03/09/2020

Biological Community
COMMUNITY ECOLOGY & SPECIES
INTERACTION • assemblage of populations at a particular time
• properties
▫ Scale – size of the community; lacks precise
boundaries
ZGE 4301- Environmental Sciences ▫ Structure: Spatial and Temporal
Dept of Biological Sciences
UE - Manila

Species interaction
• shows how one population influence individuals of
the other interacting population
• influence species niche

Ecological Niche
• the functional role of the species in a community

Species Richness

• Species richness
• Species abundance
• Species diversity

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Species Interaction
Neutralism
Type of Interaction Species 1 & 2 Nature of interaction • the shag
(Phalacrocovax
Neither population
Neutralism 0,0 affects the other aristotelis) and
Direct or indirect
cormorant
Competition -- , -- inhibition of each (P. carbo)
species by the other
One population is
Amensalism -- , 0 inhibited, the other is
not affected
One population is
Commensalism +,0 benefited, the other is
not affected

Amensalism Competitive exclusion principle

• one population is inhibited, the other one is
• If two species, with the same niche, coexist in the
not affected same ecosystem, then one will be excluded from
the community due to intense competition

• two species competing for the same resources

cannot stably coexist, if the ecological factors are
constant.

Competition Competition

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Competition among barnacles (Connell, 1961) Competition Impacts

• Resource Partitioning

Chthamalus in
upper intertidal zone

Mean tide level

Balanus in lower
intertidal zone

Commensalism Species Interaction

Type of Interaction Species 1 & 2 Nature of interaction

The interaction is
Parasitism +,- beneficial to one and
detrimental to another
The interaction is
Predation +,- beneficial to one and
detrimental to another
Interaction is favorable
Protocooperation +,+ to both but not
obligatory
Both populations
Mutualism +,+ benefit from the
interaction; obligatory

Parasitism
Parasitism
 can control the
behavior of one
or more hosts
 affects
reproduction
and survival

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Predation ADAPTATIONS - Prey

▫ Camouflaged
▫ Speed
▫ Protective armors
▫ Mimicry

Canadian lynx and hare

Adaptation - Camouflage Adaptation - Mimicry

Mutualism (Protocooperation)
• crabs and coelenterates
• ants and aphids
• ants and acacia tree

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Mutualism (Symbiosis)
• Flowering plants and pollinators
• Termites and endosymbiotic protozoa (obligate)
• Lichens – association of algae and fungi
• Endophytes

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Trophic Structure
Community Structure
• Species Diversity
▫ species richness and abundance
• Trophic structure
▫ feeding relationships within organisms

Ecological Succession Primary Succession

• Change in community structure over ecological time
▫ Primary succession
▫ Secondary succession

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Secondary Succession