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Ecology Part 2. How species interact with each other. Interactions. 5 types of species interactions Predation Competition Parasitism Mutualism commensalism. Predation. One organism kills and eats the other organism The organism that is eaten is called the prey.
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Ecology Part 2 How species interact with each other
Interactions • 5 types of species interactions • Predation • Competition • Parasitism • Mutualism • commensalism
Predation • One organism kills and eats the other organism • The organism that is eaten is called the prey
Familiar examples • Lions feeding on zebras • Cougars eating deer • Snakes eating mice • Blue whale – the largest animal on earth- feeds on small krill ( shrimplike marine animals)
Blue Whale • Also a predator because it feeds on krill-tiny shrimplike marine animals
Predators • Tend to feed on young and weak • As populations of prey decline, the predators either switch to other prey or begin to die off themselves
Competitions • When 2 or more organisms of the same or different species attempt to use the same LIMITED resource
Competition • Can also be between plants • Competing for limited sunlight in the forest
Competition Examples • Panda bears compete with humans for bamboo • Imported kudzu vines cover native plants and trees (NC) • Imported fire ants compete with native ants for territory
Species can compete even if they do not come Into contact with each other An insect species feeds on a flower during the day And another species feeds on the same flower at night
Parasitism • What do ticks, fleas, viruses, tapeworms, leeches ( other than fishing) and mistletoe all have in common? • Parasites- organisms that live on or in another organism • They feed on it without IMMEDIATELY killing it
Plants and animals are weakened by parasites • Making them more vulnerable to predators • Host- the organism the parasite takes its nourishment from • Fee
Mutualism • A cooperative partnership between two species in which both benefit
How is bacteria useful? • Billions of bacteria live in our intestines (yuck) • However—without them we could not break down certain foods • it would just be hanging out in our intestines forever
Bacteria also • Produce necessary substances your body cannot make • Vitamin k which is essential for proper blood clotting
Acacia Trees and Ants • These trees provide food –nectar and nesting places in the thorns for the ants • Ants defend the tree from grasshoppers/ beetles (herbivores)
commensalism • One species benefits and the other is not harmed nor helped • Remora fish attaches to a shark • They feed on the shark’s leftovers