Predation 38 Flashcards
Parasite
Obtains food from the host, which it might kill or not. Parasitism can be considered a form of predation.
Predation is often the most important factor that determines _____.
Population size. Powerful agent of natural selection. Predators help in population control.
Efficient Predators may have
Acute senses, teeth/fangs, stingers, claws, fast to move, agile, thick and strong structures such as beaks
Defensive adaptations
Morphological features: Porcupines, armadillos
Chemicals: Some plants use alkaloids to fend off predators.
Concealment/camouflage:
Aposematic coloration: warning, bright colours. Many are poisonous or unpalatable. E.g. skunk stripes.
What is a mimic?
Mimic is when a species has the same or similar appearance of another.
Batesian mimic
Deception, a harmless organism pretends it is dangerous by looking like an organism that is poisonous. A fly can resemble a hornet.
Mullerian mimicry
Group of organisms resembling one another. Different species of bees and wasps have the same black and yellow.
Adaptations for herbivory
Includes teeth.
Eveness
The relative specie abundance
The more species you have that are evenly distributed
the greater the species diversity. Giving a more stable community.
Trophic structure
Energy moves in one way process through an ecosystem. Sequence of organisms through which this energy moves is called a food chain.
Food web
Two or more food chains linked together.
Detritus
Dead plant and animal tissue. Detritivores are soil arhtropods and earth worms that ingest the detritus.
Decomposers
Bacteria and fungi break down dead organic matter. Usually not included in any food chain diagram.
Primary producers
Have the most energy and most number of individuals. This decreases as you go up the pyramid.
