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Ecology Part 2 How species interact with each other Interactions • 5 types of species interactions – Predation – Competition – Parasitism – Mutualism – commensalism Predation • One organism kills and eats the other organism • The organism that is eaten is called the prey Predator- the one that does the eating Familiar examples • • • • Lions feeding on zebras Cougars eating deer Snakes eating mice Blue whale – the largest animal on earthfeeds on small krill ( shrimplike marine animals) Blue Whale • Also a predator because it feeds on krill-tiny shrimplike marine animals Krill Predators • Tend to feed on young and weak • As populations of prey decline, the predators either switch to other prey or begin to die off themselves Competitions • When 2 or more organisms of the same or different species attempt to use the same LIMITED resource Competition • Can also be between plants • Competing for limited sunlight in the forest Competition Examples • Panda bears compete with humans for bamboo • Imported kudzu vines cover native plants and trees (NC) • Imported fire ants compete with native ants for territory Species can compete even if they do not come • Into contact with each other • An insect species feeds on a flower during the day • And another species feeds on the same flower at night Parasitism • What do ticks, fleas, viruses, tapeworms, leeches ( other than fishing) and mistletoe all have in common? • Parasites- organisms that live on or in another organism • They feed on it without IMMEDIATELY killing it Plants and animals are weakened by parasites • Making them more vulnerable to predators • Host- the organism the parasite takes its nourishment from • Fee Mutualism • A cooperative partnership between two species in which both benefit How is bacteria useful? • Billions of bacteria live in our intestines (yuck) • However—without them we could not break down certain foods • it would just be hanging out in our intestines forever Bacteria also • Produce necessary substances your body cannot make • Vitamin k which is essential for proper blood clotting Acacia Trees and Ants • These trees provide food –nectar and nesting places in the thorns for the ants • Ants defend the tree from grasshoppers/ beetles (herbivores) commensalism • One species benefits and the other is not harmed nor helped • Remora fish attaches to a shark • They feed on the shark’s leftovers
