Species Interaction

character displacement

Development of morphological differences in two sympatric species.

aposematic coloration

Distinctive coloring that serves to warn potential predators.

Batesian mimicry

Harmless species mimics aposematic coloring of another species.

interspecific interaction

Interaction between members of two species.

Describe interactions between species

Interspecific interactions include negative and positive interactions in a range of combinations. Negative interactions include competition, predation, herbivory, parasitism, and amensalism. Positive interactions, collectively called facilitation, include commensalism and mutualism. In obligate mutualism, the two species cannot survive without each other. In facultative mutualism, each species could survive independently, but both gain advantages from their interaction.

facilitation

Interspecific interactions that involve no harm and benefit at least one of the species.

facultative mutualism

Mutualism in which both species could survive without each other. fundamental niche Niche that a species could occupy.

obligate mutualism

Mutualism in which both species rely on each other; one cannot survive without the other.

neutralism

Neither speices benefits or is harmed by the symbiotic relationship.

realized niche

Niche that a species actually occupies.

herbivory

A form of predation specifically involving animals' consumption of plants.

mutualism

A symbiotic relationship between organisms that is beneficial to each one.

Relate species interactions to ecological and evolutionary effects.

All interspecific interactions are dynamic and give rise to diverse community structure. They also are important influences on evolution by directly influencing the fitness of the species involved.

community

All populations of different species in an area.

symbiosis

Close physical relationship between two or more organisms. Type of symbiosis depends on whether or not partner organisms are ignored, benefited or harmed by the association. Mutualistic (+/+ , mutalism), parasitic (-/+ , parasitism) and commensalistic (+/not harmed or benefited, commensalism) are three types.

cryptic coloration

Coloration which blends into the background.

resource partitioning

Competing species specialize such that the niche differs in at least one major factor.

interspecific competition

Competition between members of different species.

ecological niche

Organism's functional role in the environment; also defiined as the parts of the environment that a species uses or tolerates.

Explain resource partitioning in niches.

Resource partitioning and the reduction of a species' realized niche often result from interspecific interactions.

commensalism

Symbiotic relationship in which one member derives a benefit and the other is unaffected, receiving neither benefit nor harm.

predation

Symbiotic relationship in which one species consumes the other.

amensalism

Symbiotic relationship which is harmful to one of the partners without benefiting the other.

Distinguish between fundamental niche and realized niche.

The fundamental niche of a species describes the biotic and abiotic factors that determine where a species could live. The realized niche represents the factors where it does live in the face of interspecific interactions and other limitations.

Mullerian mimicry

Two toxic species have similar coloring.

competitive exclusion

When two species compete for the same resource, one will "win" and eliminate the other.