Competition Between Organisms Flashcards
What are the four manifestations of interactions?
- Exploitation of resources
- Pre-emptive and territorial interaction
- Chemical production of toxins
- Encounters involving transient interactions directly over a specific resource
Define competition in ecology.
Use of a resource by one individual that reduces the availability of that resource for another individual.
Competition can occur for various resources such as food, shelter, mates, space, and nutrients.
What is exploitation competition?
Occurs when consumption of a limiting resource by one species makes that resource unavailable for consumption by another.
It can occur within species (intraspecific) or between species (interspecific).
Differentiate between intraspecific and interspecific competition.
- Intraspecific competition: competition among members of the same species (usually stronger and more intense)
- Interspecific competition: competition between members of different species (usually weaker)
The intensity of competition can vary significantly between these types.
What is interference competition?
Some individuals limit the access of others to a given resource.
This form of competition can lead to direct confrontations or aggressive behaviors.
What does competitive exclusion suggest?
Complete competitors cannot exist indefinitely.
This principle implies that two species competing for the same resource cannot coexist if other ecological factors remain constant.
Why is resource partitioning important?
Important when similar species share the same resources in different ways.
allows for coexistence by reducing direct competition.
Define the predator-prey relationship
A predator is any organism that gains its nourishment from killing and then eating other animals.
This relationship is fundamental in ecological dynamics, influencing population sizes.
How does the prey population affect the predator population?
Growth in the prey population leads to an increase in the predator population; as the predator population increases, the prey population will begin to decline.
This cyclical relationship is a key aspect of ecosystem dynamics.
What is symbiosis?
Relationship between individuals of two or more different species; always interspecific.
What is mutualism?
When two organisms of different species interact and each benefits from the relationship.
An example is the relationship between cattle egrets and cattle.
Define commensalism.
One species benefits and the other is unaffected.
An example is the relationship between gobies and sea urchins.
What is parasitism?
The host is harmed and the parasite benefits.
An example is the relationship between fleas and dogs.
