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Related Concept Videos

Ecological Disturbance02:26

Ecological Disturbance

An ecological disturbance is a temporary disruption in the environment resulting from abiotic, biotic, or anthropogenic factors, causing a pronounced change in an ecosystem. The impact of an ecological disturbance, which can depend on its intensity, frequency, and spatial distribution, plays a significant role in shaping the species diversity within the ecosystem.Ecological disturbances can be caused by an event as small as the trampling of underbrush to an incident as wide-ranging as a forest...
Ecological Niches02:02

Ecological Niches

All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors—including food resources, climate, and terrain—that define the position of a given organism are collectively referred to as the organism’s ecological niche.Multiple species cannot occupy the exact same niche within their habitat. If the niches of two or more species overlap to a large extent, the competitive exclusion principle dictates that one species will outcompete the other, forcing it to...
Ecological Succession02:17

Ecological Succession

Ecological succession is influenced by the processes of facilitation, inhibition, and toleration. Facilitation occurs when early successional species create more favorable ecological conditions for subsequent species, such as enhanced nutrient, water, or light availability. In contrast, inhibition happens when early successional species create unfavorable ecological conditions for potential successive species, such as limiting resource availability. In some cases, later successional species...
Ecological Niche01:12

Ecological Niche

Microorganisms occupy diverse habitats and perform essential ecological functions that are defined by their ecological niches. A microbial niche encompasses the organism’s mode of survival, including resource acquisition, reproduction, and interactions with other species in its environment. This concept is vital for understanding microbial community dynamics, biogeography, and ecosystem functionality.The fundamental niche of a microorganism includes the full spectrum of environmental...
Microbial Interactions: Competition01:26

Microbial Interactions: Competition

Microbial competition is an ecological interaction in which microorganisms vie for limited resources within shared environments. These resources may include nutrients, space, or light, depending on the system. The intensity and outcome of competition are influenced by the environmental context, such as nutrient availability, spatial constraints, and the diversity of microbial species present. These competitive interactions significantly influence the structure, function, and resilience of...
Competition02:34

Competition

When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. Even if two competing individuals or populations do not interact directly, the overall fitness of both competitors is lowered as a result of not having full access to the limited resource.Intraspecific competition, which occurs between individuals of the same species, serves as a natural mechanism for regulating population size. Too much...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

Ecosystem Disturbance as a Niche Construction Strategy for Invasive Species.

Yonat Gefen1, Yotam Ben-Oren1, Oren Kolodny1

  • 1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, A. Silberman Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.

The American Naturalist
|June 18, 2026
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Invasive species may intentionally disturb ecosystems as a niche construction strategy, increasing their own success. This perspective highlights how invasives can drive ecosystem changes that benefit their establishment.

Keywords:
disturbanceecosystem engineersfood webinvasioninvasive speciesniche construction

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Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Invasive Species Biology
  • Ecosystem Dynamics

Background:

  • Disturbed ecosystems are often more susceptible to invasive species establishment.
  • The role of invasive species in ecosystem alteration is typically viewed as a consequence, not a strategy.
  • Understanding invasive species dynamics is crucial for ecological conservation and management.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose that ecosystem disturbance by invasive species can be an adaptive niche construction strategy.
  • To explore how invasive species' propensity to alter ecosystems influences their success.
  • To offer a new framework for predicting invasive species dynamics by focusing on invasives-driven ecosystem feedback.

Main Methods:

  • Conceptual analysis integrating niche construction theory with invasive species ecology.
  • Review of existing literature on invasive species and ecosystem disturbance.
  • Development of a theoretical model linking disturbance, niche construction, and invasion success.

Main Results:

  • Invasive species may actively construct niches by inducing ecosystem disturbances.
  • A species' capacity to cause large-scale ecosystem change can enhance its invasive success.
  • Ecosystem alterations driven by invasives can provide indirect benefits, facilitating further invasion.

Conclusions:

  • Viewing ecosystem disturbance as an adaptive strategy of niche construction offers novel insights into invasive species dynamics.
  • This perspective shifts focus from collateral damage to invasives-driven ecosystem alterations as potential drivers of invasion.
  • Understanding these feedback mechanisms is key to predicting and managing invasive species impacts.