Opportunist species

This is any species that is quick to make use of new opportunities. All species are opportunistic to some degree, but some are more adapted to making quick use of new opportunities.

Truly opportunistic species are often small and have quick lifecycles. These characteristics allow them to spread quickly so that they can make full use of new environments before other species arrive.

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However they will be squeezed out eventually by other species better adapted to the new conditions. For this reason they are sometimes also known as fugitive species because they always seem to be on the run from one place to the next.

Often the new conditions are largely the result of the activities of the opportunist species. Some species make conditions better for their continued survival in that spot, others don't. Opportunist species move on because that works better for them than wasting time trying to adapt to a permanent home.

You could call them fly-by-nights, which is what we call human opportunists. And a lot of the characteristics are similar. They

are quick to arrive
don't like to stay around
get what they can and move on
are not all that easily detected at first
are only interested in their own survival and so don't form relationships that last
leave a changed environment behind them; and
are not usually welcomed back by the new occupants of that field.

However, not all opportunist species are a problem. For example, subterranean clover is very quick to

take advantage of conditions that suit it
set seed and
go dormant until conditions suit it again.

These are its most powerful advantages in the cropping systems of southern Australia.

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This page was updated on December 27, 2007