Unit 2.5aii Flashcards
What is symbiosis?
It’s an ecological relationship between organisms of two different species that live in direct contact with one another
What does symbiosis result in?
Millions of years of co-evolution as these are such intimate relationships
What is a symbiont?
An organism that lives in close association with another
What is a parasite?
It is a symbiont that gains benefit in terms of nutrients at the expense of its host as the host loses energy/resources and is therefore harmed
Are parasites and predators the same?
No, as parasites must keep their hosts alive for their own survival
In relation to symbiotic relationships, what is a predator?
It’s a non-symbiotic organism that gains benefit in terms of nutrients at the expense of others
Do you parasites have the same reproductive potential as their host?
No, parasites have a greater reproductive potential
Which is more efficient, the parasite or the host?
The parasite as it gains nutrients from the host without having to forage
Why do parasites have narrow niches?
Because they are specialist organisms and are host specific to a single part of its body
How do parasites make use of resource partitioning?
Different parasites can live in/on the same host just in different places
Many parasites are degenerate, what does this mean?
The parasites lack structures and organs found in other organisms as the host provides so many of the parasites needs
How have parasites become degenerate?
Evolution has favoured the loss of non-useful structures and organs ie. tapeworms have no digestive system as they absorb digested food from the host.
What are the two categories of parasites?
Ectoparasites and Endoparasites
What are ectoparasites?
Parasites found on the surface of the host.
(They are usually arthropods like ticks and lice)
What are endoparasites?
Parasites found within the body of the host (tapeworm, plasmodium etc.)
