This document discusses several key concepts related to species interactions, including predation, coevolution, warning coloration, mimicry, cryptic coloration, competition, symbiosis, succession, and ecological niches. It describes how predation influences population balances and drives adaptations in prey. Competition and different symbiotic relationships like mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism are also outlined. Ecological succession and the fundamental versus realized niche concept are briefly defined.

1. SPECIES
INTERACTION

2. Predation
interaction between predators and
prey.
CO EVOLOTION
process which species exert selective
pressure on each other.

3. CHARACTERISTICS AND
IMPORTANCE OF PREDATION
 If prey population increases, it will support more predators.
 The numbers of predators tend to go lag behind the prey
because the predator being larger has slower rate of
increase.
 More prey will escape the predators if there is much cover.
 When prey population falls below a certain level, it becomes
unprofitable for the predators to pursue the prey, it must
shift to some other source or suffer decline.

4.  Predation maintains the balance of animal
population.
 Predators selectively remove the young, old and
diseased individuals from the prey population.
 The alert, healthy and well adapted animals are
less likely to fall victim to the predator.
 Method of biological control f pest animals
particularly insects and rodents.
 Occurrence of various adaptations in response
to predation.

5. WARNING COLORATION, MIMICRY, AND
CRYPTIC COLORATION
Warning coloration
conspicuous markings of an animal that
make it easily recognizable and warn would-be
predators that it is poisonous, foul-tasting,
or dangerous species.
Mimicry
the advantageous resemblance of one
species to another, often unrelated, species
or to a feature of its own environment.

6. Cryptic coloration
an organism matches its background,
hiding it from predators or prey.
Chemical defenses
• serve to repel or inhibit potential
predators

7. COMPETITON
-kind of antagonistic relationship
within the community.
-interaction between two or more
species, which adversely affects their
growth and survival.

8. Intraspecific competition
between organisms of the same
species, organism are the subject to the
influences of the living and non-living
factors of the environment.
Interspecific competition
relationships existing between two or
more different species, maybe beneficial
to both parties or harmful to the other or
maybe neutral on respect to the other.

9. Types of interspecific relationship
a. Neutralism- neither population is affected by
association with the other.
b. Antibiosis- production of harmful secretions or
substances.
c. Exploitation- one population uses the other population
for its own benefit.
d. Proto-cooperation- both populations benefit by the
association but the relations are not obligatory.
e. Parasitism- relationship between two individuals where
the parasite receives benefit at the expense of the
host.

10. Kinds of parasites
1. Temporary parasites- organisms which
spend a part of their life cycle as parasite.
2. Permanent parasites- organism which
spend their entire life as parasites.
a. Ectoparasites- live on the outer space of
the host like skin, anus feathers and gills.
b. Endoparasites- live inside the body of
the host as the intracellular or
intercellular.

11. General Methods of
transmission
1. Passive transmission- transmission through
contaminated food, water, bites of insect
vectors, sexual intercourse and direct contact.
2. Active transmission- direct invasion of the
parasites or the host.

12. Symbiosis
the intimate living together of the
members of two or more species.
Commensalism
is a type of symbiosis in which one
member clearly benefits and the other
apparently is neither benefited nor
harmed.

13. Kinds of Commensalism
A. Ectocommensals- commensals which are
attach to the outer surface of the host.
B. Endocommensals- commensals are found
inside the body of the host.
C. Obligatory commensasls- one organism
depends entirely on another from its
habitat.
D. Facultative commensals- do not depend
entirely on others but indirectly.

14. Symbiosis
refers to an association in which two
species live together in a close
relationship.
Protocooperation
association of mutual benefit to both
species, but the cooperation is not
obligatory.
Mutualism
a form of symbiosis in which two
partners form a close relationship that
produces equal benefits for both parties.

15. Commensalism
a form of symbiosis in which only one
of the partner species derives a benefit
from participating in the symbiotic
relationship.
Parasitism
one member of the relationship
benefits while the other is harmed.

16. Ecological succession
 Process by which organisms occupy a site
and gradually change environmental
conditions by creating soil, shade, or
shelter or by increasing humidity.

17. Primary succession vs.
Secondary succession
Primary succession- occurs on an area of
newly exposed rock or sand or lava or any
area that has not been occupied previously
by a living community.
Secondary succession- takes place where a
community has been removed.

18. Ecological Niche
 A description of either the role-played a
species in biological community or the
total set of environmental factors that
determine species distribution.

19. Multidimensional Niche
takes into account all dimensions of
how an organism can make a living.
Fundamental niche
all the resources an organism is
capable of exploiting.
Realized Niche
all the resources and organism is
actually exploits/ uses in its environment.