Habitat Vs. Niche

1. Habitat Vs. Niche • HABITAT: THE ORGANISM’S HOME • Alpine meadows, conifer forests, marshes, lakes, deserts, and zones along stream banks are all different habitats that you may be able to visualize from your own experience. • NICHE: THE ORGANISM’S ROLE • Each organism has to adapt its lifestyle habits (how much water it takes in, what it eats, where it sleeps, when the best time for reproduction is) to the environment it lives in. • Habitat: the organism’s address • Niche: the organism’s lifestyle

2. Species Interactions Populations do not live in isolation, but interact with each other. They also compete for resources.

3. 1. Competition • Resources such as food, water, space, and light are necessary for life. • Competition between organisms takes place when two or more organisms rely on the same resource(s). • When the resource is plentiful, competition is not as fierce • When the resource is scarce competition increases a. The strong kill off the weak b. Animals migrate or starve

4. 2. Predation • All living things require energy • Some organisms produce their own food using energy from the sun = Producers • Some organisms acquire energy by consuming other organisms = Consumers • Predation is the act of one organism consuming another organism for food. • Predator = the organism that is looking for food • Prey = the organism that becomes food

5. 3. Symbiotic Relationships • Symbiosis describes the type of relationship that forms when two or more species live together • There are THREE classifications of symbiotic relationships

6. a. Mutualism • Two or more organisms living closely together and mutually benefiting from one another's existence Fungi and Algae form lichens through a mutualistic relationship. The Fungi provides a habitat for the Algae. The Algae provides food for the Fungi.

7. Staphylococcus epidermidis, a consistent inhabitant of the skin of humans. The bacterium produces lactic acid that protects the skin from colonization by harmful microbes. But it has been suggested that other by-products are produced by the bacteria are a cause of body odors (good or bad, depending on your personal point of view).

8. b. Commensalism • Commensalism occurs when one organism is benefiting and the other organism, although not benefiting from the relationship, is also not being harmed. Tree and lichens: The lichen gets better exposure to the sunlight. The tree doesn’t benefit from the relationship but it isn’t harmed either.

9. c. Parasitism • Parasitism occurs when one organism is benefiting at the expense of another organism. • Typically doesn’t kill the “host” because then the parasite would also die. • Ticks, fleas, bacteria, tapeworms, roundworms

10. Athletes foot • Tick

12. Species Interaction Review Match the symbiotic relationships with the pair of symbols on the left • +, + • +, 0 • +, - Give an example of each • Parasitism • Commensalism • Mutualism

13. Competition Scenario Deer If you need FOOD = hands over your stomach If you need WATER = hands over your mouth If you need SHELTER = hands over your head Resources If you are FOOD hands over your stomach If you are WATER = hands over your mouth If you are SHELTER = hands over your head Pick a sign and DO NOT CHANGE

14. Turn around and find a match. Deer If you do NOT find a match, you DIE and become a resource If you find a match, you reproduce (the resource that you matched with now becomes a deer) Resource If you do NOT find a match you continue to be a resource for the next round. If you find a match, you now become a deer.