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Introduction to Community Interactions exam Flashcards

Introduction to Community Interactions exam
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  • Community Ecology
    The study of interspecific interactions among populations in a shared environment, influencing fitness and evolution.
  • Intraspecific Interaction
    Interaction occurring between organisms of the same species.
  • Interspecific Interaction
    Interaction occurring between organisms of different species.
  • Ecological Niche
    An organism's role in its environment, including its use of resources and relationships with other organisms.
  • Fundamental Niche
    The full range of environmental conditions under which an organism can survive and reproduce.
  • Realized Niche
    The actual conditions under which an organism lives, considering biotic interactions like competition.
  • Competitive Exclusion Principle
    The concept that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist if other ecological factors are constant.
  • Niche Differentiation
    The process by which competing species use the environment differently to coexist.
  • Predation
    An interaction where one organism (predator) kills and eats another organism (prey).
  • Constitutive Defense
    Defenses that are always present in an organism, such as thorns or toxins.
  • Inducible Defense
    Defenses that are produced in response to a predator or threat.
  • Aposematic Coloration
    Bright warning colors in animals with a chemical defense.
  • Cryptic Coloration
    Camouflage that makes an organism difficult to spot.
  • Mimicry
    The resemblance of one species to another species.
  • Symbiosis
    A close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms.
  • Mutualism
    A type of symbiosis where both organisms benefit (+/+ interaction).
  • Parasitism
    A type of symbiosis where one organism benefits at the expense of the other (+/- interaction).
  • Commensalism
    A type of symbiosis where one organism benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed (+/0 interaction).
  • What is an example of intraspecific interaction?
    Two bighorn sheep colliding to establish dominance for mating purposes.
  • What is an example of interspecific interaction?
    A bighorn sheep and a spotted deer competing for the same food resource.
  • What does a plus symbol (+) indicate in community interactions?
    A positive effect on the organism's fitness.
  • What does a minus symbol (-) indicate in community interactions?
    A negative effect on the organism's fitness.
  • What does a zero (0) indicate in community interactions?
    A neutral effect on the organism's fitness.
  • What is competition in community interactions?
    A -/- interaction where both organisms are negatively affected.
  • What is exploitation in community interactions?
    A +/- interaction where one organism benefits and the other is harmed.
  • What are the three types of exploitation?
    Predation, herbivory, and parasitism.
  • What is an example of mutualism?
    The interaction between clownfish and sea anemones.
  • What is an example of commensalism?
    Flowers growing on a tree, where the flowers benefit and the tree is unaffected.