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Competition
Keystone predators
Succession
Primary and Secondary
Predation
Predators feed
on other living
organisms -- their
prey
Predators do not
take up residence in
or on prey (unlike
parasites)
Prey may or may not
die from relationship
Symbiosis
A symbiotic relationship is one in which there is an
intimate, long-term relationship between two (or
more) species
Involves one species living on or in another species for at
least part of life cycle
Mutualism
Mutualism is a
symbiotic relationship
in which both species
_benefit .
Above: Impala being
groomed by Oxpecker bird,
which gets a meal of insects.
Left: Lichen is really a
mutualistic symbiosis
between photosynthetic
algae (which makes sugars
for both species) and a
fungus, which houses the
algae and protects it from
water loss.
Commensalism
Commensalism is a
symbiotic relationship in
which one species
benefits and the other
species is not affected
Right: Epiphytes
are plants that live
on tropical tree
limbs and obtain
sunlight & rainwater
without harming
their home since
their roots remain in
the air (not inside
tree bark or tissue).
Parasitism
Parasitism is a symbiotic
relationship in which one
species benefits (parasite)
and the other species is
harmed (host).
Left:
Tapeworms
inhabit animal
digestive tracts,
living off of the
nutrients that
are intended for
the host. Over
time, this
weakens and
can kill the
host.
Right: Ergot
is a fungus that
grows on
grains such as
barley,
breaking down
the grain and
getting food
from it.
Above: Cowbirds are brood parasites they lay their eggs in another birds nest
and leave them to be hatched & raised by
the host species. Cowbird nestlings grow
rapidly, frequently out-competing the host's
offspring for food and parental care. This
adult Yellow-throat is feeding a cowbird
fledgling that's more than twice its size.
Competition
Competition occurs when two or more
individuals attempt to use an essential common
resource that is in limited supply (food, water,
shelter, sunlight, etc.)
Can be intraspecific (among individuals in a population)
or interspecific (between different species)
Ex) Oak trees and pine trees may
compete for sunlight and space in
a New England forest.
Direct
Direct
Effect on Effect on
Species 1 Species 2
Neutral relationship
* Symbiotic relationship
Inter-specific Competition
More typically, species compete for resources
and a particular niche.
Inter-specific competition between species with
overlapping niches can lead to competitive
exclusion. (ie removal of the less-fit species
from the shared niche in question)
Competitive Exclusion
Laboratory Experiment by
Gause (1934):
Two species of paramecium
reach high population
densities in given conditions
when grown separately.
When grown under the
same conditions together,
however, one species is
out-competed by the other,
and eventually goes extinct.
http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/classes/bio100/Lectures/Lect21/Image294.gif
more
Competitive Exclusion
There once were two species of barnacle that inhabited the same rock
For the story, visit: http://nortonbooks.com/college/biology/animations/ch35a02.htm
SpeciesSpeciesInteractions:PracticeQuestions
Keystone Predators
What is the role of a keystone predator?
reduces the density of the strongest competitors
in a community
helps maintain species diversity in a community
by preventing competitive exclusion of weaker
competitors, which in turn contributes to
community stability (think about why this is so).
Ex1: Gray Wolf
Ex2: Sea Star (Pisaster)
Ex3: Common periwinkle (Littorina littorea)
Another Example
Ex3: Common periwinkle
(a type of snail)
SpeciesSpeciesInteractions:
MoreQuestionsforThought&Practice
Ecological Succession
A series of predictable changes in community
structure over time, typically culminating in a
mature, relatively stable climax community.
Secondary Succession
Secondary Succession occurs where vegetation has been
removed but soil is intact (instead of starting with bare rock).
Photo Credits
http://www.world-builders.org/lessons/less/biomes/
introbiomes.html
http://www.micro.utexas.edu/courses/levin/bio304/
ecosystems/ecology.html
http://www.aloha.com/~lifeguards/portugue.html
Pioneer species:
first species to
inhabit an area
Climax
Community:
mature, stable
community
Secondary Succession