The Catalyst Perspectives Group
Ecosystems and Niche: An Overview
The Premise
While the physical (abiotic) factors play a role in shaping the assortment of living things in biomes and habitats, the addition of the (biotic) interactions among them in each area, creates different ecosystems. Within each ecosystem, each species plays a different role in these interactions and occupies a different niche. If one considers the habitat of a species to be its home, the niche for a species is its job in the ecosystem. The forms and functions expressed by each species in its niche are optimally suited for those circumstances and reflects the myriad of its relationships with the other species as well as its physical environment. The dynamics and consequences of these interrelationships are more than the sum of all the interspecific interactions. Indeed, the selective forces that shape each species produce outcomes that are a collective consequence of the ecosystem as a whole.
Organizations too exist within a complex suite of interrelationships with other organizations and the physical attributes of the location where they exist. Each organization has a role and is a different thread in this organizational tapestry. Do you understand the role of your organization within your ecosystem and have aligned the form and function of your organization optimally?
The Process
The essays in this section will consider:
- How do you fit in? --- An ecosystem can be viewed as a puzzle with each species in that ecosystem being a piece that fits into the whole by filling a niche and serving a particular role. How a species "fits" depends on many factors including: its trophic level in the ecological pyramid, the complexity of the biotic inter-relationships and the variability and extremes imposed by the abiotic elements of the ecosystem. Organizations must understand their role and how they fit in the ecosystem within which they exist. How well does your organization fit into the space in the organizational ecosystem that it occupies?
- As different as night and day. --- Living things have adaptations of form and function to being more active during the day (diurnal) or more active at night (nocturnal). The same selective factors favor being diurnal or nocturnal but, different species have adapted differently to these different conditions. By contrast, human organizations are predominantly diurnal. Is your organization benefiting from the attributes of being both a night owl and a day lark?
- Time of the season. --- Living things have long been adapted to the advantages of performing particular life functions in different seasons or at different times of the year to have a higher probability of success. Many organizations do the same things, all the time, month after month and fail to take advantage of and/or avoid problems by not realizing the potential offered by operating differently by season. Is your organization missing opportunities or struggling because of how its performance varies throughout the year?
- Love they Neighbor. --- The dynamics and consequences of the interrelationships within an ecosystem are more than the sum of all the interspecific interactions. The selective forces that shape each species produce adaptations that are a collective consequence of the ecosystem as a whole. As a practical matter, a species can not "plan" or control how to respond to a disruption to their ecosystem. The adaptations they have in form and function will determine the outcome. By contrast, organizations potentially can shape their success by executing a strategy that includes the individual relationships as well as how the organization engages across their entire ecosystem. Does your organization have a comprehensive perspective of its position within its ecosystem and operate accordingly so that it can tolerate disruptions?
- Keystone Species. --- Keystone species maintain the local biodiversity of an ecosystem, influencing the abundance and type of other species in a habitat. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. There are keystone organizations within organizational ecosystems and these organizations are just as crucial for defining the composition and role of other organizations and even the very existence of the ecosystem where they occur. What is your organization's understanding and role relative to the keystone organizations within your ecosystem?
How do you fit in?
The Premise
A: What, when, where, why and how.
Q: What aspects of a species' form and function can be used to describe its niche?
A biological ecosystem can be imagined as a picture that presents the interrelationships of all the species that are part of that ecosystem. That picture can then be represented as a puzzle with each species a distinct piece that fits into a particular part of the overall picture. Although many of the "edges" between species may be distinct, more commonly the borders between species are fuzzy and the pieces of the puzzle both fit together and overlap. In more complex and energy-rich ecosystems there may be multiple layers (aka species) in a particular space.
To ensure it occupies the optimal niche for serving its customer an organization should have a comprehensive understanding of its form and function and how these adaptations encompass what, when, where, why and how it operates. How well does your organization fit into the space in the organizational ecosystem that it occupies?
Readers' comments
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
As different as night and day
The Premise
A: Finding food, avoiding being eaten, finding a mate, avoiding competition or resting safely.
Q: What are adaptive advantages of being nocturnal...or diurnal?
As the earth rotates living things experience alternating periods of light and dark. This pattern of light and dark has resulted in universal circadian rhythms in living things and adaptations of form and function to being more active during the day (diurnal) or more active at night (nocturnal). Not surprisingly, the selective factors that favor being diurnal or nocturnal are the same but, different species have adapted differently to these different conditions.
Surprisingly and by contrast, human organizations are predominantly diurnal. And yet, being so invariably results in missed opportunities to exploit an underutilized niche. Is your organization benefiting from the attributes of being both a night owl and a day lark
Readers' comments
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
It's the time of the season
The Premise
A: Delayed embryonic implantation, reduced energy consumption, recycle nitrogen to form proteins, recycle calcium to strengthen bones.
Q: What adaptations enable bears to use torpor to avoid winter food shortages?
The Zombies may have offered a memorable musical description of the fact that there is a time of the season for loving...but, living things have long been adapted to the advantages of performing particular life functions in different seasons at different times of the year to have a higher probability of success.
Some organizations have no alternative but to perform differently during different seasons. However, many organizations do the same old things all the time and fail to take advantage of and/or avoid problems by not realizing the potential offered by doing things in season. Is your organization missing opportunities or struggling because of how its performance varies (or not) throughout the year?
Readers' comments
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
Love thy neighbor
The Premise
A: Migration, extinction, speciation, changes in species types or numbers.
Q: What changes may occur to species in response to disruption to an ecosystem?
Whether thought of as a puzzle or a tapestry, an ecosystem is a complex melange of inter-relationships (Inter-Specific Relationships). The dynamics and consequences of these interrelationships are more than the sum of all the interspecific interactions. The selective forces that shape each species produce adaptations that are a collective consequence of the ecosystem as a whole. Individual species, "fit" in their ecosystem because evolution has shaped the adaptations of their form and function. As a practical matter, a species can not "plan" or control how to respond to a disruption to their ecosystem. The adaptations they have in terms form and function will determine the outcome.
By contrast, organizations potentially can influence the likelihood that they can endure and even prosper as a result of a disruption to their ecosystem. However, to do so requires developing and executing a strategy that evaluates their posture in terms of the individual relationships with distinct organizations as well as how the organization engages holistically across their entire ecosystem. Does your organization have a comprehensive perspective of its position within its ecosystem and operate accordingly so that it can tolerate disruptions?
Readers' comments
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
Keystone species
The Premise
A: Snowshoe Hares, Sea Star, Gray Wolves, Elephants, Saguaro Cactus, Prairie Dogs, Beavers, and Wildebeests
Q: What are examples of keystone species?
In architecture a key stone is a central stone at the summit of an arch, locking the whole together. Without the keystone, the arch would fail. In ecology, a keystone species helps define an entire ecosystem. Keystone species maintain the local biodiversity of an ecosystem, influencing the abundance and type of other species in a habitat. Without its keystone species, the ecosystem would be dramatically different or cease to exist altogether. Remove a keystone predator, and the population of prey can explode, pushing out other organisms and reducing species diversity. Plants that are keystone species provide a critical source of food and/or shelter for other species. Herbivores that are keystone species, alter the ecosystem through their munching by eating the right plants at the right time in the right amounts. The activities of other keystone species alter the physical habitat of the space that creates and maintains an entirely different ecosystem from what would be there without them.
There are keystone organizations within organizational ecosystems and these organizations are just as crucial for defining the composition and role of other organizations and even the very existence of the ecosystem where they occur. What is your organization's understanding of and role relative to the keystone organizations within your ecosystem?
Readers' comments
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.
Serengeti rules
The Premise
A: The
Q: What are
If customers can’t find it, it doesn’t exist. Clearly list and describe the services you offer. Also, be sure to showcase a premium service.
Readers' comments
Is the topic for this essay one that you are interested in? If yes, please let me know and I'll push it up the "to do" list and finish the essay for posting.
Of course, to make this a discussion, the reader (aka you) will need to offer your perspective. I'll add your comments directly to this section of the essay (or correct or edit other parts as needed). I'll take the liberty to edit lightly if appropriate and will include your contact information to encourage continued discussion.