Community Interactions
interaction where one species feeds directly on all or part of another species
predation
the natural environment in which an organism lives
habitat
interactions between different species in a community (eg. two species that use/eat the same food source)
interspecific competition
the most common energy input of an ecosystem
the sun
max population of a species a specific habitat can support
carrying capacity
The relationship between a flower and pollinator often is used to characterized this kind of interaction.
Mutualism
Habitats provide the ______________ (food, shelter, water, etc) that a species needs to live.
Resources
the organisms that consume the primary producers (autotrophs)
primary consumers (heterotrophs)
The energy, biomass, or number of organisms at each trophic level in an ecosystem is called...
trophic pyramid (or ecological pyramid)
Put these in order into a trophic pyramid or web: apex predator, producer, primary consumer, decomposers, secondary consumer.
(answers may vary)
symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits while neither harming nor helping the other
commensalism
An organism's specific "role" in an environment (eg. how it eats, where it lives, the functions it serves, etc.)
ecological niche
autotrophic organisms that convert light energy into chemical energy, able to be passed on to other parts of the food chain.
photoautotrophs (producers)
As energy goes from one trophic level to the next, what forms does it take? (Hint: there are three forms)
Energy is transferred as food, some energy is lost in detritus, and some is lost as heat.
if the carrying capacity is reached, what are two events (or mechanisms) that could take place within the population that help to level it out.
competition and disease
community interaction when both species benefit by providing the other with food, shelter or some other resource.
mutualism
heterotrophs that gain their energy from detritus and breaking down dead organic material
detritivores and decomposers
an organism that plays a key ecological niche for the overall well being of the community
keystone species
The trophic efficiency is the rate that energy is passed from one trophic level to the next - usually between 5-20% efficiency. What is the "name" for this average efficiency.
the "10%" rule
All the living organisms (biotic factors) and all physical factors (abiotic) in an area.
Ecosystem
one organism feeds on the other usually by living in or on the host
parasitism
this type of succession will take place when soil is still present
secondary
Within a species, individuals will go after the same resource (eg. two males trying to attract a mate)
Intraspecific competition
trace the path energy takes as it moves up the trophic level of the community
Primary producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, tertiary consumers, apex predatory (quaternary consumer), decomposer
How does competition within a species limit the size of a species? (connect competition with populations)
As a species increases in number, there greater demand for limited resources (water, space, food, etc). Populations will die or will have reduced birth rates to reduce competition.