biological interactions and distribution january 21st
TRANSCRIPT
Biological Interactions and Distribution
January 21st
Predation
• Predation – when one organism consumes another– Animal-animal predation– Animal-plant predation
• Stenophagous – selective predators– 80% of butterfly species– 90% of plant-eating insects
• Euryphagous – non-selective predators– Most terrestrial birds and mammals
Reasons for Stenophagy
• Optimal foraging theory
• Toxins
• Microenvironment
• Neural capabilities
• Lotka-Volterra model – explains the fluctuations in populations of stenophagous predators and their prey species
Keystone Species
• A keystone species is a species whose very presence contributes to a diversity of life and whose extinction would consequently lead to the extinction of other forms of life.
• Keystone species help to support the ecosystem (entire community of life) of which they are a part.
Keystone Species
Competition
• Interspecific competition
• Intraspecific competition
• Two forms of competition– Resource exploitation– Interference competition
• Allelopathy
Allelopathy
Creosote
Black Walnut
Competition
Competition
Competition
Diffuse Competition
Predator Medicated Competition
Mutualism
• Both species benefit
• Pollinators
• Ants and aphids
• Acacias and ants