2.5 a) The Parasite Niche

Question 1

What is an ecological niche?

Answer 1

a multi-dimensional summary of tolerances and requirements of a species

Question 2

An ecological niche is a ___-dimensional summary of ___ and ___ of a s___.

Answer 2

multi-dimensional, tolerances, requirements, species

Question 3

When are fundamental niches occupied?
When are realised niches occupied?

Answer 3

In absence of interspecific competition
in response to/presence of interspecific competition

Question 4

What is a realised niche?
What is a fundamental niche?
* not exam language

Answer 4

‘better than nothing’
perfect/ideal situation

Question 5

What can occur as a result of interspecific competition?

Answer 5

competitive exclusion

Question 6

What is competitive exclusion?

Answer 6

when the niches of two species are so similar, that one goes extinct.

Question 7

Competitive exclusion is when the ___ of two species are so ___, that one goes ___.
Competitive exclusion is a result of ___ ___.

Answer 7

niches, similar, extinct.
interspecific competition

Question 8

When realised niches are sufficiently ___, potential ___ can survive by ___ ___.

Answer 8

different, competitors, resource partitioning.

Question 9

What is resource partitioning?

Answer 9

when resources are shared between species to avoid interspecific competition

Question 10

Resource partitioning is when resources are ___ between species to avoid ___ ___.

Answer 10

shared, interspecific competition

Question 11

What is the competitive exclusion principle?

Answer 11

interspecific competition causes the extinction of the weaker species

Question 12

The competitive exclusion principle states that ___ between two species will cause…

Answer 12

competition, extinction of the weaker species

Question 13

What is a vector?

Answer 13

something that transmits a parasite

Question 14

What is parasitism?

Answer 14

a symbiotic interaction between a parasite and its host (+/-)

Question 15

Explain why parasitism is +/-

Answer 15

because the parasite benefits in terms of nutrients, at the expense of the host

Question 16

Unlike other symbiotic relationships, the ___ potential of the parasite is ___ than that of the host

Answer 16

reproductive, greater

Question 17

Parasites tend to have very ___ niches, as they are ___ ___.

Answer 17

narrow/specialised, host specific

Question 18

Why are many parasites degenerate?
What does ‘degenerate’ refer to?

Answer 18

because the host provides for so many of the parasite’s needs.
the fact that the parasite lacks many structures and organs which other organisms have

Question 19

Since the ___ provides for so many of the parasite’s ___, many parasites are ___, and so lack ___ and ___ that are found in other organisms.

Answer 19

host, needs, degenerate, structures and organs.

Question 20

What is meant by…
An endoparasite?
An ectoparasite?

Answer 20

an endoparasits lives within the tissues of its host
an ectoparasite lives on the surface of its host