10.1 Study Guide Flashcards
Niche definiton
The role an organism plays in a community
Realized niche definition
The set of conditions actually used by given animal (pop, species), after interactions with other species (predation and especially competition) have been taken into account.
Mutualism definition
Mutualism describes the ecological interaction between two or more species where each species has a net benefit. Mutualism is a common type of ecological interaction.
Commensalism definition
An association between two organisms in which one benefits and the other derives neither benefit nor harm.
Parasitism definiton
The practice of living as a parasite in or on another organism.
Predation definition
Predation is a biological interaction in which one organism, the predator, kills and eats another organism, its prey.
Herbivory definition
A form of consumption in which an organism principally eats autotrophs such as plants, algae and photosynthesizing bacteria.
Facultative vs. obligatory
An organism that can not complete its life cycle without its host is called obligate parasite. They cannot live without host. A facultative parasite is an organism that may resort to parasitic activity, but does not absolutely rely on any host for completion of its life cycle.
What is likely to happen if the niches of two species overlap a little? Overlap a lot?
The greater the extent to which two species’ niches overlap, the stronger the competition between them will tend to be. And the less they overlap, the less competition there will be.
How can niche partitioning increase the biodiversity of a community?
Niche partitioning can increase biodiversity by allowing more than one species access to a limited resource. By dividing up use of the resources in such a way that the species don’t have to compete with one another, a greater number of species are able to survive.
What are some ways that species can partition their niches?
Species can differentiate their niches in many ways, such as by consuming different foods, or using different areas of the environment.
