Ecological Relationships

What are some components within an ecosystem? How is an ecosystem different than a community? Reflection question using this picture: What are some components within an ecosystem? How is an ecosystem different than a community?

What is an ecosystem? – a community and its abiotic factors What is a community? a group of populations that are living and interacting with one another. They are interdependent (depend on one another) a group of organisms of the same species that live in the same area What is a population? Communities are the building blocks of ecosystems

Do you remember what an abiotic factor is? Do you remember what an abiotic factor is? orvista.com/content/feed/tvcs/biotic- abiotic_0.gif&imgrefurl= y/abiotic-factors-of-the- tundra&h=450&w=501&sz=19&tbnid=SYQkkfMdj84Qx M:&tbnh=90&tbnw=100&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dabiotic %2Bfactors%26tbm%3Disch%26tbo%3Du&zoom=1&q =abiotic+factors&usg=__3qTZObCF00i3HUSdOjDKuw X5Pi4=&docid=nuQbIbk8ywn28M&hl=en&sa=X&ei=c10 yUKCdBIS9ywGN7YCgCA&sqi=2&ved=0CGEQ9QEwB g&dur=501 non-living

Within Communities Biodiversity = the number of species in an ecosystem Territory = space claimed by an individual organism Ecological Equilibrium = state of “balance” in an ecosystem Crucial to ecosystem productivity Required by all living things

Ecological Relationships - an Ecological relationship is a relationship between animals and their habitat The role in their habitat Ex: Fox helps control small animal populations.

NICHENICHE – an organism’s “role” in an ecosystem (job) NICHE DIVERSITYNICHE DIVERSITY – Number of niches in an ecosystem; often determined by abiotic factors A niche is the sum of all activities and relationships a species has while obtaining and using resources needed to survive and reproduce

Co-evolution in Communities Co-evolution is the interaction between both plant and animals that have changed and adjusted over millions of years There are three Relationships 1. Competition 2.Feeding Relationships 3. Symbiosis

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1. Competition : When species or individuals “fight” for the same resources. –E.g., Food, shelter…. KEYSTONE PREDATOR/SPECIES - A predator that causes a large increase in diversity of its habitat. The “fight” may be indirect … individuals may never directly contact each other. Two species with similar needs for same limited resources cannot coexist. Losing a keystone species usually disrupts many ecological relationships.

Herbivory : A primary consumer feeds on a producer. A fruit bat eating a papaya s/cr15169/cr jpg A woodchuck eating wild clover 2. Feeding Relationships

A lion eating zebra. An eagle eating halibut. content/uploads/2007/06/close-up-bald-eagle-eating.jpg A consumer feeds on another consumer. Predation: actively hunting your food source (carnivory)

3. Symbiosis : A long-term relationship where two species live closely together and at least one benefits directly from the relationship.

Mutualism : Both organisms benefit from the relationship. Win-Win situation!

Pollination (Mutualism) Plants must attract the pollinator (insects, birds, bats, small mammals) – for example, the flower may have a scent that the pollinator likes. Plant gets pollen transported and the pollinator gets nectar (a sugar rich solution) as a food source.

Mutualism Racoon and Poison Ivy –The raccoon eats the berries of the poison ivy and disperses the seeds as it poops. –Both benefit.

Commensalism One organism benefits, the other one is unaffected. Win-Neutral relationship

Commensalism Eastern Chipmunk and Soil mite –The chipmunk is a mammal that burrows. –The soil mite feeds off of leaf litter but cannot burrow itself. –The mite uses the chipmunk’s tunnels to travel from place to place. Copyright, Ray Norton

Commensalism Pear-shaped puffball gets opened (and spores dispersed) by Opossum Puffball benefits, opossum is not affected. Copyright, Leon Shernoff

Parasitism Dogwood tree is parasitized by honeysuckle. Michael Clayton, Wisconsin State Herbarium Department of Botany, Iowa St. University

Parasitism Ohio State University Bullfrog acts as a host of the big red worm parasite.

Parasitism One organism benefits, the other one is harmed! Win-Lose relationship Parasites rarely kill their hosts…it would require them to get another one!

Ecological Relationships Biological Magnification — Increasing concentration of poisons in organisms in higher trophic levels in a food chain or web.

Biological Magnification- accumulation of increasing amounts of toxin within tissues of organisms. Video on Biological Magnification