Species Interaction in ECOLOGICAL NETWORKS Flashcards
simplified linear representation of the
transfer of energy and nutrients through
an ecosystem
Food Chain
is a complex and interconnected network of feeding relationships within
an ecosystem.
Food Web
It represents the various ways that organisms in an ecosystem
obtain their food by depicting who eats whom and how energy and nutrients flow
through the ecosystem.
Food Web
He introduced the concept of the ecological niche
Charles Elton
conducted extensive research on food chains
and food webs
Charles Elton
His research emphasized the importance of
predators in controlling prey populations and
maintaining ecological balance.
Charles Elton
He is the founding member of the Nature Conservancy
and played a key role in promoting the
conservation of natural habitats and biodiversity.
Charles Elton
Producers
Primary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Tertiary Consumers
Quaternary Consumers
Decomposers and Detritivores
Trophic levels
show how different species in an ecosystem are
linked together through predator-prey relationships.
Food Web
depict the interactions between different species
within an ecosystem, showing who eats whom.
Food Web
Food webs show how different species in an ecosystem are
linked together through predator-prey relationships.
Food webs depict the interactions between different species
within an ecosystem, showing who eats whom.
Interconnectedness
Food webs show how different species in an ecosystem are
linked together through ___________ relationships.
Predator - prey relationship
depict the interactions between different species
within an ecosystem, showing who eats whom.
Food Web
Food webs show how different species in an ecosystem are
linked together through predator-prey relationships.
Food webs depict the interactions between different species
within an ecosystem, showing who eats whom.
Interconnectedness
It flows through the ecosystem, with each level
receiving energy from the level below.
Energy flows
Food webs illustrate the transfer of energy from one trophic
level to another as organisms are consumed.
Energy flow
energy is
______ as heat at each transfer.
lost
Food webs show the cycling of nutrients as they are
taken up by plants, passed through the food web, and
returned to the ecosystem through decomposition and
nutrient recycling.
Nutrient Cycling
Food webs can vary in __________, depending on the number
of species involved and the intricacy of their interactions
Complexity
The diversity of species in an ecosystem is reflected in
the complexity of its food web.
Biodiversity
At the apex of the food web, there are often ____________ that
have few or no natural predators themselves.
Top Predators
The structure of a food web can influence the _____________ of an ecosystem.
Stability and Resilience
A
food web that can often be more resilient to disturbances
because it has redundancy and alternative pathways for
energy and nutrient flow.
Diverse and well-connected
Food webs can depict various types of _____________
including mutualism, competition, and parasitism.
Species Relationships
Food webs capture how species interactions and trophic
relationships change over time, reflecting seasonal
variations, migrations, and other temporal factors.
Temporal Dynamics
Food Chain vs. Food Web
Differences:
- Complexity
- Representation
- Stability
Food chain vs. Food Web
Similarities:
- Both illustrate the flow of energy in an ecosystem
- Both involve interaction between predator and prey
- Organisms are categorized in different trophic
levels.
Types of Food Webs
• Connectedness Webs
• Energy flow webs
• Functional Webs
also known as Binary web
Connectedness Webs
A type of food web that shows the presence of an interaction
between species, but they do not specify
the strength of the interaction.
Connectedness Webs/ Binary webs
A food web that do not capture nuances such as interaction strength, directionality, or
the potential for indirect effects.
Binary webs
A food web that measures the
amount of energy (biomass) moving
between species within a food web.
Energy flow webs
A food web that is also known as Interaction web
Functional Webs
A type of food web that shows the strength of the interactions
between species within a community,
implicitly recognizing that not all species
and interactions are equally important.
Functional Webs
species having a large
impact on the structure
and function of that
ecosystem relative to
their or biomass.
Keystone species
“keystone species” was
first coined by the
ecologist ______ in 1969
Robert T.
Paine
play a crucial
role in maintaining the
integrity and stability
of the ecosystem.
Keystone species
enhances species
diversity by promoting
the coexistence of a
variety of species.
Keystone species
Keystone species in kelp forest ecosystems
Sea Otter (Enhydra lutris)
Keystone species in various terrestrial ecosystems.
Wolves (Canis lupus)
Keystone species in freshwater ecosystems.
Beaver (Castor cadanensis)
Keystone species in savanna and forest ecosystems
in Africa and Asia
Elephant (Loxodonta africana and Elephas maximus)
Keystone species in grassland ecosystems.
Prairie Dogs (Cynomys spp.)
Keystone species in coral reef
ecosystems
Corals
Keystone species in marine ecosystems
Predatory Fishes (Groupers and Snappers)
1
Size-selective Predation
2
Top-Down Control
3
beEnergetic Efficiency
4
Spatial Distribution
5
Biomass Accumulation
6
Size-based Niche Partitioning
Body size and Food web Structure
Body Size and Food Web Structure
1
Size-selective Predation
2
Top-Down Control
3
beEnergetic Efficiency
4
Spatial Distribution
5
Biomass Accumulation
6
Size-based Niche Partitioning
Other Types of Ecological Networks
✓Mutualistic Networks
✓Parasitoid-Host Network
✓Detrital Food webs
✓Metapopulation Networks
These networks emphasize the decomposition
and nutrient cycling aspects of ecosystems
Detrital Food webs
They illustrate how detritivores (organisms that
feed on dead organic matter) interact with each
other and with decomposers like bacteria and
fungi.
Detrital Food webs
These networks describe the interactions
between subpopulations of a species in a
fragmented landscape.
Metapopulation
Networks
They help ecologists understand how
species persist in a landscape composed
of patches of suitable and unsuitable
habitat.
Metapopulation
Networks
