Parasitism, Mutualism, and Commensalism

What factors affect the pred-pray cycle??

prey. population growth rate, pred. mortality rate, attack rate, and conversion rate

Define Parasitism

ecological relationship in which the parasite, lives on or within the host, and benefits at the host's expense.

Define parasite

organism (parasite) that lives in or on another organism (host) but rarely kills it

Define Parasitoid

organism that lives within and consumes the tissue of the host + doesn’t kill it

Define Pathogen

parasite that causes disease in it host

What type of species interaction does parasite, paranoid, and pathogen belong??

parasitism

What are the parasite’s role in the ecosystem?

contribute to 1) biodiversity 2) population control 3) food web dynamics

How does parasite affect biodiversity??

parasites limit dominate species, allowing less dominant species to thrive

How does parasites affect population control??

reduces hosts fitness, growth, and reproduction success, so species don’t get over abundant

How does parasites affect the food web dynamics??

some predators feed on parasites, parasites feed on hosts, influence pred-pray dynamics

What is a parasite classified as if it lives outside the organism?? give an example

Ectoparasite. ex. ticks, leaches

What would a parasite be classified as if it lives inside the organism??

Endoparasite. ex. viruses, bacteria

Define Prions

pieces of proteins that cause normal proteins to fold incorrectly

Define Mutualism

any long term association between 2 species that confer mutual fitness benfits to individual members of both species

Define Generalists

interact with many other species

Define Specialists

interact with only one or just few closely related species

Define Obligate

2 species provide fitness benefits to each other and require each to persist

Define Facultative

2 species provide fitness benefits to each other but not critical for each to persist

What species interaction does generalist, specialist, obligate, and facultative belong to??

mutualism

What are the TWO ways of plant-animal mutualism??

1) Defensive/protective 2) dispersive

What are the TWO types of dispersive ??

1) seed dispersal 2) pollution

What is seed dispersal? Who benefits from it??

birds + mammals disperse seeds via defecation seed burial by mammal. Birds benefit from the fruit being grown and plants benefit from seeds being moved to favorable germination.

What is dispersive pollution??

pollution that spreads widely through the environment, often in small quantities; disperse through natural processes like air currents, water flow, or soil movement.

What is exclusive pollution?? What are the advantages??

pollution that originates from a single, identifiable source, such as a specific factory, sewage treatment plant, or waste disposal site. 1) easier identification and monitoring 2) better public awareness 3) possible technological solutions.

What is defensive and protection for plant-animal mutualism?? give an example

animal species receives food + shelter from mutualistic plant species in return for defending plant ex. ants + swollen thorn

What problems arise for plants with seed dispersal?? solutions??

many seeds dispersers also need seed predators. solutions is mast seeding and choose dispersal agent.

Define mast seeding. give an example

all trees in given area produce large seed crops simultaneously. ex. oak tree production of acorns

Define dispersal agent. give an example

toxic or distasteful fruits are one way for a plant to choose its dispersal. ex) chili peppers + birds

What are disadvantages of dispersive pollution??

if 2 members goes extinct, so will others ex. nostril + STDs

Define Species - Species Evolution. give an example

mutual evolution influence between only 2 interacting species. ex. Madagascar star orchid + predicta hawkmoth

What is a type of Animal -Animal mutualism?? give an example

cleaner; 1) aquatic ex. fish 2) terrestrial ex. warthog + mongoose

What type of species interacting is when a species uses another for a gain of themselves and not the species their using??

commensalism