ECOLOGICAL
RELATIONSHIPS

Ecological communities consist of
interacting or potentially
interacting species in the same
environment.
This is what we call ecological
relationship.

TWO TYPES OF ECOLOGICAL
RELATIONSHIP
•SYMBIOTIC
RELATIONSHIP
•OPPOSITIONAL
RELATIONSHIP

SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP

Mutualism is when two different species
have an ecological relationship that they both
benefit from.
For example, zebras and wild birds in the
grasslands of Africa.

Commensalism describes a relationship in
which one species benefits but the other is
unaffected. This usually happen between groups
of fish and sea anemones.
For example, clownfish take refuge in sea
anemones.

Amensalism is an interaction where an
organism inflicts harm to another organism
without any costs or benefits received by itself.
For example, the black walnut tree that
secretes chemical to it’s neighboring plants.

Parasitism is when one organism in the
relationship benefits from the relationship, and
when the other organism does not.
For example, a tick on a white tailed deer.

OPPOSITIONAL RELATIONSHIP

Predation is when one organism eats another
organism to obtain nutrients. The organism that
is eaten is called the prey.
For example, lion that eats gazelles.

Competition is when individuals or populations
compete for the same resource, and can occur
within or between species.
For example, lions and hyenas that compete for
prey.

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