Questions and Answers
What are the two main reasons proposed for why competing species can coexist even when they have similar resource use?
What is the mechanism behind predator-mediated coexistence?
How does migration and open systems allow competing species to coexist?
What is the key difference between predator-mediated coexistence and open systems with migration?
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Which of the following is not a characteristic of the predator-mediated coexistence mechanism?
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What is the key difference between predator-mediated coexistence and resource partitioning as mechanisms for species coexistence?
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Which of the following statements about predator-mediated coexistence is false?
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How does the mechanism of open systems with migration differ from predator-mediated coexistence in terms of species interactions?
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Which of the following is a key assumption of the predator-mediated coexistence mechanism?
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How does the open systems with migration mechanism differ from the predator-mediated coexistence mechanism in terms of the long-term stability of species coexistence?
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Study Notes
Species Coexistence and Resource Partitioning
- Competing species may coexist due to resource partitioning, even if they have similar resource use.
- Two reasons for coexistence: predator-mediated coexistence and migration from areas where species are competitively superior.
Predator-Mediated Coexistence
- In the presence of high levels of predation, competitively dominant species may be selected by predators over less abundant prey.
- Dominant competitors will never be able to eliminate poor competitors.
Migration and Coexistence
- Many real populations in nature exist in open areas where migration is possible.
- Immigration into areas where species are competitively inferior from areas where they are competitively superior will maintain populations of both competitors.
Allelopathy and Amensalism
- Allelopathy is a phenomenon where chemicals (allelochemicals) inhibit the growth of other species.
- Amensalism is a type of competition where one species is inhibited, and the other is not affected.
Types of Competition
- Apparent competition: occurs indirectly between two species that are both preyed upon by the same predator.
- Associational susceptibility: a type of apparent competition where herbivores spill over from one species to another.
Guilds and Resource Competition
- Guilds are groups of species that feed on the same resource and in the same way.
- Examples of guilds include leaf gleaning, ground-feeding, and stem-boring guilds.
Field Studies and Competition
- Field studies have shown that competition is more frequent in guilds.
- The stem-boring guild associated with salt-marsh cord grass is an example of resource competition.
Biological Control and Competition
- Biological control agents may compete with each other, reducing their rates of establishment.
- Introduced biological control agents may outcompete native species.
- Releasing a single species may be a better strategy for biological control than releasing multiple species.
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Description
Test your knowledge on allelopathy and amensalism with examples like algal blooms, cattle grazing, and plant competition. Explore how chemicals known as allelochemicals impact the ecosystem.