Community Ecology Flashcards
what is a biological community?
a group of populations of different species that live close enough to interact
what is a habitat and niche?
habitat = location / “address” of a species in the community
niche = the role / “job” of a species
what are interspecific interactions?
interactions between two different species, usually for a resource. includes:
predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism, etc
what is competitive exclusion?
the idea that two species competing for the same limited resource cannot exist in the same place
what is resource partitioning?
-when similar species with similar niches coexist by avoiding competition and having differences in their niches, such as where they live
what is a fundamental / realized niche?
fundamental = where a species COULD live
realized = where a species actually lives due to interspecific competition
what is character displacement?
the evolution of differences in morphology and resource usage as a result of interspecific competition
what is an exploitation interaction?
any + / - interaction where one species benefits by harming another species:
predation, herbivory, or parasitism
what are prey adaptions to predation?
-camouflaged coloring
-aposymatic colouring [warning messsage]
-batesian mimicry [weak animal mimicking a stronger one]
-protection in the form of shells/ spines
what is a positive interaction in biology and what are some examples?
a + interaction is one where either both species benefit, or one species benefits and the other is not harmed:
-mutualism = both species benefit
-commensalism = one species benefits, other is unharmed
what are the four main ways the composition of a community is established?
- species diversity
- diversity and community stability
- trophic structure
- species with large impact
what is species diversity?
-the variety of organisms that make up a community:
1. species richness = total # of unique species
2. relative abundance = how much each species represents the total community
what is diversity / community stability?
the benefits a community can have by including greater biodiversity, such as:
-more productive / producing more biomass
-can better withstand environmental stress
-more resistant to invasive species
what is trophic structure?
the feeding relationships between organisms in a community, such as a food chain / food web
what is “species with large impact”?
species that have significant importance in a community:
-dominant species (most abundant)
-keystone species (not most abundant, but has most important niche)
-ecosystem engineers (can physically change the environment - beavers)
