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Ecological Interactions

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”  ~John Muir, naturalist, Sierra Club founder. Ecological Interactions. What is a Niche?. A niche is a species way of life , or the role the species plays in its environment.

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Ecological Interactions

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  1. “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”  ~John Muir, naturalist, Sierra Club founder Ecological Interactions

  2. What is a Niche? • A niche is a species way of life, or the role the species plays in its environment. • It includes: feeding relationships , reproduction, habitat and interactions with other organisms.

  3. What is the Competitive Exclusion Principle? • No 2 SPECIES occupy exactly the SAME niche! Why? • Competition!!

  4. How do organisms interact in a community? • Predation • Competition • Symbioses: • Parasitism • Mutualism • Commensalism

  5. What is Predation? • The predator captures, kills and consumes another organism, the prey. • Predators have evolved adaptations to increase their efficiency at capturing prey, ex. Sharp teeth, camouflage, spider web • Prey have also evolved defenses against predators, ex. Sharp thorns, Poisons, Mimicry-resemble a poisonous species

  6. A decrease in the prey population means some predators will starve. Fewer predators mean prey population will increase. • Increase in prey means more food for predators. Predator population will increase until there is not enough food and the cycle repeats itself.

  7. What is Competition? • Competition results from a niche overlap between 2 or more species. • Competition for food, shelter, mates, space or light. • Only one organism will use the resources more efficiently (and win) that will eventually eliminate the other species.

  8. COMPETITION Organisms in an ecosystem have to compete with each other for available resources. FOOD http://www.knology.net/~sgoswald/Eating.jpg http://www.harcourtschool.com/glossary/science/images/gr3/community3.jpg

  9. COMPETITION Organisms in an ecosystem have to compete with each other for available resources: shelter http://www.dpiw.tas.gov.au/inter.nsf/Images/LBUN-5K538R/$File/fox_adultandcub.jpg http://www.gdccc.org/Records/EOY2004/NSEOY.htm

  10. COMPETITION Organisms in an ecosystem have to compete with each other for available resources mates http://www.wasatchcomputers.net/gallery/elk_fight.jpg http://www.biocrawler.com/w/images/thumb/3/34/200px-Peacock_courting_peahen.jpg

  11. COMPETITION Organisms in an ecosystem have to compete with each other for available resources: space/territory http://www.elise.com/weblog/photos/prairie-dogs.jpg Prairie dogs - 5 to 35 per acre Mountain lion- 1 male per 50-300 sq. mi http://www.rilanationalpark.org/gr.phtml?dir=../../pictures/in_text&img=/65_1180.jpg

  12. COMPETITION Organisms in an ecosystem have to compete with each other for available resources: LIGHT http://vilenski.org/science/safari/cellstructure/chloroplasts.html http://www.csjbacau.ro/gallery/images/Beech%20Tree%20Forest%20in%20Slanic%20Moldova.jpg

  13. What are symbioses? • Symbiosis= “living together” • Close interaction (relationship) between 2 species living together • Parasitism • Mutualism • Commensalism

  14. What is Parasitism? • Involves a parasite that feeds off another organism, the host. • Ex. Ticks, fleas, lice, leeches, tapeworms, malaria parasite, disease bacteria • Parasites have evolved adaptations to exploit their host more efficiently

  15. PARASITISM http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/guineafowltickphotos.htm “Good for me - Hurts you” Tick feeds on dog’s blood; Dog has discomfort, can get diseases/infection from bite

  16. PARASITISM “Good for me - Hurts you” Tapeworms absorb food by living inside host intestine; host is harmed http://www.biology.ucok.edu/AnimalBiology/Platyhelminthes/tapeworms.jpg

  17. PARASITISM http://www.geology.wmich.edu/gillespie/g322/Chapters/C16parasitism.whale.gif “Good for me - Hurts you” Barnacles are crustaceans that attach to the surface of whales and feed on their skin and fluids; Whale is harmed.

  18. What is Mutualism? • Mutualism is a cooperative relationship between 2 species in which both benefit. • Neither can survive without the other. • Ex. • Pollinators & Flowers • Birds & Rhinos • Clown fish & sea anemones

  19. MUTUALISM“Good for me - Good for you” http://www.providence.edu/bio/faculty/adams/LECTUREProvCollegeMutualism.html Insects transfer pollen between plants as they gather nectar for food. http://www.yksd.com/DistanceEdCourses/YKSDbiology/lessons/SecondQuarterLessons/Chapter5/5-5/images/3-way-mutualism.jpg

  20. MUTUALISM“Good for me - Good for you” Birds eat parasites living on the hides of giraffes and rhinos while enjoying protection from predators. Groomed animals lose their pests. http://www.imbt.org/science.htm http://www.hugheshome.net/jon/africa02/images/rhino_bird_JPG.jpg

  21. MUTUALISM“Good for me - Good for you” Clown fish gets protection from enemies by hiding out in poisonous sea anemones http://www.zahnersatz.com/english/library/symbiosis.jpg Sea anemone gets scraps of leftover food dropped by fish

  22. What is Commensalism? • Commensalism is an interaction in which one species benefits and the other is not affected. • Ex. • Hermit crabs & snail shells • Pilot fish & sharks

  23. COMMENSALISM “Good for me - Doesn’t bother you” http://www.geology.wmich.edu/gillespie/g322/Chapters/C16shark.gif Pilot fish receive scraps of food dropped by shark; Shark is neither harmed nor helped

  24. COMMENSALISM “Good for me - Doesn’t bother you” http://www.abyssal.com/meeks/images/hermit_crab.jpg Hermit crabs make homes in shells abandoned by snails; Snail is not harmed by crab

  25. How do Organisms interact? + means “benefits” - means “harmed” 0 means “no affect” SYMBIOSES

  26. ANY QUESTIONS?

  27. Ecological Interactions Clock ? • Clock ? #5: Create a VISUAL ILLUSTRATION explaining this information on p. 25 • Ex. Diagram, flow chart, concept map, etc. • Use the WHOLE page • OR Clock ? #6: WRITE A LETTER/SHORT STORY explaining this information on p. 25 • Use the WHOLE page

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