In biology and ecology, a resource is a substance or object in the environment required by an organism for normal growth, maintenance, and reproduction. Resources can be consumed by one organism and, as a result, become unavailable to another organism.Ricklefs, R.E. 2005. The Economy of Nature, 6th edition. WH Freeman, USA.Chapin, F.S. III, H.A. Mooney, M.C. Chapin, and P. Matson. 2011. Principles of terrestrial ecosystem ecology. Springer, New York. For plants key resources are light, nutrients, water, and space to grow. For animals key resources are food, water, and territory.
Key resources for plants
Terrestrial plants require particular resources for photosynthesis and to complete their life cycle of germination, growth, reproduction, and dispersal:Barbour, M.G. J.H. Burk, W.D. Pitts and F.S. Gilliam. 1998. Terrestrial Plant Ecology, 3rd ed. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA.Craine, J.M. 2009. Resource strategies in wild plants. Princeton University Press, Princeton. Carbon dioxide Microsite (ecology) Nutrients Pollination Seed dispersal Soil Water
Key resources for animals
Animals require particular resources for metabolism and to complete their life cycle of gestation, birth, growth, and reproduction:Smith, T.M., and R.L. Smith. 2008. Elements of ecology, 7th ed. Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA.
Foraging Territory Water
Resources and ecological processes
Resource availability plays a central role in ecological processes:
Carrying capacity Biological competition Liebig's law of the minimum Niche differentiation
See also
Abiotic component Biotic component Community ecology Ecology Population ecology Plant ecology size-asymmetric competition
References