29-Mutalism Coevolution

Question 1

What are the positive, negative, and neutral types of ecological relationships that can occur between species?

Answer 1

Neutralism:species interact w/o affecting each other.
Commensalism: One gains with no affect to other.
Ammensalism: One suffers, other does not.
Competition: Two species use the same limiting resources.
Herbivory, parasitism, predation: one eats other.
Mutualism: Both benefit

Question 2

What is cospeciation?

Answer 2

An event that occurs when a symbiotic relationship between two organisms leads to a change creating a new species in the process. Ex. Gopher and lice become new species together but new species are often not compatible so their relationship may change.

Question 3

What is mimicry and how is it illustrated?

Answer 3

One species imitating another species. Ex. A harmless snake mimics a harmful one. Caterpillar mimics a snake to not get eaten.

Question 4

What adaptations occur in the ant-acacia mutualism?

Answer 4

Ants can nest in the hollow thorns of the Acacia tree. This type of relationship makes the trees thorns be larger than trees who lack ants. The ants clear area around tree so predators don’t eat the tree. Tree lives longer

Question 5

How do the interacting species benefit in pollination and seed dispersal mutualisms?

Answer 5

Pollinator gets food in form of nectar or pollen. Pollen from the plant is delivered to another individual.

Question 6

How can a fruiting plant attract the best frugivore?

Answer 6

Bright colors and attractive smells. Seeds can have an edible appendage on it that attracts ants. Seeds can become more permeable to water after passage through an animals gut (leads to higher germination rates)

Question 7

How are mutualisms illustrated by gut microorganisms and mycorrhizae?

Answer 7

Mycorrhizae are a fungus that impregnates the roots of plants. The plant provides sugar. Mycorrhizae provides phosphorus and protection