5.1 + 5.2 Flashcards
What is interspecific competition?
Interspecific competition is when members of two or more species interact to gain access to the same limited resources such as food, light, or space.
What is predation?
Predation is when a member of one species (the predator) feeds directly on all or part of a member of another species (the prey).
What is parasitism?
Parasitism is when one organism (the parasite) feeds on the body of, or the energy used by, another organism (the host), usually by living on or in the host.
What is mutualism?
Mutualism is an interaction that benefits both species by providing each with food, shelter, or some other resource.
What is commensalism?
Commensalism is an interaction that benefits one species but has little, if any, effect on the other.
What is competition in ecology?
Competition is the ability of one species to become more efficient than another species in acquiring food or other resources.
What is the competitive exclusion principle?
The competitive exclusion principle states that no two species can occupy exactly the same ecological niche for very long.
What is coevolution?
Coevolution occurs when populations of two different species interact over a long period of time, leading to changes in the gene pool of one species that can result in changes in the gene pool of the other species.
What are detritivores?
Detritivores are organisms that consume decomposing organic matter called detritus.
What is resource partitioning?
Resource partitioning occurs when species competing for similar scarce resources evolve specialized traits that allow them to use shared resources at different times, in different ways, or in different places.
What are the ways of getting prey?
-Herbivores: walk, swim, fly, etc.
-Carnivores: pursuit or ambush
-Camouflage
-Chemical warfare (venom, etc.)
Examples of chemical warfare
-poison
-Irritation
-Foul smelling
-Bad tasting
-Warning coloration
