populations: community interactions Flashcards
What is predation?
-Predation is a feeding interaction where a predator hunts and eats the prey.
-Predators hunt prey, while prey are hunted by predators.
What are some adaptations of predators?
-Hunting in packs
-Agility and speed
-Enhanced senses (sight and smell)
-Special dentition and claws
-Camouflage
-Additionally, predator eye placement helps them focus on prey.
What adaptations do prey have to avoid predators?
-Herding behavior
-Camouflage
-Warning coloration
-Poisonous secretions
-Wide peripheral vision
-Prey also have eye placements that enhance their ability to detect threats from a wider field of view.
What is herding and how does it help prey?
-Herding is when prey form larger groups for protection.
-There is greater safety in numbers, as many eyes can detect danger and protect one another.
-It requires high cooperation between individuals.
What are hunting packs and how do they benefit predators?
-Hunting packs involve predators working together as a team, also known as cooperative hunting. —Examples include wild dogs, lions, and hyenas. This strategy increases the success of hunts.
How do predator-prey relationships affect population numbers?
-Predator-prey relationships result in fluctuations in population numbers. -Predators control prey populations, and prey availability determines predator numbers.
-If prey numbers drop, predator numbers follow. This is an example of a density-dependent factor.
What does a predator-prey graph show?
-A predator-prey graph shows the interaction between predators and prey, where prey numbers are usually higher than predator numbers.
-There is often a slight lag in the predator population’s response to changes in prey numbers.
What is competition in an ecosystem?
-Competition occurs when individuals compete for the same limited resources. There are two types:
-Intraspecific competition: Competition between individuals of the same species.
-Interspecific competition: Competition between individuals of different species
Can you give examples of competition?
-barnacles and mussels competing for space on rocky shores (interspecific).
-Gannets competing for nesting space (intraspecific).
-Hyenas and lionesses competing for food (interspecific).
-Trees in a forest canopy competing for light (interspecific).
What is a niche in ecology?
-A niche is the specific ecological role of a species within a habitat or ecosystem, including its behavior, resource use, and competition.
What is competitive exclusion?
-Competitive exclusion occurs when two species compete for the same resource.
-One species will have a competitive advantage and eventually displace the other.
-This is also known as Gause’s law.
What is resource partitioning?
-resource partitioning allows multiple species to coexist in the same habitat by occupying different specialized niches.
-For example, birds may feed on insects during the day, while bats feed at night.
What is the difference between specialists and generalists?
-Specialists are species with specific adaptations for a particular niche, while generalists have adaptations allowing them to survive in a variety of niches.
-Specialists may thrive in stable environments, while
-generalists can adapt to changing conditions.
Can you give examples of specialists and generalists?
-Wildebeest are specialist grazers, feeding only on grass,
-while impala are generalists, capable of grazing and browsing on shrubs.
What is symbiosis?
-Symbiosis is a close, long-term interaction between two different species.
-It can be classified into three types: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism.
What is mutualism?
-Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.
-An example is the relationship between flowers and pollinators like bees, where the bees get food and the flowers receive pollination.
What is commensalism?
-Commensalism is a symbiotic relationship where one species benefits, and the other is unaffected.
-For example, birds nesting in trees benefit from shelter without harming the tree.
What is parasitism?
-Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one species (the parasite) benefits while the other (the host) is harmed.
-For example, aphids suck sap from plants, harming the plant while benefiting themselves.
What is social organization in animals?
-Social organization refers to the group structures that animals form to survive.
-This can include herds, packs, or colonies, where animals cooperate for hunting, protection, or task-sharing.
How do herds and swarms help protect against predators?
-Herds and swarms protect animals by offering greater safety in numbers.
-The many eyes and ears of the group can detect predators, and the group can confuse predators by scattering or overwhelming them.
How do packs contribute to successful hunting?
-Packs of predators, such as wild dogs and lions, hunt cooperatively. This increases their chances of successfully capturing prey.
What are eusocial animals?
-Eusocial animals, like bees and ants, live in highly organized colonies where different members perform specialized tasks such as foraging, protecting the nest, or caring for the young.
What is ecological succession?
-process by which ecosystems change over time.
-It includes two types: primary succession, where life colonizes an area with no previous life, and secondary succession, where life recolonizes an area after a disturbance.
What are pioneer species?
-Pioneer species are the first organisms to establish themselves in a new or disturbed area.
-They help create conditions for more complex communities to develop.
What is a climax community?
-A climax community is the final, stable community that develops in an ecosystem after succession.
-It varies depending on the biome, such as forests or thickets.
