Species Interactions I

Competition

A type of interspecific interaction where two or more species compete for a limiting resource, which can negatively impact the fitness of the participants.

Coexistence

The ability of two or more species to live together in the same habitat, which can be facilitated by resource partitioning.

Resource partitioning

The division of limited resources by species to avoid direct competition, allowing them to coexist in the same habitat.

Competitive exclusion

The process where one species outcompetes another leading to the elimination of the less competitive species from a habitat.

Trophic cascade

A phenomenon in a food chain where changes in the abundance of one species can lead to effects at multiple trophic levels.

Primary producer

Organisms that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, forming the base of the food chain.

Decomposer

Organisms that break down dead organic matter into simpler substances, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.