Community Ecology I | Lecture 32 Flashcards
Community Ecology:
A study of the interactions between all the populations in a common habitat
How Organisms Utilize Habitat: Ecological Niche Definition
Ecological Niche: Sum total of an organism’s use of abiotic/biotic resources in the environment
Types of Ecological Niche:
Fundamental Niche: Niche potentially occupied by the species
Realized Niche: The portion of the fundamental niche that a species actually occupies.
Fundamental Niche:
A niche of an organism given that there are no limiting factors on the environment or resources the organism can use.
Also called the pre-competitive niche.
A type of theoretical niche.
Large in size.
Elaborates on various roles of a particular species.
There is no competition either for resources or predators.
Realized Niche:
A niche that is occupied by a viable population of a species in the presence of competitor species.
Called post-competitive niche.
Where the species actually lives.
Small in size.
Elaborates on what the species actually do.
A competition occurs for both resources and predators.
Parasitism:
Example of Plasmodium parasite on humans that causes malaria
Commensalism:
Positive effect for one species and no effect on the other species
Amensalism:
Negative effect on one species, but no effect on the other species. Some members of this genus produce penicillin that kills bacteria.
Facultative Symbiosis:
The relationship gives each organism a greater change of survival, but isn’t absolutely necessary.
On symbiotic relationships:
Obligate symbiosis: Organisms require the symbiotic relationship in order to survive.
Ectoparasite: Definition
Ectoparasite: Lives on the outside of a host.
Endoparasite: Definition
Endoparasite: Lives inside the host.
Interspecies: Definition
Between members of different species.
Intraspecies: Definition
Between members of the same species.
Resource Partitioning:
Competing species evolve to use different resources, occupy a different area of a habitat, or feed different times of the day.
