Types of Interactions Chapter 1: Lessons 2 & 3

Interactions with the Environment Mathematically, populations can grow exponentially …so why don’t they? Limiting Factors: the environment contains only so much food, water, living space, and other resources. Example: if a population becomes too large, food becomes a limiting factor

Carrying Capacity: the largest population that an environment can support Example: if there are more organisms than an environment can support the limiting factors cause the population to get smaller

Interactions Among Organisms Competition: when 2 or more individuals or populations try to use the same limited resource. Competition may also occur within a population. Predators & Prey: Organism that is eaten is the prey Organism that eats the prey is the predator

Predator Adaptations: in order to survive predators must be able to catch prey, and use a variety of techniques such as: Speed Camouflage Prey Adaptations: in order to survive, prey must be able to avoid predation using techniques such as: Traveling in large groups poisonous

Symbiosis: a close, long-term association between 2 or more species Types: Mutualism: both organisms benefit Coral & algae – algae produce the food and the coral provides a home for the algae Commensalism: One organism benefits & the other is unaffected Shark & remora – the remora rides around on the shark feeding off scraps Parasitism: one benefits & the other is harmed Parasite lives off of the host. The host is weakened in the process: tapeworm & human

Coevolution: a long-term change that takes place in two species because of their close interactions with one another. Symbiotic relationships may result in coevolution Flowers & pollinators show numerous examples & evidence of coevolution

Questions What is mutualism? Give an example of a parasite Symbiotic relationship in which both organisms benefit Give an example of a parasite …. What is carrying capacity? the largest population that an environment can support What is a limiting factor? Any resource that restricts the growth of a population of organisms