Community Ecology

Communities

A community is
a group of
organisms of
different species
that live in a
particular area

Interspecific Interactions

Interspecific interactions- occur between

populations of different species

There are 4 major interspecific interactions:

Predation (and parasitism)
Commensalism
Mutualism
Competition

Symbiosis- close relationship

between two organisms.

Parasitism (+,-)
Commensalism (+,neutral)
Mutualism (+,+)

Predation (and Parasitism)

(+ -)
The interaction
is beneficial to
one species
and detrimental
to the other
Predation:
When a predator
eats its prey

Predation (and Parasitism)

Parasitism:
Predators that live
on or in their hosts,
usually feeding off
their body tissues or
fluids
Usually do not
kill their hosts

Plant Defenses Against

Herbivores

Plants have 2 major

mechanisms by which
they defend
themselves against
being eaten
Mechanical
Defenses
Thorns, hooks,
etc.

Plant Defenses Against

Herbivores

Chemical Defenses
Produce chemicals
that are distasteful
or harmful to an
herbivore
Poison ivy

Animal Defenses Against

Predators

Animals defend
themselves passively
(hiding) or actively
(fleeing)
Cryptic coloration
(camouflage)
Aposematic coloration
(warning
coloration)warns
predators not to each
animals that may be toxic
or may sting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmDTtkZlMwM

10

Animal Defenses Against Predation

Mimicry
When one species imitates or
mimics another
Batesian mimicry
When one edible or harmless
species mimics an bad-tasting
(unpalatable) or harmful
species

Animal Defenses Against

Predation

Mimicry
Mullerian mimicry
Two species, both of which are
unpalatable (taste bad) or harmful,
resemble each other

Commensalism

(+0) relationship
One partner benefits, the
other is not affected
Examples:

Cattle and cattle egret (birds)

Sea anemone and clownfish
Clownfish gets a place to live,
sea anemone is not affected

Mutualism

(++) relationship
Both partners benefit from the
relationship
Examples:
Ants & acacia tree
tree provides high
protein food & habitat for
nests inside thorns; ant
protects against predators
Hummingbirds & flowers
Hummingbirds get food,
flowers can reproduce

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xm2qdxVVRm4

15

Interspecific Competition

The Competitive Exclusion Principle:

Two

species with similar needs for the same

limiting resources cannot coexist in the same
place
Niches may overlap but they may not be
identical.

Fundamental v. Realized
Niche

Fundamental Niche
includes resources an
organism could
theoretically use (if no
competition)
Realized Niche
includes resources it
actually does use given
competition from other
species.

Resource Partitioning

Similar species develop ways to

partition/divide resources in order to coexist.

Dominant Species:
Species

in a community that have the

highest abundance or highest biomass

Keystone Species:
Important

to a community because of
their ecological roles (niches), not by
numbers
Sea otters control sea urchin
population, which controls kelp
population

Ecological Succession

Ecological succession is a change in the

species that live in a given area over a period
of time
One community replaces another
Primary succession = occurs in places
where soil is not yet formed (bare bedrock)
Secondary succession = occurs in places
where there is soil, but where some
disturbance has eliminated the previous
community

Ecological Succession

Ecological Succession

The first organisms to inhabit an area

undergoing succession are known as pioneer
organisms
These are usually small organisms (bacteria,
lichens, algae, etc.)
The ecosystem goes through a number of
stages, with each new stage usually consisting
of larger organisms than the last one
Once a community has become stable and is
not changing much, it is known as a climax
community

Causes of Ecological Succession

There are 3 major causes of ecological succession:

1. Human Activities
2.
3.

Natural Disasters/Disturbances

Natural Competition Among Species

- Fictitious example:
- turtles and frogs both eat crickets
- frogs are faster, turtles are slower
- frogs eat more crickets, turtles starve
- turtle population dies out, frog population
gets bigger