Access to water is critical to survival in plants. Since competition reduces fitness, natural selection tends to favor species that partition available resources. For example, different species of prairie plants have roots that access water at different depths in the soil. Interpret the niche model.

Question

Biology

Barbara Burke

9 July, 00:01

Access to water is critical to survival in plants. Since competition reduces fitness, natural selection tends to favor species that partition available resources. For example, different species of prairie plants have roots that access water at different depths in the soil. Interpret the niche model.

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Answers (2)

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Edgar Ward · Answer 1

When computer algorithm is use to predict distribution of species across geographical regions and space based on the effects of available environmental data - of temperature, type of soil, soil water availability and dept, the concept which deals with this is called Ecological Niche Model.

It is primarily used to interpret and predict the effect of above listed environmental factors on the existence and distribution of a species of organism in a particular niche, to determine evolutionary relationships between the present and past species distribution of organisms, and managements of specif species of organism in a particular ecological niche.

In this present scenario, the niche model can be used to interpret and predict the survival, distribution of prairie plant in its ecological niche. This is based on the fact that this plant has resistance against the selective pressure (water dept), which aids its survival ahead of other plants. This feature makes it to be naturally selected, against other less fitted plants (with no water tapping feature), which were fizzled out by completion.

Two categories of the model exists based on the effects of the environmental factors on the distributions of species; Resource selection function models, and on the physiology of the species to determine the type of environmental condition suitable for the survival of the specie of organism - Biophysical models

Christian · Answer 2

The niche model is explained below:

Explanation:

The usefulness of water in plants is irreplaceable. So plants develop a condition called as "acclimatization strategies" to survive in geographical locations where water levels are low. This is the reason that some plants like small bushy foliage plants, have shorter or smaller roots which can grow only up to a few centimeters in the sea. Therefore the no. of individuals in this species is high in such prairies because these grounds contains enough water content.

Having very deep root system is not essential in prairies, so the frequency of plants with deep root system is considerably low.