Adaptations, interdependence and competition

what is a community

a community is made up of populations of different species of animals and plants, protista, fung, bacteria and archaea that are all interdependent in a habitat

what is a population

a population is a group of organisms of the same species living in an area at one time.

what is a habitat

the natural environment where an organism lives

interdependence definition

within a community each species depends on other species for things including food, shelter, pollination, and seed dispersal. if one species is removed it can affect the whole community. this is called interdependence.

ecosystem

an ecosystem is the interaction of a community of non living organisms with the non living parts of their environment.

what is a biotic factor

the living parts of an ecosystem

what is an abiotic factor

non living factors of ecosystem

interdependence description basic

plants produce food by photosynthesis

animals eat plants

animals pollinate plants

animals eat other animals

animals use plant and animal materials to build nests and shelters

plants need the nutrients from animal droppings and decay

stable community

a stable community is one where all the species and environmental factors are in balance so that population sizes remain fairly constant.

abiotic factors affecting community

light intensity - light limits photosynthesis

temperature - temperature limits photosynthesis

moisture levels - if there is no water there will be little or no life

soil pH and mineral content - the level of mineral ions has a considerable impact on the distribution of plants. the pH of the soil has a major affect on what can grow in it and on the rate of decay and therefore the release of mineral ions back into the soil

wind intensity and direction - in areas with strong and prevailing winds, the shape of the trees and the whole landscape is affected by the wind. It also means that plants transpire fast.

availability of oxygen - the availability of oxygen has a huge impact on water-living organisms. some invertebrates an survive in water with very low oxygen levels. However, most fish need a high level of dissolved oxygen.

availability of carbon dioxide - the level of carbon dioxide acts as a limiting factor to photosynthesis and plant growth. it can also affect the distribution of organisms

biotic factors affecting communities

availability of food - when there is plenty of food, organisms breed successfully, vise versa

new pathogens or parasites - when a new pathogen/parasite emerges, organisms have no resistance to the disease

new predators arriving - organisms that have no defence against new predators may be quickly wiped out

interspecific competition - a new species may outcompete another to the point where numbers become too low for successful breeding.