Symbiotic Species

1. Symbiotic Species Matt Wojick http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/ExamplesOfMutualism.htm

2. Parasitism: Type of symbiotic relationship between organisms of different species where the parasite benefits at the expense of the host. Example: Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) and Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis) Parasitism http://fatfinch.wordpress.com/2008/01/03/cowbirds/

3. Parasite Host Cowbird / Bluebird http://didyouknowf.blogspot.com/ http://thetravelingwheelchair.com/bluebirds-nesting-in-my-yard-in-middleboro/

4. Forces the host bird to raise the cowbirds young Allows cowbirds more time to breed and less time spent building nests and feeding young Cowbird chicks hatch earlier and are bigger so they end up with more food then host’s chicks Can lead to endangerment of host species Cowbirds lay their eggs in nests of other species of birds Parasitic relationship http://fatfinch.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/cowbird-baby.jpg

5. Physical Characteristics – Cowbird vs. Bluebird • Cowbird eggs have shorter gestation period than bluebirds • Cowbird Hatchlings are larger • Cowbird chick’s mouths are bigger with red coloration • Also cowbirds are louder • Cowbirds lay up to 40 eggs per season and can lay almost daily through the breeding season • Bluebirds only lay 10 eggs per year http://www.allaboutbirds.org/NetCommunity/page.aspx?pid=1058

6. Brown-headed Cowbird Eastern Bluebird Habitat http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cf/Eastern_Bluebird-rangemap.gif http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Molothus_ater_Map.svg/515px-Molothus_ater_Map.svg.png

7. Habitat cont. • Both species prefer open grassland with scattered trees • Both live in temperate climate http://wanicke09.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Migration+Glossary

8. Food web http://juetaofanclub.blogspot.com/2008/12/biology-homework.html

9. Major role of bluebird and cowbird • Feed on many insect pests • Spread seeds from eating berries http://www.flickr.com/photos/granny_to_3/3528877773/

10. Mutualism: symbiotic relationship between two different species that interact in ways that benefit both of them Example: Juniper (Juniperus communis) and Mycorrhizal Fungi Mutualism http://www.ktsa.com/Mycorrhizae----what-is-it-/6505797?contentRating=1

11. Juniper Tree Mycorrhizal Fungi Mutualism http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/Mycorrhizal_root_tips_%28amanita%29.jpg http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a1/Jeneverbes.jpg

12. Symbiotic relationship - Mutualism • Mycorrhizal Fungi attach to the roots of Juniper seedlings to get nutrition from plant’s roots • Fungi uses hair like extensions to improve juniper’s ability to get nutrients from soil • Fungi also boosts plants immune system http://kevingong.com/Hiking/FreelPeak.html

13. Physical Characteristics • Juniper Tree • Slow growing evergreen shrub • 5-10m tall • Can grow in both acid and alkaline soils • Has small blue-green needles up to 1cm long • Dioecious tree - plants are either male or female; different from most trees http://www.danish-schnapps-recipes.com/juniper.html

14. Physical Characteristics • Mycorrhizal Fungi • Heterotrophic organism • tubular filaments called hyphae – the cellular unit of the fungi • Mycorrhizal mycelia (the vegetative part of a fungus) are much smaller than the smallest root = larger surface area http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6LWjP0sZ22w/St8Avb2MyfI/AAAAAAAAGcw/-RKkRM0iUpc/s1600-h/hyphae5.jpg

15. Juniper tree: Has the largest geographic range of any woody plant in the world Circumboreal – found throughout northern regions Also in North Africa and Mediterranean Habitat http://blass.com.au/definitions/juniper%20berries

16. Juniper Tree: Foliage is eaten by animals: red deer and rabbits Humans use berries to flavor gin Birds eat berries and seeds The juniper berry miner moth also eats the seeds Mycorrhizal Fungi Gets nutrients from juniper tree Food web http://www.flickr.com/photos/16607532@N00/36749157

17. Commensalism: A relationship between two species that benefits one species but has no significant effect on the other Example: Grey Whales (Eschrichtius robustus) and Barnacle (Cryptolepas rhachianecti) Commensalism http://scienceblogs.com/shiftingbaselines/2007/09/a_whale_of_a_baseline.php

18. Host: Grey whale Commensal: Acorn barnacle Commensalism http://www.ontheroadin.com/miscellasneouspictures/california_grey_whales_scammon.htm http://score.dnr.sc.gov/species/barnacles.htm

19. Symbiotic relationship - Commensalism • Barnacles are unable to move from place to place on their own • They attach themselves to whales to gain access to nutrient rich waters • This does not harm or affect the whale http://bealbio.wikispaces.com/Period+2+GR+53

20. Physical Characteristics • Grey whale: • Baleen whale • Mammal • 40 to 50 ft long • Weigh 30 to 40 tons • Omnivores • produce primarily low-frequency sounds for long-distance communication and navigation http://www.marineecotours.com/recreation/whale-watching-victoria/whales

21. Physical Characteristics • Acorn barnacle: • Arthropod (closely related to crabs) • Traps plankton with cirri (its legs) and draws it back into mouth. • Attaches to host by secreting barnacle cement from its base http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1144/1447802729_04ecb6bb1a.jpg

22. Habitat • Grey Whale Range: pacific ocean in northern hemisphere close to shore http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cetacea_range_map_Gray_Whale.png

23. Food Web • Grey whale: • Eats 2000 pounds of food each day • Eats small, shrimp like animals called amphipods, which feed on phytoplankton and zooplankton • Only major predator is humans (now an endangered species) http://www.nilesbio.com/prod295.html

24. Barnacles eat: Phytoplankton Zooplankton Small Bacteria Whelks (Gastropods) eat barnacles Food Web http://www.midnightsunschool.com/Katchemak_Bay/graphics/5Giant-barnicle.jpg

25. Mitigations – Grey whale • 1840s to 1940s: Whalers killed thousands of whales, decreasing their population from 24,000 to only a few thousand • They were given protection in 1946 • over the last half century their numbers have increased to over 20,000 • They are still protected under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act http://brighteststars.wordpress.com/2008/03/09/stop-norwegian-whaling-pt2/

26. Bibliography • "Barnacles (marine Mammals)." Crankshaft. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.the-crankshaft.info/2010/11/barnacles-marine-mammals.html>. • "The Benefits of Mycorrhizal Fungi." Clean Air Gardening Supply, Reel Mowers, Composters, Garden Tools. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.cleanairgardening.com/mycorrhizal.html>. • "Cowbirds vs. Songbirds." NCWC: Faculty Pages. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://faculty.ncwc.edu/mbrooks/pif/Fact Sheets/Cowbirds.htm>. • "Gray Whales, Gray Whale Pictures, Gray Whale Facts - National Geographic." Animals, Animal Pictures, Wild Animal Facts - National Geographic. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/gray-whale.html>. • Miller. “Chapter 7: Community Ecology”, Species Interactions: Parasitism, Mutualism, and Commensalism. Living In The Environment. 15th ed. 153-155. • "Mycorrhiza." Australian Botany Pages. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/mycorrhiza.html>. • "Species Profile: Juniper." Trees for Life. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.treesforlife.org.uk/tfl.juniper.html>. • Truax, Samuel. ""Irresponsible" Cowbirds and the Decline of Songbirds." Prairie Fire - The Progressive Voice of the Great Plains. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.prairiefirenewspaper.com/2010/07/irresponsible-cowbirds-and-the-decline-of-songbirds>. • Wood, Andy. "How Do Bluebirds Protect Themselves?: Bluebirds | EHow.com." EHow | How To Do Just About Everything! | How To Videos & Articles. Web. 22 Nov. 2010. <http://www.ehow.com/video_5112928_do-bluebirds-protect-themselves_.html?cp=1&wa_vlsrc=continuous&pid=1&wa_vrid=46996509-f3e1-43e6-bb0b-cfce13a3d51e>.