction, and speciation. Based on climate changes, ecological niches continue to exist. The interaction of a species with all biotic and abiotic variables that impact it is categorized as its ecological niche. Ecological biogeography, an ecological niche that focuses on spatial patterns of ecological communities, is based on the idea of ecological niche conservatism. The issue of ecological niche building is the alteration of an ecological niche by its occupants. In ecology, a habitat is the natural environment of an ecological niche or organism or biological community. While habitat refers to a physical location, and ecological niche refers to a species' interaction with ecosystem components. An organism's ecological niche describes how it lives and survives in its environment. As a reason, a habitat may have a wide range of niches and be capable of sustaining a diversity of species at any given moment. The ecological niche is concerned with a single species as a component of a habitat. Biological activity is influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors. There are special cases that most organisms exist in a standard ecological niche, sharing behaviors, adaptations, and functional features with other closely related species within the same broad taxonomic class. The flightless, ground-dwelling kiwi bird of New Zealand, which feeds on worms and other ground organisms and lives in a mammal-like niche, is a prime example of a non-standard niche filling species. Island biogeography can aid in the understanding of island species and empty niches.

Context and Applications

This topic is important in professional exams such as school level, undergraduate, and graduate levels, especially for bachelors in zoology/ ecology and masters in zoology/ ecology.

Practice Problems

Question 1: _____ is the native habitat of every organism.

1. Niche
2. Habitat
3. None of the above

Answer: Option A is correct.

Explanation: The native habitat of every organism is called a niche. A niche is a place or position that is especially suitable for someone or something because it is unique and distinct from others. A niche is a position or interest that permits someone or something to thrive in a specific place.

Question 2: The ecological hierarchy's basic unit is __________.

1. Individual
2. Ecosystem
3. population

Answer: Option A is correct.

Explanation: The term "ecological hierarchy" refers to the order in which ecological members are categorized. Every species in the universe contributes to the ecology. Individuals, populations, communities, ecosystems, biomes, and the biosphere are all included in the hierarchy. A living unit of nature, an individual or organism, is the most basic unit of the logical hierarchy.

Question 3: The role of an organism in an ecological system is known as_______.

1. Interaction
2. Niche
3. Phylogenetic

Answer: Option B is correct.

Explanation: The niche is a type of biotic and abiotic condition in which the species can persist and maintain the size of the population or species.

Question 4: Niche is represented as_________.

1. Microhabitat
2. Habitats
3. Habitat as well as inter-relations

Answer: Option C is correct. 

Explanation: Niche is a term described as a relation of species and population in an ecosystem.

Question 5: Local variation of the climate is called as___________.

1. Niche
2. Habitat
3. Microclimate
4. Climate change

Answer: Option C is correct. 

Explanation: A microclimate is a region where the atmospheric conditions are different from those in the surrounding area. It's only a small bit of a difference.