What is the ranges of tolerance and performance optima?
Ranges of Tolerance and Performance Optima : When it comes to physical factors or resources, most species are able to survive and reproduce within a specific range of tolerance. For instance, most species strive to maintain a stable or uniform environment internally (homeostasis) in terms of physiological conditions, such as salt and water balance, gas concentrations, and temperature. If external conditions change, the body tries to compensate in some way to maintain these levels within a certain operating range. This is referred to as its range of tolerance for a given factor. A simple example of how this works is to recall what you do when you are placed in a cold environment. Your body tells you that you are cold, and you try to warm yourself by whatever means are available. You might start to shiver, or you start to move around so that your muscles function to generate heat.
Conversely, if placed in a hot environment, you would try to maintain your normal body temperature (temperature tolerance range) by cooling off in some way. This could be through increased perspiration and increased blood flow to the surface of your skin. If you are unable to maintain your body temperature, you will not survive, or, if given enough time, you may decide to move to a more hospitable climate. This is just a very basic example of one way in which a physical factor can determine a species survival and or distribution in nature.
Specific levels of environmental factors have been identified that produce optimum performances. It can be demonstrated that performance levels decrease above or below certain levels of peak performance. Levels of peak performance are called optima.
Environmental Factors : While ecological scientists must take into account every single factor that could affect an organisms survival, growth and distribution, most investigations focus on the major environmental factors. Some of the major factors are:
- Temperature
- Water
- Light
- Nutrients
- Substrate
- Humidity
- Chemistry pH, salinity, minerals, conductivity,
- Gases