Warm Up
From last week’s activity – How could the disappearance of wolves from the ecosystem affect the population of other species?
Video clip
Warm Up
1. How do these organisms interact with each other?
Warm Up
2. How do these organisms interact with each other?
Warm Up
3. How do these organisms interact with each other?
Types of Interactions Among Living Things
Interactions with the Environment
Most living things produce more offspring than will survive. This is known as overproduction.
So why are we not overrun with frogs or fish?
Limiting Factors
Organisms interact with the biotic & abiotic factors in their environment.
Populations cannot grow without stopping. Limiting factor – a resource that is so scarce that it limits
the size of a population. Limits on the amount of: (examples)
– Food– Water– Living space– Other resources
Carrying Capacity
Carrying capacity – the largest population that an environment can support.
When a population grows larger than its carrying capacity, limiting factors in the environment cause individuals to die off or leave, returning the population to a size that the environment can support.
Interactions Among Organisms
1. Competition
2. Predation
3. Symbiosis
Adaptations
Every organism has a variety of adaptations (characteristics) that are suited to its specific conditions which help the organism to survive.
The adaptations can also assist them in their interactions with other organisms.
1. Competition
Competition – when two or more individuals or populations try to use the same resources.– Compete for:
Food, water, shelter, space, sunlight
– Adaptations enable organisms to reduce competition.
Competition in a Population
Example:– The elks in Yellowstone National Park are
herbivores that compete with each other for food plants in the park.
Competition in a Community
Example:– Competition also happens between different
populations (within a community). Different species of plants compete with each other for
sunlight and space.
2. Predation
An interaction in which one organism hunts and kills another organism for food is called predation.– Predator
the hunter
– Prey the hunted
Video clip: predator-prey
Predator Adaptations
Helps them catch & kill their prey– Speed– Stingers, toxins, sharp teeth– Camouflage– Night vision
Prey Adaptations
Also known as “defense strategies” to avoid predation:1. Camouflage
2. Protective coverings
3. Warning coloring
4. Defensive chemicals
5. Mimicry
6. False coloring
Camouflage
Prey blend in to their environment to avoid being eaten by predators.
Protective Coverings
Hedgehog
Warning Coloring
Bright colors warn predators that the prey may be poisonous and to stay away!
Defensive Chemicals
Some animals defend themselves with chemicals.
Mimicry
Coral Snake
King Snake
The ability some animals have to resemble another animal so closely that they can fool either their prey or their predators.
Monarch
Viceroy
False Coloring
Used to trick predators
With your table group…
Describe the 2 relationships among living things we discussed yesterday…
3. Symbiosis
Symbiosis is a close relationship between two species that benefits at least one of the species.
3 types:1. Mutualism
2. Commensalism
3. Parasitism
Mutualism
A relationship in which both species benefit– Positive
Ex: – clownfish & sea anemone
Commensalism
A relationship in which one species benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed– Neutral
Ex: – gray whale
covered in
barnacles
Parasitism
Involves one organism living on or inside another organism and harming it!– Negative
Parasite – the organism that benefits Host – the organism that is harmed Ex:
– Tapeworms
“Who You Callin’ Ugly?”
Do you think it is beneficial for each of these organisms to look they way they do? Why or why not?
“Who You Callin’ Ugly?” What is an adaptation? Read the article
Complete the following chart as a group:
Animal: Odd or interesting trait:
How is this trait beneficial to the
animal?
Proboscis Monkey
Leaf-Tailed Gecko
Wrinkle-Faced Bat
Star-Nosed Mole
Marabou Stork
Sea Pig