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Questions and Answers
What is the primary focus of community ecology?
What is the primary focus of community ecology?
- The study of individual species in a particular area
- The study of non-living components in a particular area
- The study of interactions between populations of different species (correct)
- The study of interactions between populations of single species
What is a key difference between a community and a population?
What is a key difference between a community and a population?
- The presence of non-living components
- The number of individuals in the area
- The number of species living in the area (correct)
- The type of species living in the area
According to HA Gleason's individualistic concept of community, what is the main reason for species coexistence?
According to HA Gleason's individualistic concept of community, what is the main reason for species coexistence?
- Species compete for the same resources
- Species have similar biotic requirements
- Species have symbiotic relationships
- Species have similar abiotic requirements (correct)
What is the main difference between a community and an ecosystem?
What is the main difference between a community and an ecosystem?
What is the definition of a community in ecology?
What is the definition of a community in ecology?
What is the primary unit of study in community ecology?
What is the primary unit of study in community ecology?
What is the result of interspecific competition on the realized niche of Chthamalus?
What is the result of interspecific competition on the realized niche of Chthamalus?
What is character displacement?
What is character displacement?
What is the term used to describe populations that occur in the same place at the same time?
What is the term used to describe populations that occur in the same place at the same time?
What is the difference between the beak sizes of Geospiza fuliginosa and Geospiza fortis in allopatric populations?
What is the difference between the beak sizes of Geospiza fuliginosa and Geospiza fortis in allopatric populations?
What happens to the Chthamalus population when Balanus is removed from the lower strata?
What happens to the Chthamalus population when Balanus is removed from the lower strata?
What is the term used to describe populations that are physically isolated from each other by an extrinsic barrier?
What is the term used to describe populations that are physically isolated from each other by an extrinsic barrier?
What is the main idea behind the competitive exclusion principle?
What is the main idea behind the competitive exclusion principle?
What was the outcome when Gause grew P.aurelia and P.caudatum together in the same culture tube?
What was the outcome when Gause grew P.aurelia and P.caudatum together in the same culture tube?
What is an ecological niche?
What is an ecological niche?
What did Gause study in his experiment?
What did Gause study in his experiment?
What is the significance of the competitive exclusion principle in ecology?
What is the significance of the competitive exclusion principle in ecology?
What can be used to describe an ecological niche?
What can be used to describe an ecological niche?
What is the primary benefit that cattle egrets receive from their relationship with grazing cattle?
What is the primary benefit that cattle egrets receive from their relationship with grazing cattle?
What is a characteristic of mutualistic relationships in nature?
What is a characteristic of mutualistic relationships in nature?
What do ants provide to aphids in their mutualistic relationship?
What do ants provide to aphids in their mutualistic relationship?
What is the benefit that remora fish receive from their relationship with sharks?
What is the benefit that remora fish receive from their relationship with sharks?
What is the role of clownfish in their mutualistic relationship with anemones?
What is the role of clownfish in their mutualistic relationship with anemones?
What type of interaction is described in the example of cattle egrets and grazing cattle?
What type of interaction is described in the example of cattle egrets and grazing cattle?
What is an indirect effect of interaction between species?
What is an indirect effect of interaction between species?
What is the result of the presence of rodents on the number of small seeds in a community?
What is the result of the presence of rodents on the number of small seeds in a community?
What is a key feature of community structure?
What is a key feature of community structure?
What is the term for the diversity of species within a community?
What is the term for the diversity of species within a community?
What is the result of the presence of rodents on ant populations in a community?
What is the result of the presence of rodents on ant populations in a community?
What determines the feeding relationships within a community?
What determines the feeding relationships within a community?
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Study Notes
Competitive Exclusion Principle
- Gause's hypothesis (1934): two species with similar needs for the same limiting resources cannot co-exist in the same place.
- Gause studied competition among two species of Paramecium and found that P.caudatum declined to extinction when grown with P.aurelia.
- This observation led to the formulation of the Competitive Exclusion Principle, which states that no two species can co-exist when resources are limiting.
Ecological Niche
- Ecological niche is the sum total of the organism's use of biotic and abiotic resources in its environment.
- Ecological niche includes space utilization, food consumption, temperature range, mating conditions, and moisture requirements.
Mutualism
- Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.
- Examples of mutualism:
- Aphids and ants: aphids secrete honeydew, which ants feed on, and ants protect aphids from predators.
- Remora fish and sharks: remora fish clean parasites from sharks, and sharks provide transportation and nutrition.
- Clownfish and anemones: clownfish nestle into anemone's tentacles for protection, and clownfish keep anemones free of parasites and provide nutrients.
Interspecific Competition and Realized Niche
- Experimental evidence for competition in nature: removal of Balanus from lower strata allowed Chthamalus population to spread, showing that Chthamalus could survive in areas where it is not normally found.
- This demonstrates that interspecific competition limits the realized niche of Chthamalus.
Evidence for Competition in Nature
- Character displacement in Galapagos finches: sympatric populations of Geospiza fuliginosa and Geospiza fortis have more divergent beak sizes than allopatric populations.
Community Ecology
- Community: an assemblage of populations of different species that interact and inhabit a particular area.
- Community ecology: the study of interactions or relations between populations of different species living in a particular area.
Community Structure
- Feeding relationships: trophic structure, predator-prey, host-parasite, and plant-herbivory interactions.
- Species diversity: species richness and relative abundance.
- Disturbances and community stability.
Indirect Interactions
- Indirect effect of interaction: species may not directly interact, yet the presence of one species may affect a second species by way of interactions with a third species.
- Example: desert rodents and ants interactions, which affect seed populations and, in turn, affect ant populations.
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