6.1 - Habitat, Niche, and Species Interactions

Habitat

Where an organism lives

Microbiome

Microorganisms in the “biome” of your body (=habitat)

Tree Microbiome has bacteria and fungi associated with tree roots which allows for…

trees to communicate with each other.

What is a “range of tolerance?”

Range of different factors where that organism can live comfortably and survive (similar to enzymes that need a specific temp/conditions)

Habitat

Physical place or part of an ecosystem where an organism lives (reflects the living place of an organism)

Niche

Function or activity that is the role of an organism within an ecosystem (reflects its biotic and abiotic association with the environment in terms of its diet, reproduction and other activities.)

Community Interactions

• Intraspecific competition

• Interspecific

• Predation/ Herbivory

• Symbiotic Paratism

• SymbioticMutualism

• SymbioticCommensalism

What is competition?

• When organisms compete for limited resource

• Occurs when organisms have the same niche

• May compete for space, territory, food, mates, water

Intra-specific Competition

Competition within the same species

Inter-specific Competition

Competition between different species

Competition leads to…

Competitive Exclusion - No two species can occupy the same niche at the same time in the same habitat

Predation

• One species eats another species

• Predator eats prey

• Herbivory - animal eats plants

What are the 3 types of symbiosis?

• Parasitism

• Mutualism

• Commensalism

What is symbiosis?

• A close ecological relationship between two species

• Two species live closely together

Parasitism

• Parasite species benefits, Host species is harmed (+,-)

• Host stays alive, usually

Mutualism

• Both species benefit (+,+)

Commensalism

One species benefits, the other is neutral (+, 0)

What 2 examples of Keystone Species?

• Sea otters in kelp forest (Sea otters - urchins - kelp)

• Wolves in Yellowstone National Park (wolves - elk )