Symbiosis
What are the 3 kinds of symbiosis we learned in class?
Mutualism, Commensalism, & Parasitism
When two organisms fight over limited resources, this is called ...
Competition
What do we call a single living thing - the smallest of the levels of ecological organization?
Individual Organism
Desert
An organism's home - where it lives that provides it with the resources it needs to survive.
In commensalism, one organism is _____________ while the other is __________________.
Benefitted(Helped), Neither Hurt Nor Harmed/Doesn't Care/Is Not Affected
Predator/Prey
A group of organisms of the same species living in the same place would be known as a...
Population
What are the 2 types of water-based biomes?
Freshwater and Marine
Define what niche means.
A niche is an organism's job or role in the environment.
An epiphyte is a type of plant that grows on the branches of tall trees. This helps the epiphyte get access to more sunlight and stay away from the danger below. Epiphytes do not take any food from the tree, and they do not help the tree in any way. What kind of symbiosis is this?
Commensalism
Ants get food from acacia trees. In return, the ants defend the trees from herbivores that would eat its leaves. What is the relationship between the herbivores and the acacia tree?
Predator/Prey (Herbivory)
Community
What 3 biomes are forested (have a significant number of trees)?
Taiga, Temperate Deciduous Forest, Tropical Rainforest
Sunflowers are producers that take in the energy from the sun and create glucose. They grow best in fields and meadows with lots of sunlight. Sunflowers provide seeds for lots of organisms, and they can remove dangerous toxins from the soil. What is the habitat and niche of the sunflower?
Habitat: fields and meadows with lots of sunlight
Niche: provide food and remove toxins
Mosquitoes are commonly infected with a micro-organism called a protist. The protist lives inside of the mosquito until it bites an animal. Then, the protist swims out of the mosquito and into the animal that got bitten. This protist is the cause of the disease malaria. What kind of relationship does the protist have with the mosquito?
Parasitism
It was long thought that the Egyptian Plover (a bird) would land in the open mouths of crocodiles and pick the old meat out from between their teeth. The crocodiles would get their teeth cleaned, and the Plover would get food. In recent years, this story has been challenged by scientists who more often see the crocodiles eat the plovers. What kind of relationship did we USED to think they had, and what kind of relationship do we think they have NOW?
Used to have mutualism. Now thought to be Predator/Prey
Name the levels of ecological organization from the smallest level to the largest (there are 5 levels).
Organism, Population, Community, Ecosystem, Biosphere
What 3 abiotic factors contribute MOST to the formation of a biome?
Temperature, Rainfall, Sunlight/Latitude
In a forest ecosystem, birds called nuthatches are responsible for using their beak to widen little holes in tree bark to make homes for themselves. When they move out, larger woodpeckers like sapsuckers enlarge the holes and make their homes there. Then, when they move out, large woodpeckers like flickers move in. What is the habitat of all of these birds, and what is the niche of the nuthatch? What kind of relationship does the nuthatch have with the woodpeckers that move in after it has moved out?
Habitat: tree trunks
Niche: widening holes to make them bigger for themselves
Commensalism - the nuthatches aren't intentionally setting up homes for other birds.
Describe a classic example of mutualism. Be sure to include the details of BOTH organisms in the relationship and how EACH is benefitted/harmed.
Good Work!
Flycatchers (birds) and bats are responsible for eating lots and lots of mosquitos and other bugs. They share much of the same niches (they eat the same things) and perform the same function, but one hunts during the day and the other hunts at night so they don't really see one another. If the Flycatchers hunted at night instead of the day, what kind of relationship would these organisms have with one another?
Competition
A scientist is studying the effects of water pH on multiple species of fish and crabs living in a coral reef. What level of ecological organization is this scientist studying?
Ecosystem
- Desert
- Tundra
- Temperate Forest
- Grassland
- Tropical Rainforest
Desert might include: no fur, light-colored fur, water storage, waxy skin, etc.
Tundra might include: thick fur, large fat reserves, good sense of smell, pads on feet, etc.
Temperate Forest might include: hibernation, camouflage, coats that shed or change color, etc.
Grassland might include: light-colored fur, being especially fast, being tall, good eyesight, good hearing, etc.
Tropical Rainforest might include: waterproof skin, sticky feet for climbing, thumbs for grasping/climbing, green skin/scales for camouflage, etc.
Human beings have lots of jobs and roles they play in society. Doctors work in hospitals and clinics, treating injuries and prescribing medicines to help people heal. Teachers work in schools and help to educate future generations. Plumbers work in houses and apartments to help people make sure their pipes work so they can have things like running water and flushing toilets. Janitors work in all kinds of buildings and ensure that they are clean spaces for people to work in. Name the habitat and niche of each of these professions.
Doctor Habitat: Hospital, Niche: healing
Teachers Habitat: School, Niche: educating
Plumbers Habitat: Homes/Apartments, Niche: fixing pipes
Janitors: buildings, Niche: keeping them clean