BIOS 230 Module 29: Mutualism and Species Interactions

Flashcards covering key vocabulary terms and concepts related to mutualism, species interactions, and community ecology.

Mutualism

A symbiotic relationship where both species benefit from the interaction.

Symbiotic Relationship

A long-term interaction between two species that live together.

Obligate Mutualism

A type of mutualism where species cannot survive without the other species (e.g., lichens, coral reefs).

Lichens

A symbiotic relationship between fungus and a photosynthetic organism (algae or cyanobacteria).

Facultative Mutualism

A type of mutualism where species can live independently, though living together mutually benefits both species (e.g., pollinators and plants, clownfish and sea anemones).

Intrinsic Rate of Increase (r)

The rate at which a population increases in size if there are no density-dependent forces regulating the population.

Carrying Capacity (K)

The maximum population size of a species that an environment can sustain indefinitely, given the food, habitat, water, and other necessities available in the environment.

Competition Coefficients (α, β)

Variables in the Lotka-Volterra competition model that quantify the negative effect of one species on the population growth of another.

Lotka-Volterra Mutualism Model

A mathematical model describing mutualistic interactions, where the presence of one species increases the carrying capacity of the other.

Mycorrhizal Fungi

Fungi that form mutualistic symbiotic relationships with plant roots, enhancing nutrient and water uptake for the plant and receiving carbon from the plant.

Amensalism

A relationship where one organism is harmed while the other is unaffected.

Character Displacement

Evolutionary divergence that occurs in similar species that inhabit the same environment, to reduce competition and increase survival (e.g., Darwinian finches).

Ecological Niche

The range of physical and chemical conditions under which a species can persist, and the array of essential resources it utilizes; a multidimensional space.

Resource Partitioning

The process by which similar species coexist by utilizing different resources or occupying different ecological niches to reduce competition.

Species Richness (S)

The count of the number of species occurring within a community.

Relative Abundance

The percentage each species contributes to the total number of individuals of all species in a community.

Species Evenness

The abundance of each species relative to the other species within a community.