Final Flashcards
What are the five interspecific interactions?
Neutral Mutualism Commensalism Predation Competition
Describe the “Neutral” type of interspecific interaction.
neither affected
Describe the “Mutualism” type of interspecific interaction. Give examples
both benefited:
Coyotes and Badgers are known to sometimes help each other hunt for prairie dogs; the coyote can chase it and the badger can dig for it
Nitrogen fixing bacteria give nitrogen to soybeans, which function as a habitat
Describe the “Commensalism” type of interspecific interaction.
one benefited, the other not affected
Describe the “Predation” type of interspecific interaction. Include the types and definitions of parasitism.
one benefited, the other is detrimental:
Herbivory
Carnivory
Parasitism: one benefited, the other got harmed (e.g., tapeworm)
Parasitoidism: a type of parasitism, but the host eventually got killed
Endoparasitoidism: a parasite that lives inside its host
-Ex: Chinese caterpillar fungus
Cannibalism (eating its own species)
Describe the “Competition” type of interspecific interaction.
mutually detrimental or hurt
What are the possible consequences of interspecific competition?
Competitive exclusion or coexistence
Define Allelopathy.
Effect of metabolic products of plants on the growth and development of other nearby plants.
Give examples of plants that exhibit allelopathy. List the types of chemicals used.
Types of chemicals: acids, bases, phenolics, aromatic cpds
Broom sedge: inhibit shrubs
Bracken fern: phenolic acids to kill conifers
Black walnut: secrete precursor to juglone, works against broad leaf plants
Bamboos: secrete phytotoxins against ferns
Define plant secondary compounds
Compounds not directly related to plant growth (Ex: phytotoxins of bamboos)
Describe the phenomenon of invasive exotic species in the Great Lakes
(competition w/ endemic spp.)
139 exotic spp. introduced into Great Lakes ecosystems; invertebrates and vertebrates. Exotic spp. have caused 68% extinction of fish species and 70% of endangered spp. in North America.
Why is difficult to find field examples of competitive exclusion or to conduct competitive exclusion experiments in the field?
Don’t know what stage they are at
Environment changes
Immigration & emigration
Genetic alterations (mutations, recombinations, etc)
Carrying capacity unknown
Life history unknown
Has already settled through co-evolution (most important)
Describe Gause’s Principle (or competitive exclusion principle) and its 3 assumptions
When two or more species coexist using the same resource, one must displace or exclude the other. In other words, complete competitors cannot coexist.
-When the niche overlaps too much only two outcomes. One or more species may start to explore other niches
Assumptions of competitive exclusion:
1 Environmental factors remained constant
2 No emigration/immigration
3 Over time, competitors genetically unchanged
These are unreasonable assumptions
What is the application of competitive exclusion principle in the reintroduction of an endangered species?
In most cases their niche has already been occupied, you must be cautious
Describe the interaction of the chipmunks in Sierra Nevada
Co-existence of different species of chipmunk through the adoption of a unique niche. Some chipmunks (Least) can live in wide range, but have home ranges restriction by aggressive other species (Yellow-pine chipmunk). The limit is defined by the most aggressive species (lodgepole)
Define character displacement
Shift in species’ morphology, behavior, or physiology as a result of natural selection resulting from interspecific competition
Compare fundamental niche vs. realized niche
Fundamental niche: free from interference from other species
Realized niche: niche of a species when part of that niche has been subtracted by competition
What is a guild? Give an example
A group of species utilizing a gradient of resources in a similar way. Ex: chipmunks in Sierra Nevada
Describe the ecological significance of the relationship between grey wolves and coyotes
In the 1600s many wolves were killed so people could settle in New England. Example of fundamental niche vs realized niche in that the niche of the coyotes changed when relieved from the pressure of the wolves. Example of Interference competition in that both populations negatively effect each other when coexisting
Describe the population dynamics of snowshoe hare and lynx
When the population of the snowshoe hare was high, the lynx population was also high; vice versa
Their predator-prey cycle was around ten years (would see a great peak in population of both the hare and the lynx at the same time every ten years)
Describe the three hypothesis about the snowshoe hare vs lynx population dynamic and the evidence that supports them
(likely a combination of all three):
Simple Predation
Conventional predator-prey cycle
Simple food limitation
Survey food abundance over ~12 years, close relationship between drop in woody browse (winter food) and drop in snowshoe hares and lynxes
In canada, a food station was put out to manipulate food availability and test this hypothesis
Fluctuating secondary compound contents
Plants (especially in winter) will create secondary compounds that are toxic to hares and will mess with their digestive function -> reduce total energy -> less energy for reproduction
Describe the predator-prey cycle
Prey population goes down as predation occurs -> less predators -> less predation -> prey population rises -> …
Clear patterns are not often seen
Why aren’t clear examples of the predator-prey cycle often seen? (3 reasons)
The prey population is density-dependent (i.e., internal regulation).
Almost every species is attacked by more than one species of predators. Most predator species attack more than one species of prey.
Long-term monitoring data not exist
What were the discussed types of defense chemicals?
Toads, snakes: peptides, alkaloids
-Destroy RBC, increase coagulation, neurotoxic
Stinkbug: volatile terpenes