Ch 41: Ecology Flashcards
(43 cards)
Community
is an assemblage of species living close enough for potential interaction.
General things about interspecific
- Interspecific interactions can be positive of one species (+), negative (-), or neutral (0)
- Interspecific interactions include competition(only occurs when scarce resources), predation, and symbioses
- Interspecific (different species) Intraspecific ( same species)
- Interspecific competition can result in the elimination of one of the species. (a reproductive advantage in one species)
Interspecific competition
occurs when resources are in short supply, It is a -/- interaction between species involved
Competitive exclusion principle
When two species are vying for a resource, eventually the one with the slight reproductive advantage will eliminate the other. (resource partitioning)
An Ecological Niche
sum total of biotic and abiotic resources in its environment.
2 types of ecological niches
Fundamental niche and Realized niche
Fundamental niche
what a species potentially occupies
Realized niche
the portion of the fundamental niche the species actually occupies (because of comp)
How does competition occur?
When niches overlap competition occur
Predator prey interaction - or + or 0
prey interactions are +/- between two species
Cryptic coloration
camouflaged by coloring
Aposematic coloration
the poisonous animal is brightly colored as a warning
Batesian mimicry
nonpoisonous look like poisonous
Mullerian mimicry
Bad tastingresemble each other, predators avoid equally
Herbivory, - + 0
is also a +/- interaction, Herbivores eat only part of a plant or alga
Plant protective devices are
chemical toxins, spines, and thorns
Symbiosis
occurs when two or more species live in direct contact with one another
Parasitism
+/- interaction, the parasite derives its nourishment from the host. This decreases the survival, reproduction, and density of the host population
Mutualism
+/+ interaction, both species benefit,
Commensalism
+/0 interaction, one benefits the other is neither harmed nor benefits,
Species diversity
a measure of the number of different species in a community (species richness) and the relative abundance of each species
Trophic Structure
feeding relationships among organisms
Trophic levels
links in the trophic structure of a community
Flow of Energy is ?
Energy is transferred from the sun to plants to herbivores to carnivores and finally to decomposers.