Communities

Communities

Consists of all the populations of different species living and interacting in a particular area

What are the 4 types of community interactions?

1. Predation

2. Mutualism

3. Commensalism

4. Parasitism

Predation

One organism feeds on another

Mutualism

Both species benefit

Commensalism

One benefits, the other is unaffected

Parasitism

One benefits at the expense of the other

Interspecific competition

Competition between different

Intraspecific competition

Competition within the same species

Symbiosis

Close, long-term interactions between species

Competitive Exclusion Principle

No 2 species can occupy the same niche indefinitely

Allelopathy

The chemical inhibition of one species by another

Example of alleopathy

Plants releasing toxins to suppress competitors

Chi-square analysis

Statistical test to determine if there is a significant association between species or if observed differences are due to chance

How is chi-square analysis applied?

It is used in ecology to analyze distribution patterns

Primary succession

Development of communities in a lifeless area with no soil

Secondary succession

Reestablish of a damaged ecosystem where soil remains

What are the 3 stages of succession?

Pioneer species, intermediate species, and climax community

This stage of succession is the first to colonize

Pioneer species

This stage of succession is grasses and shrubs

Intermediate species

This stage of succession is stable, and mature community

Climax community

What are the factors that influence succession?

Climate, soil, species interactions