Interactions between Organisms and their Environment Bio 2.1.3 Explain various ways organisms interact with each other (including predation, competition, parasitism, mutualism) and with their environments resulting in stability within ecosystems.

Communication Communication is a transfer of a signal or message from one animal to another that results in some type of response. There are many ways animals can communicate, including sight, sound, chemicals, touch, and possibly even language. Communication is often a key element in interactions.

Communication Sight and Sound Color can be used to communicate certain ideas to another animals. Bright colors often serve as a warning that an animal is poisonous. This is called aposematic coloration. https://www.wired.com/2017/02/squid-communicate-secret- skin-powered-alphabet/ Animals can also use sound to communicate between species. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJ2ebYNtFUA

Communication Chemicals Chemical communication can convey information over greater distance and time than can communication by sight or sound. Some animals release chemicals called pheromones that cause individuals of the same species to react in a predictable way. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CAjWaZx2Ks http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/wild/everything-you-didnt-know-about- animals/videos/rhino-poop-communication/

Communication Touch Species that inhabit dark hives or dens often communicate by touch in addition to using sound or chemicals. Touch has also been shown to be an important part of parental care. http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/videos/wild-inside- the-national-zoo-secrets-of-animal-communication/51798

Social Behavior Social behavior can be defined as any kind of interaction between two or more animals, usually of the same species. Some species spend the majority of their lives in social groups, others do not. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDOl1R3HoR0

Social Behavior Social Groups Social groups have evolved in the animal kingdom because there are benefits to living in a group. These benefits can include protection from predators and more success in foraging. There are also disadvantages to living in a social group, such as competition during courtship, theft of eggs by nonbreeding males, and possibly transmission of disease. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fv71JevtR-0

Social Behavior Altruism When one member of a social group acts in a way that benefits other members of the group while putting the individual at a disadvantage, this type of behavior is called altruism. There are several ways in which an individual can be altruistic towards his social group. http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2015/02/altruistic_animals_bald_ibis _vampire_bats_birds_reciprocal_relationships.html

Predation Predation is an interaction in which one organism (the predator) captures and eats all or part of another individual organism (the prey). Predator Adaptations Predators have adaptations to efficiently capture prey, whereas prey species have adaptations to avoid capture. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wNqiclBU xdY

Prey adaptations Mimicry is an adaptation in which a species gains an advantage by resembling another species or object. Camouflage helps animals blend with their environment. Many plants produce compounds as a chemical defense. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XaJqPtel6w

Competition Competition may cause competitive exclusion, the elimination of one species in a community.

Competition Character Displacement Resource Partitioning The evolution of differences in a characteristic due to competition is called character displacement. Resource Partitioning Differential resource use to avoid competition is called resource partitioning.

Symbiosis Parasitism Mutualism Commensalism In parasitism, one species (the parasite) feeds on, but does not always kill, another species (the host). Mutualism In mutualism, both interacting species benefit. Commensalism In commensalism, one species benefits, and the other is not affected.