lecture 2: species interactions

competition

A & B both try to acquire the same limited resources (-,-)

predation

A kills B (fatal) (-,+)

Herbivory

A eats B (a plant), may or many not kill B (-,+)

Mutualism

A and B help each other (+,+)

Commensilism

B helps A, no impact on B (0,+)

Facilitation

Parasitism

A lives on/in B, may or may not kill B (-,+)

intraspecific competition

Competition between individuals of the same species for limited resources.

interspecific competition

Competition between individuals of different species for the same resources.

Predation

One organism (predator) kills and consumes another organism (prey).

5 Evolutionary Strategies to Avoid Predation

defend physically, defend chemically, escape, avoid by mimicry, fighting back

dishonest mimicry

organism resembles a harmful or dangerous species to gain an advantage even though it is not actually harmful itself.

honest mimicry

resembles a harmful species and has those harmful traits

exploitation competition

when species indirectly compete for resources by consuming them, without direct interaction

indirect mutualism

occurs when two species benefit from each other by affecting a third species that competes with the other for resources, leading to reduced competition for both.

interactions network

web of relationships between species in an ecosystem, showing how they interact with each other