Relationships In Ecosystems How Species Interact With Each Other Chapter Eight Section Two

Parts of an Ecosystem Species – individuals of the same kind that can successfully interbreed –Humans, dogs, oak trees Population - # of individuals of a single species in a given area –Population of white-tailed deer in Grambling St. Park Community – All of the different populations living in an ecosystem –A forest community Ecosystem – the community AND all the abiotic (nonliving) parts of a specific environment

How Species Interact with the Ecosystem Niche – unique role (or job) of a species in an ecosystem –ie: scavenger, decomposer, herbivore Habitat – where an organism lives; its address –ie: branches of trees, forest floor, cave

Specific types of interactions

Predation (+,-) Predator - Prey relationships –Predator hunts, kills, and feeds on prey Examples –Lynx and snowshoe hare –Lion and gazelle

Parasitism (+,-) Parasite – lives in or on another organism and feeds on it Host – organism that is harmed Examples – –leech, roundworm, heartworms Do not normally kill their host –Would be cutting off their food supply

Competition (-,-) Different individuals or populations try to use the same limited resource Each individual has less access and is harmed Examples: –Two different big cats (lion and leopard) competing for the same wildebeest Can be: –two individuals within the same species –between two different species

Mutualism (+, +) Two species live together in a close relationship where each one benefits from the actions of the other Examples: –Bees and flowers (bees eat nectar, and pick up pollen to carry to another flower) –Oxpecker and cape buffalo (bird cleans buffalo of parasites by feeding on ticks and other insects)

Commensalism (+, o) One species benefits while the other is not affected at all –Other species is neither helped nor harmed Examples: –Clownfish and sea anemone Sea anemone protects clownfish from predators –Barnacle and Sea Turtle Barnacles live on turtle shells and hitch a ride

Symbiosis Video