parasitism Flashcards
what is an ecological niche
An ecological niche is a multi-dimensional summary of tolerances and requirements of a species
A species has a fundamental niche that occupies in the absence of what
A species has a fundamental niche that it occupies in the absence of any interspecific competition
what is a realised niche
A realised niche is occupied in response to interspecific competition
what happens as a result of interspecific competition
As a result of interspecific competition, competitive exclusion can occur, where the niches of two species are so similar that one declines to local extinction
what happens Where the realised niches are sufficiently different,
Where the realised niches are sufficiently different, potential competitors can co-exist by resource partitioning
what is parasatism
Parasitism is a symbiotic interaction between a parasite and its host (+/-). A parasite gains benefit in terms of nutrients at the expense of its host
Unlike in a predator–prey relationship, the reproductive potential of the parasite is what?
Unlike in a predator–prey relationship, the reproductive potential of the parasite is greater than that of the host
what do most parasites have
Most parasites have a narrow (specialised) niche as they are very host-specific
what does degenerate means
As the host provides so many of the parasite’s needs, many parasites are degenerate, lacking structures and organs
found in other organisms
what is the difference of ectoparasites and endoparasites
An ectoparasite lives on the surface of its host, whereas an endoparasite lives within the tissues of its host
what do parasites require to complete their life cycle
Some parasites require only one host to complete their life cycle. Many parasites require more than one host to
complete their life cycle
what is the definitive host
The definitive host is the organism on or in which the parasite reaches sexual maturity. Intermediate hosts may also be required for the parasite to complete its life cycle.
what does a vector do
A vector plays an active role in the transmission of the parasite and may also be
a host
what is the human disease malaria is caused by
The human disease malaria is caused by Plasmodium
malaria parasite lifecycle
An infected mosquito, acting as a vector, bites a human. Plasmodium enters the human bloodstream. Asexual reproduction occurs in the liver and then in the red blood
cells. When the red blood cells burst gametocytes are released into the bloodstream. Another mosquito bites an infected human and the gametocytes enter the mosquito, maturing into male and female
gametes, allowing sexual reproduction to now occur. The mosquito can then infect
another human host.
Schistosomes cause the human disease schistosomiasis, henace explain the disease
Schistosomes reproduce sexually in the human intestine. The fertilised eggs pass out via faeces into water where they develop into larvae. The larvae then infect water snails, where asexual reproduction occurs. This
produces another type of motile larvae, which escape the snail and penetrate the skin of a human, entering the bloodstream.
where can viruses and parasites replicate
Viruses are parasites that can only replicate inside a host cell
what is the form of genetic material that viruses contain
Viruses contain genetic material in the form of DNA or RNA, packaged in a protective protein coat
what are some viruses surrounded by
Some viruses are surrounded by a phospholipid membrane derived from host cell materials
what does the outer surface of a virus contain
The outer surface of a virus contains antigens that a host cell may or may not be
able to detect as foreign
viral life cycle stages
Viral life cycle stages: infection of host cell with genetic material, host cell enzymes replicate viral genome, transcription of viral
genes and translation of viral proteins, assembly and release of new viral particles
what do RNA retroviruses use to form DNA
RNA retroviruses use the enzyme reverse transcriptase to form DNA, which is then
inserted into the genome of the host cell
what can viral genes can then be expressed to form
Viral genes can then be expressed to form
new viral particles
what are the factors that increase transmission rates
Factors that increase transmission rates:
the overcrowding of hosts when they are at high density
mechanisms, such as vectors and waterborne dispersal stages, that allow
the parasite to spread even if infected hosts are incapacitated