Interspecific Relationships Flashcards
Interspecific Competition
A form of competition in which individuals of different species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem (e.g. food or living space)
Symbiosis
A close relationship (direct contact) between two different species where at least one benefits
Symbiotic Relationships
Parasitism
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism
Exploitation involving a typically smaller species (the parasite) living on or in a larger species (the host) harming it.
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Mutualism
Both individuals of different species benefit
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Commensalism
Competition over non food related activity where one species benefits and the other is not affected
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Mutualism
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Parasitism
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Commensalism
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Parasitic Plant
Derives sustenance from another plant
Hemi-parasite
Partially dependent on the host for survival deriving only some sustenance and producing some of its own nutrients
Obligate-parasite
Totally dependent on the health and survival of the host plant and derives all sustenance from the host, true parasitic
Haustorium
Specialism root of parasitic plant that can penetrate bark to connect to xylem and phloem to derive water and food from host
Epiphyte
A plant that gains huge ecological benefits from living on a larger plant without affecting it
Brood Parasite
Organisms that rely on others to raise their young
Exploritation
Any interspecific relationship where one species benefits while the other is harmed
Herbivory
An animal that eats plant material
Coevolution
Adaptations of the animal and plant species it eats
Predation
One animal (predator) feeds on another animal (prey)
Morphological Defences
Structural adaptations of prey (eg. thorns, modified leaves and hairs)
Behavioural Defences
Acts performed by prey to avoid or reduce predation
Crypsis
Ability of an animal to avoid observation or detection by other animals
Crypsis Behaviours
Camouflage
Nocturnality
Subterranean lifestyle (underground)
Mimicry
Aposematism
Signal from prey that they are harmful to consume, mutualism relationship
Mimicry
Species resembles / ‘mimics’ another in some way
Batesian Mimicry
The model species is dangerous for predator to consume so will avoid anything that looks similar
Mullerian Mimicry
Poisonous species that share a common predator mimic each others warning signals
Aggressive Mimicry
Predators mimic features of a harmless species allowing them to avoid being correctly identified by prey
Gausse Principle
Two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist if their ecological niches are the same
Fundamental Niche
The total tolerance range of a species
Realised Niche
Narrower niche due to overlap of fundamental niches causing competition
Stratification
Formation of layers (canopy, sub-canopy, shrub and ground), mainly caused by the abiotic factor of sunlight
Zonation
Division of a community into distinct zone based gradients such as altitude
Succession
Changes in community composition over time
Primary: not previously supported life
Secondary: previously supported life
Antibiosis
Contest competition with a winner and loser
Allelopathy
Type of antibiosis where one organism produces biochemicals that influence the organism it is competing against
Positive Allelopathy
Allelochemicals that are beneficial to the growth, reproduction and survival of competing organism
Negative Allelopathy
Allelochemicals that are detrimental to the growth, reproduction and survival of competing organism
