BE: Mutualism

Coral and zooanthellae

Coral get food and zooanthelkae get protection

Mutualism cost benefit

+\+

Parasitism cost benefit

+\-

Commensalism

+\0

Why is facultative mutualism more common than obligate mutualism?

1. If one obligate mutualist becomes extince so will the other mutualist 2. In facultative mutualism neither partner depends on the other

Mutualism

A +\+ interaction where both species benefit. It could be wither symbiotic or free living

What is facultative mutualism?

A non essential, reciprocally positive relationship. It benefits both species but is not required by either species.

What is obligate mutualism?

A reciprocally positive relationship that is essential to species co-existence. It is a highly evolved form of mutualism. At least one of the species cannot survive without the other.

Protective mutualism

Active or passive defense of one mutualist by another (e.g. Some birds and meercats)

Ecological niche

An organisms role in the ecosystem

Why is mutualism beneficial?

Because the two species provide resources or services to each other and therefore enhance the fitness of both species

What could asymmetric facultative mutualism also be defined as?

Commensalism

Transport mutualism

Dispersal of propagules (e.g. Seeds), gametes (e.g. Pollination), or whole individuals. (E.g. Bees pollinate flowers)

Types of currency

Energetic mutualism, nutritional mutiualism, protective mutualism, transport mutualism

Is mutualism an example of an intraspesific or interspecific relationship?

Interspecific relationship

How can mutualism be described in terms of + and -

It can be +\+ or +\0 . Some people argue it could also be +\-

How does a hermit crab and sea anenemies have a mutualistic relationship?

It is a facultative relationship as neither organism is dependant upon the other for survival however they both benefit as crabs get protection from the stinging cells on anenemies and the anenemies get scraps of food, free transport and a more varied diet.

What is the clownfish covering itself in enenemy mucus so it can hide in the enemeny an example of

Mechanic reciprocity

Generalist

Multiple species can perform the same function so they can be reliant on multiple species

What do the terms obligate and facultative mean in relation to mutualism?

Obligate is when at least one organism is dependant on the other whereas facultative is more oppurtunistic and they are not necessarily dependant on each other.

Commensalism

One species revieves a benefit and the other revieves nothing. It enhances the fittness of one species and has no affect on the other (e.g. Remoras and sharks) (e.g. Some birds follow herbivores as they grae to get more insects)

What are the 4 key interactions that govern abundance and population diversity in a habitat (the community composition)

Predator prey interactions Competition Host-parasite interactions Mutualism

Specialists

Reliant on only one other species

What is the difference between symbiosis and mutualism?

Symbiosis is when the two organisms would not be able to survive without each other whereas mutualism is when neither organism needs the other to survive but it is benefitial for at least one of them to have a relationship.

Algae and fungi (lichen)

The algae hets water and nutrients from the. Fungi and the fungi gets food from the algae

Herbivores (e.g. Cows, sheep, deer, horses, rabbits) and bacteria

The bacteria breacs down the plant material in their stomach

Sea turtle and barnacles

The barnacles attach to the throat of the turtle and gain transport and a wider variety of foods. This is negative for the sea turtle +\-

Birds/mammals and plants

The birds/ mammals get to eat the berries and the plant benefits ad its seeds are dispersed more widely

What is the fundemental and realised niche?

The fundemental niche is the full area that the organism could occupy and the realised niche is the proportion of the fundrmental niche that is actually filled due to other species interactions

Goby and shrimp example of mechanic reciporcity

The goby is a lookout for the shrimp as it is blind. It lives in the burrow with the shrimp as it cannot build its own. The shrimp gets protection as it builds a burrow.

Symbiosis definition

The initimate and prolonged assosiation between two or more organisms of different species

What are the types of currency exchanged in mutualistic relationships

The main things are food, transport and protection however tgere are other thing such as energy transfer. Currency can be analysed by cost benefit analysis ( the costs less or more than the benefits)

Remora and shark example

The remoras attach to the shark for transport

Energetic mutualism

The trophic transfer of carbon (e.g. Coral and zooantellae)

Nutritional mutualism

Trophic transfer of nutrients, such as macro and micronutrients (minerals) (e.g. Cleaner fish, ox pecker)

Co-evolution

When two species interact so strongly that they are the dominant evolutionary forces on one another (e.g. Specialist predator/prey interactions)