Interspecific Relationships Flashcards
Allelopathy
The chemical inhibition of one plant species by another, often through the release of toxins into the soil, affecting germination, growth, or survival of nearby plants.
Aposematism
A form of defensive adaptation where an organism displays bright, conspicuous colours or patterns to warn predators of its toxicity, danger, or unpalatability.
Batesian Mimicry
A form of mimicry in which a harmless species imitates the appearance of a harmful or toxic species to avoid predation.
Brood Parasite
An organism (often a bird) that lays its eggs in the nest of another species, relying on the host to raise its offspring.
Commensalism
A type of symbiotic relationship where one species benefits from the association, and the other is neither helped nor harmed.
Camouflage
A defense strategy where an organism blends into its environment to avoid detection by predators or prey.
Epiphyte
A plant that grows on another plant but does not take nutrients from it; instead, it obtains water and nutrients from the air, rain, or debris around it.
Exploitation
A form of ecological interaction where one organism benefits at the expense of another, such as predation, parasitism, or herbivory.
Gause’s Principle
The idea that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist indefinitely if other ecological factors are constant; one will outcompete the other.
Habitat
The natural environment in which a species lives, including all the biotic and abiotic factors that affect it.
Hemi-parasitic
A type of parasitism where an organism (often a plant) partially relies on another plant for nutrients but can also photosynthesise and produce its own energy.
Herbivory
The consumption of plant material by animals, a type of exploitative interaction that can have significant effects on plant populations.
Interspecific Competition
Competition between individuals of different species for the same resources, such as food, water, or territory.
Müllerian Mimicry
A form of mimicry where two or more harmful or toxic species evolve to resemble each other, reinforcing the avoidance behaviour of predators.
Mutualism
A type of symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from the interaction.
Niche
The specific role or function of an organism within its ecosystem, including its habitat, diet, and interactions with other organisms.
Parasitism
A symbiotic relationship in which one organism (the parasite) benefits at the expense of the host, often harming it in the process.
Predation
An interaction in which one organism (the predator) kills and consumes another organism (the prey) for food.
Predator
An organism that hunts, kills, and consumes other organisms (prey) for food.
Prey
An organism that is hunted and consumed by a predator.
Symbiosis
A term describing any close, long-term interaction between two different species, which can be mutualistic, commensal, or parasitic.
