Ecological

http://www.univie.ac.at/zoologie/ecophys/crabsp-300dpi.jpg
Relationships

How do biotic
factors
influence
http://www.cs.umbc.edu/courses/undergraduate/201/fall06/projects/p1/fox-rabbit.jpg
each other?
 Ecological Relationships

Biodiversity = the
number of species in an
ecosystem
Territory = space
claimed by an
individual organism

Ecological Equilibrium =
state of “balance” in an
ecosystem
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/about/environment/faqs/biodiversity.jpg
 Ecological Relationships
• NICHE - Role of organism A niche is the
in the ecosystem (job) sum of all
activities and
• NICHE DIVERSITY – relationships
a species has
Number of niches in an while
obtaining and
ecosystem; often using
determined by abiotic resources
needed to
factors survive and
Abiotic = non-living reproduce
 Competition: The “fight” may be indirect
… individuals may never
• When species or directly contact each other.

individuals “fight” for

the same resources.
– E.g., Food, shelter….
• KEYSTONE
PREDATOR/SPECIES -
A predator that http://www.butler.edu/herbarium/prairie/prairie42004.jpg

causes a large Two species with

Losing a keystone
increase in diversity similar needs for
species usually
same limited
disrupts many
of its habitat. resources cannot
ecological
coexist.
relationships.
 Herbivory:
• A primary consumer
http://www.smilinglizard.com/1a291aa0.jpg

feeds on a producer.

http://images.inmagine.com/168nwm/
creatas/cr15169/cr15169065.jpg
A fruit bat eating
a papaya

A woodchuck eating
wild clover
 http://www.citypaper.net/blogs/clog/wp-content/uploads/
2007/06/close-up-bald-eagle-eating.jpg

consumer.
• A consumer

An eagle eating halibut.

feeds on another
Predation:

A lion eating zebra.

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/2006/3/IMAGES/lion_zebra.jpg
 Symbiosis:

http://www.floridastateparks.org/maclaygardens/images/wallpaper/1024-PL-MAC-Symbiosis-MarkFerrulo.jpg
• A long-term relationship where two
species live closely together and at
least one benefits directly from the
relationship.
 Mutualism:
• Both organisms benefit from the
relationship.
• Win-Win situation!

http://tumi-educational-resources.org/Educational%20%20Videos.htm
 Commensalism
• One organism
benefits, the other
one is unaffected.
• Win-Neutral
relationship
 Parasitism
• One organism benefits, the other one
is harmed!
• Win-Lose relationship
• Parasites rarely kill their hosts…it
would require them to get another
one!
 Ecological Relationships
• Biological Magnification — Increasing
concentration of poisons in organisms in
higher trophic levels in a food chain or
web.

Many
toxins in
the
Many person
toxins in
the water
• Biological
Magnification-
accumulation of
increasing amounts of
toxin within tissues of
organisms.

Video on Biological Mag

nification