This document discusses different types of species interactions: neutralism, competition, amensalism, symbiotic relationships (commensalism, mutualism, parasitism), and antagonism (predation, herbivory). Neutralism occurs when two species do not affect each other. Competition involves two species requiring the same limited resources. Amensalism harms one species without benefiting the other. Symbiotic relationships benefit at least one organism. Antagonism benefits one species at the expense of another, such as through predation or herbivory.

1. By: Zeinab M. Klaab
Submitted to: Dr. Mai Elobeid
Species interaction

2. 2- Types of Species
interactions
1-Introduction

3. Types of Species interactions
Neutralism
Competition
Amensalism
symbiotic
relationships
Antagonism

4. Introduction
 In ecology, a biological interaction is the effect
that a pair of organisms living together in a
community have on each other.
•Ecologists call relationships between
species in a community interspecific
interactions , inter-means "between.“
Between
species
•Relationships between same species
called intraspecific interactions, intra-
means “inside or within”.
Same
species

5.  Ecologists examine how Different types of
interspecific interactions have different effects
on survival and reproduction the two
participants .
Effectscan
be
positive (+)
negative (–)
neutral (0)
Introduction

6. Types of Species interactions
There are five major types of species interaction
1- Neutralism
2- Competition
3- Amensalism
4- symbiotic relationships
5- Antagonism
Commensalism
Mutualism
Parasitism
 Predation
 Herbivory

7. Effect on Species 2Effect on Species 1Types of Species
interactions
00Neutralism
--Competition
+-Amensalism
0+Commensalism
++Mutualism
+-Predation
+-Parasitism
+-Herbivory

8. 1- Neutralism (0/0)
 Neutralism the most common type of
interspecific interaction.
 Neutralism, meaning two different types which
they don’t affect each other positively neither
negatively.
 Example: the tarantulas living in a desert and the
cacti living in a desert.

9. 1- Neutralism (0/0)

10. 2- Competition (-/-)
 Competition occurs when organisms in the same
community require the same limiting resource.
This resource may be prey, water, light, nutrients,
etc.
 Competition among members of the same species
is intraspecific.
 Competition among individuals of different
species is interspecific.

11. Interspecific Competition
Intraspecific Competition

12. Factors that can make a species strong
competitive are:
1- Aggression behavioral where one species
remove the other.
2- High production rate.
3- Disease tolerance.
4- Big success in finding food, home and
mating.
5- More ability in using working relations.
2- Competition (-/-)

13. “Styles”of Competition
Interference
competition Exploitation
competition

14. 1- Interference competition
Occurs when individuals interfere of others with the
foraging, survival, or reproduction.
Male-male competition in
red deer during mating is
an example of interference
competition within a species
“Styles”of Competition

15. 2- Exploitation competition
Occurs when individuals use the same limiting
resource, thus depleting the amount available to others.
The older, taller trees create a
shade effectively absorbing the
available light. Thus, the
younger, smaller trees do not
have access to that resource and
are less likely to survive.
“Styles”of Competition

16. Resource Dividing
Competition may cause the exclusion of one species,
but does not always. They may coexist, with a
decrease in their potential for growth.
For this to occur, they must division the resource through
different ways:
1. Use only portions of resources
2- Use at different times
3. Use in different ways
For example: Some birds eat
the same insects, but look for
them in different places.

17. 3- Amensalism (-/0)
 Ammensalism:
Is the ecological interaction in which an individual
species harms another without obtaining benefit.
 Example of Ammensalism:
Algal blooms can lead to the death of many species
of fish and other animals, however the algae do not
benefit from the deaths of these individuals.

18. 4-Symbiotic relationships
Symbiosis: “Sym” means together – “Bio” means
life, Symbiosis means “living together” and
describes the close relationships developed
between species.
 Symbiotic relationships will always benefit at
least one organism involved.

19. A- Commensalism (+/0)
Commensalism:
Is an interspecific interaction where one species
benefits and the other is unaffected.
Commensalisms found everywhere in nature: birds
nesting in trees are commensal.
Examples of Commensalism
Ant colonies harbor rove
beetles as commensals.
These beetles mimic the ants
behavior, and pass as ants.
They eat detritus and dead ants.

20. B- Mutualism (+/+)
 Mutualism is a type of symbiosis describes any
relationship between two organisms or more (a host
and a symbiont) where both benefit in some way.
 Mutualisms are widespread in nature, and occur
among many different types of organisms.
There are two main types of mutualistic
relationships:
1. Obligate mutualism
2. Facultative mutualism.

21. Obligate mutualism
In obligate mutualism, one organism cannot survive
without the other.
 An example of obligate mutualism is the relationship
between ants and the Acacia plant. The plant provides
food for the ant, as well as shelter. In return, the ants
defend the plant from other herbivores

22. Facultative mutualism
In facultative mutualism, each organism can survive
independently, but it benefits both to remain together.
 An example of facultative mutualism: Plants and their
pollinators. Pollinators feed on the plants and pollen
gets stuck to them. Pollen is deposited on the next
plant, allowing the plants to reproduce sexually.

23. C- Parasitism (- /+)
The relationship between the parasite and the host causing
it some harm , but do not usually kill hosts..
Parasitism is thought to be the most common way of life
Kinds of Parasitism based on place of presence of parasite:
 Ectoparasites: Parasites that live on the surface of the host
(e.g. some mites).
 Endoparasite: live inside the host (e.g. all parasitic worms)

25. 5- Antagonism (+/-)
In antagonistic interaction one species benefits at the
expense of another.
One way of understanding the diversity of antagonistic
interactions is through the kinds of hosts or prey that
species attack.
Carnivores attack animals, herbivores attack plants, and
fungivores attack fungi. Other species are omnivorous
attacking a wide range of plants, animals, and fungi.

26. Antagonism
Herbivory Predation

27. Predation
Predation is a biological interaction where a predator
(an organism, often an animal) kills and eats its prey
(another organism). Predators are often highly
specialized for hunting.
 Predators tend to be larger than their prey, and
consume many prey during their lifetimes.

28. Camouflage
It helps animals hide from predators and catch prey
This built-in protection is key to surviving in the wild.

29. Herbivory
 Herbivores are animals that eat plants. This
interaction may resemble predation, or parasitism.
As in predator-prey interactions, this interaction drives
adaptations in both the herbivore and the plant species
it eats.
For example, to reduce the damage done by herbivores,
plants have evolved defenses, including thorns and
chemicals such as nicotine and cocaine.