Niche and Parasite Life Cycles Flashcards
What is an ecological niche?
A multi dimensional summary of the tolerances and requirements of a species.
What is a fundamental niche?
The niche a species occupies in the absence of any interspecific competition.
What is a realised niche?
The niche a species occupies when there is interspecific competition.
What can be the result of interspecific competition?
Competitive exclusion.
What is competitive exclusion?
Where the niches of two species are so similar that one species declines to extinction.
How can potential competitors live simultaneously when their niches are sufficiently different?
By resource partitioning.
What is parasitism?
A symbiotic relationship between parasite and host.
Who benefits in a parasitic symbiotic relationship?
The parasite - it gains nutrients.
How has greater reproductive ability - parasite or host?
Parasite.
Why do most parasites have a narrow niche?
As they are very host specific.
Why are many parasites degenerate?
As the host provides so many of the parasites needs.
Where do ectoparasites live?
On the surface of its host.
Where do endoparasites live?
Within the tissue of the host.
What is a definitive host?
The organism in which the parasite reaches sexual maturity.
What is the role of a vector?
Transmission of the parasite and sometimes act as hosts.