Species Interactions - Vocabulary Flashcards

  • Niche and specialization

    • Within an ecosystem, there are multiple interactions between species.

    • A species' role in an ecosystem is its niche, which can be very specific.

    • Generalists (e.g., raccoons) can exploit a wide variety of resources.

    • Specialists (e.g., koalas) have a very narrow niche.

    • Slide fragments show emphasis on niche breadth as a key organizing concept.

  • Interspecific vs. Intraspecific Competition

    • Interspecific competition: species use similar resources (-/- interaction).

    • Intraspecific competition: individuals within the same species compete for resources.

    • Intraspecific competition is a powerful evolutionary driver.

  • Specialist vs. Generalist traits (slides with fill-in options)

    • Slides present statements about specialists:

    • Have narrowly specific habitat requirements.

    • Tend to have higher reproductive rates than generalists.

    • Are tolerant of environmental change.

    • Do not have narrowly specific habitat requirements.

    • Note: The conventional ecological understanding often finds specialists have narrow habitat needs and can be more vulnerable to environmental change; reproduction rates can vary by taxa, and generalists typically tolerate a broader range of conditions. The slide content includes multiple-choice style assertions; treat them as presented content with potential need for clarification in class.

    • Practical takeaway: Specialists have narrow habitat needs and can be more sensitive to change; generalists exploit diverse resources.

  • Herbivory (Plant consumption by animals)

    • Definition: Herbivory is the consumption of plants by animals.

    • Interaction type: typically considered as (+/−) from the consumer’s perspective and prey/plant’s perspective respectively; hosts may evolve adaptive defenses.

    • Mention of adaptive defenses against herbivory (context implied): structural, chemical, and behavioral defenses.

    • A light, informal aside in slides: “Temptation of my youth” appears as a note or aside, not a core concept.

  • Predation

    • Predation is a (+/−) interaction for predator and prey.

    • Question posed: What has been an adaptive response to predation? (implies discussion of defenses and strategies)

  • Coevolution and Predator–Prey Dynamics

    • Coevolution can occur between predators and prey.

    • Predator defenses discussed: chemical defenses, cryptic coloration, flashing coloration.

    • Implication: predator and prey traits can influence each other’s evolution over time.

  • Prey Defenses and Warning Coloration

    • Aposematism: warning coloration used by toxic or chemically defended prey.

    • Conceptual idea: coloration signals to predators that the prey is unpalatable or dangerous.

  • Mimicry and Coloration (Are all brightly colored animals toxic?)

    • Mimicry allows non-toxic or less dangerous species to imitate warning signals.

    • Batesian mimicry: harmless species mimics a poisonous or dangerous species.

    • Müllerian mimicry: multiple unpalatable species share similar warning signals.

    • Examples cited in slides: ant-mimicking jumping spider, Viceroy butterfly, Monarch butterfly.

  • Parasitism

    • Parasitism is a (+/−) interaction where a parasite obtains nourishment from a host.

    • Examples listed: mites, lice, dog heartworm.

    • New York parasitism context provided via Lyme disease material (parasite–host dynamics and public health relevance).

  • Lyme Disease Data and Parasitism in New York (case study in slides)

    • Slide presents U.S. Lyme disease data across states (1990–2021) with a total of 758{,}912 reported cases (the CDC case definition changed in 2008; total includes confirmed plus probable cases since then).

    • 2019–2020 data caveat: CDC notes incomplete jurisdiction reporting due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    • 2011 case definition added positive CSF antibody tests; 2017 update to CDC case definition used for reported totals.

    • 2021 estimate (Lyme Disease Association): approximately 476{,}000 Americans diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually (insurance-based estimate).

    • Geographic distribution: map shows state-by-state totals with top-ranked states for reported cases; notables include NY and surrounding states; a state-by-state table lists county-level cases and rates per 100{,}000 (e.g., Albany: 153 cases; 49.5 per 100,000; Allegany: 8.4; Broome: 294; 149.6; etc.).

    • Important caveat: the map notes reporting criteria changes and that only a fraction of actual cases are reported under surveillance definitions.

  • Parasitism and Host Fitness (Does parasitism kill the host?)

    • Parasitism can reduce host fitness; not all parasites kill hosts but they often impair fitness.

    • Example study prompt: Reed Warbler and Common Cuckoo (YouTube link provided) illustrating parasite impacts in larger vertebrates.

    • Conceptual takeaway: parasitism may reduce host performance and survival, potentially influencing host evolution.

  • Host Defense Mechanisms to Parasites

    • Hosts have evolved defenses to counter parasites, including:

    • Grooming

    • Inflammatory response

    • Scabs

    • Cysts in muscle or skin to isolate the parasite

  • Symbiosis and Mutualism (+/+)

    • Symbiotic relationship with mutual benefits is also known as mutualism (positive for both partners).

    • Example focus: Coral reef symbiosis (see next section).

  • Coral Reef Symbiosis and Coral Bleaching

    • Coral–algae mutualism: corals depend on microscopic algae (zooxanthellae) living in their tissues; these algae provide major food sources and color.

    • Bleaching context: When symbiosis is stressed (temperature rise, pollution, etc.), algae leave coral tissue, causing bleaching.

    • Consequences: bleached corals lose their main food source and become more vulnerable to disease.

    • Primary driver of bleaching: increased ocean temperature due to climate change; other contributing factors include runoff, pollution, storm runoff, and excessive sunlight exposure.

    • NOAA Coral Reef Conservation Program referenced as a resource.

  • Commensalism (+/0)

    • Definition: interaction where one species benefits and the other is unaffected.

    • Example: Hermit crabs use trash or discarded shells as shells; a small species benefits from the resource while the large host is largely unaffected.

  • Interactive Quiz: Mutualism Recognition

    • Question: Which interaction involves both species benefiting?

    • Correct answer (as presented): Mutualism.

    • Other options listed: Commensalism, Predation, Competition, Herbivory.

    • Repeated prompts indicate in-class polling content from pollev.com.

  • Keystone Species and Ecosystem Engineers

    • Keystone species have a disproportionate impact on ecosystem structure and function.

    • Classic examples include wolves and sea otters (predator control of prey and ecosystem cascades).

    • Ecosystem engineers are organisms that create, modify, or maintain habitats, often considered a subset of keystone species (e.g., beavers, prairie dogs, earthworms).

  • Biodiversity Metrics: Richness and Diversity

    • Species richness: total count of species within a given area; does not account for distribution among species.

    • Species diversity: considers relative abundance and proportions of each species (evenness alongside richness).

    • Key distinction: richness vs. diversity.

  • Species Changes with Environmental Conditions: Ecological Succession

    • Ecological succession overview: changes in community structure over time in response to disturbance or new colonization.

    • Primary succession: occurs where no biotic community previously existed (e.g., bare rock, lava fields).

    • Secondary succession: occurs in areas that were previously occupied by a community but experienced disturbance.

    • Word bank in slides includes: Primary succession, Secondary succession.

  • Primary Succession: Pioneer to Climax Sequence (example sequence)

    • Typical progression on exposed rock:

    • Lichens

    • Mosses

    • Grasses

    • Herbs

    • Shrubs

    • Tree seedlings

    • White spruce, Balsam fir, Paper birch, Aspen, Black spruce, Jack pine (species in sequence toward a climax community)

    • Concept: a pioneer community establishes first, followed by later successional stages leading toward a climax community.

  • Secondary Succession after Disturbance: Phases and Pathways

    • Disturbances include natural and anthropogenic events (e.g., fire, deforestation, agriculture, cattle farming).

    • Described as Phase I through Phase IV toward a secondary forest.

    • Emphasizes that disturbance initiates a successional trajectory toward recovery and potential new stable states.

  • Yellowstone 1988 Wildfires: Case Study of Disturbance and Recovery

    • Event: large-scale wildfires burned roughly 36% of the park to varying degrees.

    • Post-fire response: Fireweed (Chamerion angustifolium) emerged soon after; Aspen became more common after fires, displacing some conifer stands.

    • Lodgepole pine cones: some open when exposed to fire, enabling seed dispersal; crown fires can enhance seed release in some areas.

    • Overall implication: disturbances can reset successional timelines and alter species composition through altered seed dispersal and establishment patterns.