What does ecological release lead to for a species?

Ecological release occurs when a species finds itself in an environment where it faces reduced competition, typically because potential competitors have been removed or are absent. This allows the species to expand into new habitats or niches that it may not have previously occupied. As a result, the species can exploit resources that were previously unavailable to it, leading to the possibility of diversification.

This expansion and diversification can involve adaptations to new environments, which can enhance the species’ survival and reproductive success in those areas. The scenario benefits the species by promoting a broader ecological role and potentially leading to speciation in the long term, as the populations adapt to different ecological pressures in the new habitats.