stenotopik

Stenotopik is a term used in ecology to describe organisms or communities that have a narrow ecological niche or a restricted geographic distribution. Stenotopic organisms show a limited tolerance to environmental variables such as substrate, temperature, salinity, pH, or humidity and are typically associated with a specific habitat type or locale. Although stenotopik is a less common spelling in English, the concept is more often described with terms such as stenotopic or stenotopy.

The word derives from Greek roots: stenos meaning narrow and topos meaning place, conveying the idea of life confined to a small ecological space. In practice, stenotopy is observed across taxa, including plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates, as well as among microorganisms that require particular environmental conditions. Examples include a fish species restricted to a single stream with specific oxygen and temperature regimes, a plant adapted to calcareous soils, or a bacterium that tolerates only a narrow pH range.

In ecological research, stenotopik concepts help researchers evaluate vulnerability to habitat loss and climate change, since narrow niche breadth is often associated with higher extinction risk. This concept contrasts with eurytopic or generalist species that tolerate a broad range of conditions and habitats.

See also: ecological niche, habitat specialization, stenotopy, stenotherm, eurytopic.