Biological interactions Flashcards
what are biotic factors?
Biotic factors affect survival of an organism include the various relationships between organisms 2 types of relationships:
what is intraspecific relationships?
- Members of the same species may compete against each other for food, space, water, air, light, shelter and mates.
- If resources are scarce, competition can be fierce and lead to fighting.
- e.g. the aggressive interaction of magpies competing for nesting sites is an example of intraspecific competition.
what is preditation?
predation: occurs when one organism (the predator) attacks and kills another living organism (the prey) to obtain food. It is a short-term interaction.
what is symbiosis?
symbiosis: a relationship in which two organisms live in close association over a long period of time. There are five types:
what is mutualism?
mutualism: both species benefit from the obligatory interaction (e.g. Lichen, which is a mixture of fungal and algal cells).
what is cooperation?
cooperation: each species benefits from the association, but the presence of one is not essential to the survival of the other (e.g. sea anemones living on the shells of crabs).
what is commensalism?
commensalism: one organism benefits and the other is not affected (e.g. epiphytic ferns and orchids on rainforest trees).
what is amensalism?
amensalism: one species inhibits the other (e.g. antibiotics produced by moulds inhibit the growth of some bacteria).
what is parasitism?
parasitism: parasites obtain food by living in (endoparasites e.g. tapeworm) or on (ectoparasite e.g. flea) a host organism. The parasite benefits but the host is harmed and causes disease.
