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Generalist V Specialist Species
Generalist V Specialist Species
Generalist V Specialist Species
A generalist species is able to thrive in a wide variety of environmental conditions and can make
use of a variety of different resources (for example, a heterotroph with a varied diet). A specialist
species can thrive only in a narrow range of environmental conditions or has a limited diet.
Most organisms do not all fit neatly into either group, however. Some species are highly specialized
(the most extreme case being monophagous, eating one specific type of food), others less so, and
some can tolerate many different environments. In other words, there is a continuum from highly
specialized to broadly generalist species.
Generalist Specialist
Broad Niche and adaptable to Narrow niche and are not easily
Niche/
many or changing adaptable to changes in their
Adaptability
environments environment