Ecological Networks Nathan Crum

Ecology Study of the interactions between organisms and their environment Study of ecosystems – Ecosystem- web/network of relationships of organisms to each other and their environment

Food Webs Illustrates predation, herbivory, decomposition, and biotic-abiotic interactions

Other Interactions Competition – Interspecific and Intraspecific Mutualism Parasitism Commensalism

Niches Resource Partitioning- differentiation of niches allowing species to coexist – Difference between fundamental and realized niche – Leads to character displacement

Keystone Species Larger effect on ecosystem than population size would suggest – Ex. Sea Otters and Starfish

The Fluidity of Ecosystems Biomanipulation- altering the density of high level consumers to control the density of organisms in lower trophic levels

Abiotic Factors Abiotic environment is a hub – The Sun – Water – Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide – Soil – Temperature