Diversity is an extremely important aspect of an ecosystem. The more diverse an ecosystem is the more resources are available for other species within the ecosystem, which makes it more efficient. However, there are some factors that contribute to death of many organisms like the Competitive Exclusion Principle, limiting factors and tolerances.
The Competitive Exclusion Principle states that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist if other ecological factors are constant. When one species has even the slightest advantage or edge over another, then the one with the advantage will dominate in the long term. Moreover, plankton is an excellent example of this because the plankton species live on very limited resources, primarily solar energy and minerals dissolved in water, so basically soon only one species of plankton will exist due to the lack of resources. These resources are called limiting factors. Some examples of these factors are salt, sunlight and dissolved oxygen. However, many animals and plants have adapted to these conditions like the Six Spotted Fishing Spider carries an air bubble in water to breathe while it hunts and Manatees have adapted to survive in warm water and migrate south, when the weather changes.
Population Regulation
There are many things that regulate population like predation and limiting factors like sunlight and oxygen. However, many animals have been able to adapt through genetic variation by mutating and sex. For example, some organisms can live in water and land because of oxygen like alligators. Basically, over time the oxygen level decreased and alligators and amphibians in general grew lungs and were able to live in water as eggs and live on land as adults.
The Competitive Exclusion Principle states that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist if other ecological factors are constant. When one species has even the slightest advantage or edge over another, then the one with the advantage will dominate in the long term. Moreover, plankton is an excellent example of this because the plankton species live on very limited resources, primarily solar energy and minerals dissolved in water, so basically soon only one species of plankton will exist due to the lack of resources. These resources are called limiting factors. Some examples of these factors are salt, sunlight and dissolved oxygen. However, many animals and plants have adapted to these conditions like the Six Spotted Fishing Spider carries an air bubble in water to breathe while it hunts and Manatees have adapted to survive in warm water and migrate south, when the weather changes.
Population Regulation
There are many things that regulate population like predation and limiting factors like sunlight and oxygen. However, many animals have been able to adapt through genetic variation by mutating and sex. For example, some organisms can live in water and land because of oxygen like alligators. Basically, over time the oxygen level decreased and alligators and amphibians in general grew lungs and were able to live in water as eggs and live on land as adults.