Competition & Mutualisms Flashcards
What two ways can competition occur?
1) INTRAspecific (within a species)
2) INTERspecific (between different species)
Exploitative competition
occurs when some individuals consume a resource, not leaving enough for others to exist
(can be INTER or INTRA specific)
Is exploitative competition direct or indirect interactions?
Does not involve direct interactions between individuals. Competition is mediated through each individual’s interaction (or lack) with the resource.
Think of a squirrel eating out of a bird feeder, now there is limited resources left for the actual birds.
Interference competition
occurs when individuals directly alter the resource-attaining behavior of others
(can be INTRA or INTER specific)
What ways can interference competition occur?
1) through aggressive interactions
2) through chemical interactions
What is this an example of:
Long-legged ants wake up early and plug the nest entrances of competing harvester ants with rocks.
Interference through aggressive interactions
What is this an example of:
Black walnut trees exude a chemical that changes soil chemistry and reduces the likelihood that other plant species will be able to germinate nearby.
Interference through chemical interactions
Apparent competition
occurs when two individuals that DO NOT directly compete for resources affect each other indirectly by being prey for the same predator.
INTERspecific only
A common crow and a turkey vulture are competing for the same dead animal carcass on the road by chasing each other away.
This is an example of ____ between the crow and turkey vulture.
A. apparent competition
B. interference competition
C. exploitative competition
B. interference competition
How can competition be reduced?
spatial niche partitioning
dietary niche partitioning
Spatial niche partitioning
species that eat the same foods occupy different microhabitat types in the habitat
Dietary niche partitioning
species that occupy the same microhabitat types eat different prey
What are the two different types of mutualists?
obligate mutualists
facultative mutualists
Obligate mutualists
two species require the fitness benefits provided by their interaction to persist
they cannot survive without each other
Facultative mutualists
two species do not require the fitness benefits provided by their interaction to persist, but each species does better when they are together
