1. G1 Niche How do species interact with one another?
In your blog: What is a ‘niche’?
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2. G1.5 The Niche Concept
Niche = mode of existence of species in an ecosystem
Includes
Habitat: where species lies in the ecosystem
Nutrition: how species obtains its food
Relationships: the interactions with other species in the ecosystem

3. G1.7 Competitive exclusion
No two species in a community can occupy the same niche  “Complete competitors cannot coexist”
Gause set up experiments involving three species of Paramecium in a medium of oatmeal with bacteria or yeast.
P. aurelia with P. caudatum: competitive exclusion
P. caudatum with P. bursaria: P.caudatum was feeding on bacteria whereas P. bursaria was feeding on yeast  niches not identical

4. G1.8 Fundamental and realized niches
Fundamental niche = potential mode of existence, given the adaptations of the species
niche that an organism functionally could live in in the absence of competitors or other interacting species
Realized niche = actual mode of existence, which results from its adaptations and competition from other species
Niche that organism is actually found, following all interactions with other species
Barnacle competition:
Field experiments on barnacles were carried out by Connell in 1961 on rocky shores on Scotland
two species of barnacle; Chthamalus stellatus and Balanus balanoide
C. Stellatus can occupy middle intertidal; but in presence of B. balanoides it prefers to live further up shore

5. G1.8 Fundamental and realized niches

6. G1.8 Fundamental and realized niches

7. Interactions between species
Competition
Predation
Symbiosis
Mutualism
Commensalism
Parasitism

8. Interactions between species
Find the definition of the following: Competition, Predation, Symbiosis, Mutualism, Commensalism, Parasitism
Check i-biology (G1 community ecology)
2. For your chosen ecosystem, provide an example of each one of the interactions in the Google doc shared with you.