1. Competition, Predation and Symbiosis

2. Niche Every organism has a variety of abilities or adaptations that are suited to its specific living conditions. A niche is the role of an organism in its habitat, or how it makes its living. A niche includes: Type of food the organism eats How it obtains its food and shelter How it reacts with its environment and other organisms What is a niche? What does a niche include?

3. Ecological Relationships There are three major types of interactions among organisms: 1. Competition 2. Predation 3. Symbiosis What are three major types of interactions among organisms?

4. Competition Different species can share the same habitat and food requirements. Competition is the struggle between organisms to survive as they attempt to use the same limited resource. In any ecosystem, there is a limited amount of food, water and shelter. Organisms that survive have adaptations that enable them to reduce competition. What is competition? What do organisms have to do in order to reduce competition?

5. Predation Predation is an interaction in which one organism kills another for food. The organism that does the killing for food is the predator. The organisms that is killed for food is the prey. What is predation? What is the relationship between predator and prey?

6. Symbiosis Symbiosis – is a close, long-term relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species. There are three types of symbiotic relationships: 1. Mutualism 2. Commensalism 3. Parasitism What is symbiosis? What are the three types of symbiotic relationships?

7. Mutualism Mutualism – A relationship in which both species benefit. Example: The relationship between the Saguaro Cactus and Long Eared Bats. Cactus flowers provide bats with food The cactus benefits because the bats carry pollen from cactus to cactus on their noses. What is Mutualism?

8. Commensalism Commensalism – Is a relationship in which one species benefits and the other species is neither helped nor harmed. Example – The red-tailed hawks’ interaction with the saguaro cactus. The hawks benefit by having a place to build their nests. The cactus is not affected by the hawks. Commensalism is not very common in nature What is commensalism?

9. Parasitism Parasitism – involves one organism living on or inside another organism and harming it. The organism that benefits is called a parasite. The organism that the parasite lives on or in is known as the host. What is parasitism? What does a parasitic relationship consist of?

10. Parasitism Common parasites are fleas, ticks and leeches. These parasites have adaptation that enable them to attach to their host and feed on their blood. Other parasites live inside the host’s body such as tapeworms, that live inside the digestive systems of dogs, wolves, and some other mammals. Unlike predators, a parasite does not usually kill the organism it feeds on.

11. Organizing ecological interactions + benefits, - harms, 0 no effect Species A Species B Competition Predation Mutualism Commensalism Parasitism Species ASpecies B Symbiosis