Interdependence in Ecosystems

Study Notes

Interdependence

Every species relies on others for survival, fostering connections in ecosystems.
Coevolution occurs when species evolve in response to each other, exemplified by predator-prey relationships.

Food Chains, Webs, and Pyramids

Food chains illustrate the linear path of energy transfer from producers to consumers.
Food webs show complex interconnections, highlighting that most consumers have diverse diets and share resources.
Energy flows unidirectionally, necessitating a continuous supply; nutrients are recycled through biogeochemical cycles (e.g., oxygen, water, carbon, phosphate).
Producers (autotrophs) create food through photosynthesis or chemosynthesis, while consumers (heterotrophs) consume other organisms.

Trophic Levels

Producers initiate the food chain, followed by primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.
Decomposers recycle nutrients, vital for maintaining fertile soils.
Energy pyramids depict energy loss at each trophic level, with roughly 10% transferred and 90% used in life processes or lost as heat.

Types of Ecological Pyramids

Pyramid of biomass: compares dry mass of organisms, can be inverted if low biomass supports high consumer biomass.
Pyramid of numbers: indicates the actual number of organisms per trophic level; shapes can vary based on ecosystem dynamics.

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators control prey populations, contributing to cycles that maintain balanced ecosystems.
Predator-prey dynamics create population fluctuations: increased predator numbers lead to decreased prey populations, allowing prey recovery followed by predator population increase.

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships illustrate interdependence among species, categorized as:
- Commensalism: One species benefits while the other is unaffected (+/n).
- Mutualism: Both species benefit (++).
- Parasitism: One species benefits at the expense of the other (+/-).

Competition

Competition arises when species vie for limited resources, leading to specialization and resource partitioning.
Interspecific competition occurs between different species, while intraspecific competition occurs within a single species.

Ecological Niche

An organism's niche encompasses its role, including dietary habits, predator relationships, reproduction, and environmental tolerances.
Niche flexibility can lead to changes throughout a species' life cycle.

Range of Tolerance

Species possess a range of tolerance which determines the breadth of their ecological niche—generalists have broad tolerances, while specialists are limited to specific conditions.

Resource Partitioning

Coexisting species may divide resources to minimize competition, leading to differentiated niches.
Examples include sharing tree resources by feeding at different heights or nesting preferences.

Description

Explore the concept of interdependence among species in ecosystems through this quiz. Understand how species rely on one another for survival and the role of coevolution in this process. You'll also learn about food chains, food webs, and their implications for ecological balance.