Download Community Interactions

Community Interactions
How do different species in a community interact with
one another? How does that affect their niche?
Niche
• The full range of physical and
biological conditions in which an
organism lives and the way in which
the organism uses those conditions.
Predation!
Everybody's worst nightmare...
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Definition: One organism (the predator) kills and eats
another organism (the prey)
Examples: Lions eating zebras, whales eating krill
Connection to niche: An integral part of the food chain.
What food is available to a predator effects where it can
live, and what predators are around affects how an
organism will live.
Distinctive features: Predators are often opportunists,
and do not require one species of prey to survive.
Competition
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Definition: a relationship
between two species in which
they attempt to use the same
limited resource!
Example: Two rams
competing for the same mate
or different species of African
animals competing for water!
Niche: Competition affects
whether or not one of the
organisms takes a certain
niche (could eliminate losing
organism)!
Distinctive Features:
"Fight" between species to
determine which species
gains advantage over another!
GET
AWAY
FROM MY
WOMAN
Parasitism
Definition: An organism that lives in another
organism and feed on it without immediately
killing it.
Example: The mistletoe grows on a poplar tree
because it uses the tree as a source of
nutrients.
Niche: The parasites weaken the hosts which
make them vulnerable to the predators.
Distinctive features: They do not immediately
kill their hosts (unlike predators) and they
Mutualism
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Definition: Is the way two organisms of a different
species interact in a relationship in which each
individual derives a fitness benefit.
Ex:
 The nectar producing plants and its pollinators.
 All orchids depend on fungi.
Connection to niche: Often without one of the mutualistic
organisms, the other will not be able to survive.
Distinctive features:They associate with each other and
from that both species benefit from each other.
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Commensalism
Definition: Relationship between two species in which
one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped.
Example:Barnacles connecting to the skin of a whale, or the shell of a
mollusk.
Connection to Niche:The barnacle benefits by finding a habitat
where nutrients are available.
Distinctive features: Doesn't hamper or enhance the survival of
the animal.