Species Interaction

Types of Species Interactions Predation Competition Symbiosis Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism

Predation Predation is any interaction between two organisms in which one organism (the predator) consumes all or part of another organism (the prey).

Herbivore-Plant Interactions A herbivore grazing on a plant is another example of predation. Usually, only part of the prey is eaten by the predator.

Prey Defenses Predation usually results in the evolution of defensive adaptations in prey. These can include: Chemical defenses (toxins, poison, acrid sprays) Behavior (living in groups, scouts, alarm calls) Morphological features (spines, color, structures that allow you to run fast or detect predators), and other traits Caterpillar with Venomous Spines

Camouflage Camouflage is protective coloration in which an animal resembles its background.

Camouflage In addition to matching the background, the animal often uses body position to enhance the illusion.

Competition Competition in an interaction between two organisms that are using the same limited resource. Competition can be within the same species (intraspecific) or between different species (interspecific). Two species share a requirement for a limited resource  reduces fitness of one or both species

Symbiosis Symbiosis is an intimate relationship between different species in which at least one species depends upon the relationship to survive.

Types of Symbiosis Mutualism: Both partners benefit from the relationship (+, +) Commensalism: One partner benefits from the relationship; the other partner is not affected (+, 0) Parasitism: One partner benefits from the relationship; the other partner is harmed (+, -)

Mutualism – both species benefit from the interaction two species provide resources or services to each other  enhances fitness of both species

Examples of Mutualism Flowers and their Pollinators: bees and hummingbirds gather nectar and spread pollen

Cleaners eat insect pests from the skin of animals Cleaners eat insect pests from the skin of animals. (ex: Egyptian plover cleans giraffes and buffaloes)

Many herbivores such as cows, sheep, deer, horses and rabbits depend on bacteria that live in their stomachs to break down the plant material.

Commensalism Commensalism  one species receives a resource from another species  enhances fitness of one species; no affect on the fitness of the other species one benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped.

The clownfish lives among the forest of tentacles of an anemone and is protected from potential predators.

Some birds live among cattle to eat the insects stirred up as they walk. Example: egrets who hunt for insects near a grazing animal's mouth.

One animal attaching itself to another for transportation such as barnacles attach to shells or whales or a shrimp riding on a sea slugs. barnacles on whale’s tail and clam shrimp riding on a sea slug

Parasitism One organism, usually physically smaller of the two (the parasite) benefits and the other (the host) is harmed One species feeds on another  enhances fitness of parsite but reduced fitness of host

Ticks and fleas that live in a host animal's fur bite the animal and drink its blood are parasites.

Insects such as mosquitoes feeding on a host are parasites.

Vines such as Kudzu growing on trees

Tomato Hornworm with Wasp Eggs