Species Interactions Flashcards
Community ecology
Interactions among different species have 2 important results:
- They affect the distribution and abundance of the interacting species
- They are agents of natural selection and affect the evolution of the interacting species
Species interactions
+ : a relationship between 2 species providing a fitness benefit to members of one of the species
- : a relationship that hurts members of one of the species
0 : a relationship that has no effect on the members of either species
Interactions: -/-, +/-, +/+, or +/0 (commensalism)
3 themes in community ecology
- Species interactions may affect the distribution and abundance of a particular species
- Species act as agents of natural selection when they interact; a co-evolutionary arms race occurs between predators and prey, between parasites and hosts, and between other types of interacting species
- The outcome of interactions among species is dynamic and conditions; interactions among species can change
Coevolution
The process where evolutionary changes in the traits of one species results in evolutionary changes in the traits of a different species; can involve predators and prey, hosts and parasites, an other kinds of interactions
Competition
A -/- interaction that occurs when individuals use the same limiting resources
Intraspecific competition
Competition that occurs among members of the same species; major cause of density dependent population growth
Interspecific competition
Competition occurs between members of different species
Consumptive competion
When two species consume the same resources
Preemptive competition
When one species makes space unavailable to another species
Overgrowth competition
One species grows above another
Chemical competion
When one species produces toxins that negatively affect another species
Territorial competition
Mobile species protects its feeding or breeding territory against other species
Encounter competition
Two species interfere directly for access to specific resources
Niche
The range of resources that a species is able to use, and the range of conditions that it can tolerate
- interspecific comp. occurs when the niches of two species overlap
- area with minimal resources, specialist will do well
- area with numerous resources, generalist will do well
Exclusion principle
Two species which compete for the same limited resource cannot coexist at constant population values
Asymmetric competition
When one species has a much greater fitness reduction than the other species
Symmetric competition
When the fitness reduction in both species is approximately the same, or equal
Competitive exclusion
The competitive exclusion principle states that it is not possible for species with the very same niche to coexis
Fundamental niche
The total theoretical range of resources, habitats and conditions used/or tolerated when there is no competition
Realized niche
The portion of the fundamental niche that a species actually occupies; the resources, habitats, and conditions used/or tolerated when there is competition
Niche differentiation
An evolutionary change in the traits of a species that reduces the amount of niche overlap (also called resource partitioning); this reduces competition
Character displacement
Evolutionary changes in the traits of species during the process of niche differentiation