SYMBIOSIS: relationships in nature

1. SYMBIOSIS: relationships in nature

2. Definition of Adaptation • Characteristics that allow an animal to survive in its environment. These characteristics allow the animal to find food, protect themselves, communicate, and mate • Can be physical or behavioral

3. Competition • In a biological community, competition is the struggle between individuals or different populations for a limited resource • In an ecosystem, competition may occur within the same species (two bushes competing for same water source) • Can also occur between members of different species

4. Cooperation • Not all interactions in an ecosystem involve competition. • Cooperation is an interaction in which organisms work in a way that benefits them all. Some predators cooperate when they hunt

5. Definition of Symbiosis • When organisms share food and other resources. • There are three types of symbiotic relationships: mutualism, commensalism, parasitism.

6. Mutualism: a relationship between two species of organisms in which both benefit from the association.

7. Examples of Mutualism (+/+)These guys are “Pals” or “Buddies”Both species benefit • Orchids and Fungi • Orchid benefits because the fungi grows on the root and helps bring in nutrients to plant • Fungi benefits because it ingests food from the plant during photosynthesis • Fruit and Birds • Bird benefits because the fruit provides nutrition for the bird • Fruit benefits because the birds fly around and expel waste which in turn disperses fruit seeds to new areas

8. Commensalism: A relationship between two species of organisms in which one species benefits and the other is not affected

9. Examples of Commensalism (+/0) These guys are “Hitchhikers”One species benefits, the other is not affected • Cattle Egret (bird) & Cattle • Bird benefits because the cattle stir up insects while they graze • Cattle does not benefit from birds being around • Barnacles & Scallops • Barnacles benefit because they attach to scallop as a place to live • Scallops don’t care and are unaffected by the barnacles.

10. Parasitism: A relationship between two species of organisms which is harmful to one, and beneficial to the other

11. Examples of Parasitism (+/-)These guys are “Pickpockets”One species benefits, the other harmed • Fleas & Cats • Flea benefits because it feeds on blood of the cat • Cat is harmed because they lose blood • Ticks & Deer • The tick benefits because it feeds on blood • Deer is harmed because they lose blood and sometimes the tick can be poisonous

12. Limiting Factors in an ecosystem • a limiting factor is one that controls a process, such as organism growth or species population size or distribution. • The availability of food, predation pressure, or availability of shelter are examples of factors that could be limiting for a species population in a specific area. Climate, space, food, water and predators are limiting factors.