What Shapes an Ecoysystem? Weather Day-to-day conditions Climate Average, year-to-year conditions of temperature and precipitation Habitat The area where an organism lives, including the biotic and abiotic factors that affect it
Niche The range of physical and biological conditions in which a species lives A species “job”, including habitat and place in the food web Resource Any necessity of life Water, nutrients, light, space, etc.
Competition Competition When organisms (of the same or different species) attempt to use a resource in the same place at the same time. No two species can occupy the same niche in the same area at the same time Negative interaction for both organisms
Competition Example Trees in the forest competing for sunlight
Competition Example Birds competing for nesting site
Competition Example Two wolves competing for food
Community Interactions Predation The interaction in which one species (the predator) captures and feeds on another species (the prey) +/-
Predation Example Bear eating a fish
Predation Example Lion eating a Cape Buffalo
Predation Example Lynx chasing a hare
Predation Example Mantis eating a bee
Community Interactions Symbiosis Any relationship in which two species live closely together 3 Types Mutualism (+/+) Commensalism (+/0) Parasitism (+/-)
Mutualism Both species benefit (+/+)
Examples of Mutualism Tickbirds perched on a black rhinoceros get food and help the rhino get rid of pests http://i.l.cnn.net/cnn/2007/US/09/25/onion.rhino/art.rhino.onion.jpg
Mutualism Example: Nile Crocodile & Egyptian Plover Bird No floss? No Problem!
More Examples of Mutualism You and a species of bacteria that lives in your intestines benefit each other! The bacteria get a plentiful food supply from you and in return you get vitamins that the bacteria produce. https://www.storesonlinepro.com/files/1840124/uploaded/DIGESTIVE%20SYSTEM%20JPEG.jpg
Commensalism One member benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed (+/ 0)
Examples of Commensalism Remoras hitch a ride and feed on scraps of food left by sharks. The remoras benefit from this relationship while sharks are unaffected.
Examples of Commensalism The Egret (Bubulcus ibis) is often found in pastures where there are many cattle. As the cows graze, insects are stirred up by their movement and this provides nourishment for the egrets. http://search.msn.com/images/results.aspx?q=Cattle+Egret&form=QBIR#
Parasitism One organism (the parasite) benefits by living on or inside another organism (the host) and harms it (+/-)
Parasitism The parasite gets nourishment from its host, which is weakened in the process. Some (ex: ticks) live outside the host’s body Some (ex. tapeworms) live inside the host’s body.
More Examples of Parasitism A louse on a human scalp receives nourishment from the blood and causes a rash or irritation. www.sciencemusings.com
More Examples of Parasitism A flea uses the blood of the rabbit for nourishment. www.arun.gov.uk