Download Species Interactions

Species Interactions
Abiotic Influence
• Terrestrial: temperature, water, light and nutrient availability
• Aquatic: same as above plus light availability, acidity, and salt
concentration
• Tolerance range:
– The range in which a species can survive
• Optimal range:
– The range of abiotic factors a species is best adapted to
Biotic Influence
• There are many kinds of relationships between organisms
• Predator/ prey
– As the population of prey decreases the predator population also
decreases
– A form of population control
• Symbiosis
– Long term relationship in which two species or organisms live
closely together
Mutualism
• When two species coexistence results in both species
benefitting
• Examples:
– Flowers and bees: bees get nectar and flowers are pollinated
– Monarchs and milkweed: butterflies drink nectar and butterflies
pollinate.
Clown fish and sea anemone
The clownfish have a protected
territory and the sea anemone
needs the mucus from the
clown fish to make their venom
Termites and intestinal microorganisms
• Termites ingest wood, chew it but can’t
digest without the aid of a
microorganisms that break down the
wood
Lichens
• Symbiotic relationship between algae and fungi.
– The algae photosynthesizes and the fungi off structure (roots and
body)
Predation
• When one organism consumes another organism
• Examples:
– Wolf hunting a deer
– Lady bugs eating aphids
– Owl hunting a mouse
Commensalism
• When two organisms coexist and one organism benefits while
the other remains unharmed
– Examples:
• Cattle and the egret: the egret consumes insects that have been disturbed
while the cattle forage
• Barnacles and scallops: the barnicles have a place to live and the scallop is
unaffected
Remora sharks
– They use an adhesive disk to “hitch a ride” on larger animals,
usually whales, which tend to be sloppy eaters.
– When food floats away from the whale’s mouth, the remora can
then collect the scraps of food floating by.
Parasitism
• When two organisms coexist and one organism benefits while
the other is harmed
– Examples:
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Dogs and Cats + Fleas, ticks, intestinal worms
Lampreys and salmon
Leeches
Bed bugs
mosquitoes
Zombie Ants
• A parasitic fungus can infect an ant.
– The fungus then takes over the control center of the ant and
manipulates it forcing it to climb to the highest point available and
then latch on to the vegetation.
– The fungus then pushes through
the ants head releasing spores
and uses the ants body for
nutrition. *****video*****
Competition
• When organisms compete for the same resources, mates or
territory
– Interspecific: competition between species
– Intraspecific: competition within organisms of the same species
• Examples:
– Intraspecific : two male deer competing for a female
– Interspecific: cheetahs and lions both compete for antelope; spruce
and ash trees compete for sunlight