Community interactions: the niche concept and symbiotic relationships

HABITATS ARE DEFINED AND CONSTANT Any species has a well defined habitat ‘its address’ Where it can live What it needs to eat Breeding grounds Water requirements etc etc HABITATS ARE DEFINED AND CONSTANT Any population of that species has a well defined niche ‘its occupation’ The species it interacts with The species it depends on The species that depend on it… NICHES CAN GROW AND SHRINK, DEPENDING ON ‘EXTERNAL’ FACTORS

Habitat The area where an organism lives is called its habitat. A habitat includes both biotic and abiotic factors

‘Nicher’ (French): to Nest A term describing the way of life of a population No two species can occupy the same niche in the same ecosystem To describe a population’s niche, you need to describe its ‘specialised habitat’: space and territory Nutrition and feeding habits Interactions with other organisms Its reproductive habits Its role in the community

The Niche concept: A Working Analogy In 1927, Charles Sutherland Elton, the British Ecologist, stated: ‘When an ecologist states ‘There goes a badger’, he should include in his thoughts a definite idea of the animal’s role in the community, just as if he had said ‘There goes the vicar’

Defining a Niche : ‘The Boundary conditions’ Two species that use exactly the same resources cannot occupy the same niche Only one species or population can occupy the same niche for an extended period

A population has a fundamental AND a realised niche

Fundamental Niche A species’ fundamental niche is the full range of environmental and social conditions under which it could potentially survive and reproduce ‘potential niche’ Some species have a broad fundamental niche Some species have a narrow fundamental niche

Species with a broad niche ‘Generalists’ Widely distributed geographically Adaptable

Species with a narrow Niche ‘Specialists’ Not adaptable Under threat of extinction if the niche changes

Realised Niche The realised niche is the specific set of conditions in which it survives in a given habitat or ecosystem, given the other species or limitations present. These are the conditions to which the population is best adapted.

‘Realised Niche’ is not a constant for a species In fact, populations of the same species may occupy different realised niches within different ecosystems It all depends on the other species and environmental factors involved in ‘sharing of the resources’

What interactions occur within communities?

All community interactions play an essential role in survival of both species

Essential Interactions Predation Parasitism Mutualism (Commensalism) Competition

Symbiosis Any ‘long term’ relationship in which two species live closely together is called symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships include: mutualism commensalism parasitism (predation)

‘Symbiotic’ relationship 1: Predation

Predation An interaction in which one organism captures and feeds on another organism is called predation. The organism that does the killing and eating is called the predator, and the food organism is the prey.

Parasitism: one organism (the parasite) lives on or inside another organism (the host) and harms it. yuk.....! The parasite of the day Blog...

Community Interactions Mutualism: both species benefit from the relationship. Commensalism: one member of the association benefits and the other is neither helped nor harmed.

Symbiotic relationships can take place between species from different kingdoms! Symbiosis Mutualism, Commensalism and parasitism Sunfish and seagulls... Fish Cleaners Giving Fish a bath Clownfish and anemones

Competition Competition occurs when organisms of the same or different species attempt to use an ecological resource in the same place at the same time. A resource is any necessity of life, such as water, nutrients, light, food, or space. Direct competition in nature often results in a winner and a loser—with the losing organism failing to survive.

The principle of competitive exclusion Aka ‘Gause’s Law’ ‘No two species can occupy the same niche in the same habitat for a prolonged time’

The Competitive Exclusion Principle The best adapted species will survive The loser will struggle to survive and reproduce, and will eventually become extinct OR migrate (if its niche is broad enough) Examples are abundant Invasive species Red versus Grey Squirrel in Western Europe Gause’s Paramecium

Competitive Exclusion and Invasive species… Invasive Species are those which have been introduced to a non-native habitat/ecosystem (usually by human interention). They often out-compete – (and drive towards extinction) – the native species… Grey Squirrels Cane toads! Zebra Mussels

Competitive Exclusion: Squirrels

Competitive Exclusion: Squirrel Distribution

Competition in the plant world Japanese knotweed David Attenborough tropical conpetition

Competition can even take place between species from different kingdoms… Spider versus plant

Can species ‘work around’ the competitive exclusion principle?

Yes they can!: Niche Partitioning As there is a limited about of space and resources on Earth, organisms can use niche partitioning 1. Spatial: Two different species use the same resource by occupying different areas within the range of the resource 2. Temporal: Two species eliminate direct competition by using the same resource at different times

Spatial Niche Partitioning Closely related bird species occupy different foraging locations on a single tree species

Community Interactions The distribution of these warblers avoids direct competition, because each species feeds in a different part of the tree. 18 12 Feeding height (m) Cape May Warbler Each of these warbler species has a different niche in its spruce tree habitat. By feeding in different areas of the tree, the birds avoid competing with one another for food. Bay-Breasted Warbler 6 Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Temporal Niche Partitioning Different species of spiny mouse inhabiting the same ecosystem may be either nocturnal OR diurnal feeders