1. The effects organisms in a community have on one another
Species Interactions
The effects organisms in a community have on one another
This includes both omnivore/carnivore stuff as well as predation/parasitism stuff

2. Types of species interactions
Predation
Mutualism
Competition
Commensalism

3. How do species interactions affect the two species involved?
Draw the graph up on the board – fill it in as you go along (ask the kids to tell you where each one goes)
How do species interactions affect the two species involved?

4. Predation When an animal eats another animal or plant Carnivores
Herbivores
Parasites

5. Carnivores Animals that only eat other animals
Shark eating seal:
Carnivores
Animals that only eat other animals

6. Herbivores
Animals that only eat plants

7. Parasites An animal or plant that eats the tissues of another plant
or animal
without killing it
The animal the parasite eats is called a host
Sometimes parasites kill their host very slowly
This is a tongue-eating louse – it attaches itself to the base of the fish’s tongue, then destroys the tongue and takes its place. It lives on the fish’s blood or mucus from then on.

8. Mutualism
Clown fish in a sea anemone – the sea anemone provides protection for the clownfish with its stinging cells, and the clownfish scare away butterfly fish that would otherwise eat the anemone
When two animals or plants interact in a way that helps both of them

9. Cleaner Wrasse

10. Symbiosis
Many coral polyps have a symbiotic relationship with algae that live inside their cells. The algae get energy from the sun through photosynthesis, and they give some of their energy to the coral polyps in return for nutrients the polyps get from eating tiny animals and detritus.
A type of mutualism where two organism depend on each other to survive

11. Competition
Competition can be between animals of different species or the same species
When two animals or plants compete for resources, hurting both of their chances for survival

12. This is a better example of competition between species

13. Competition within a species

14. Commensalism When one animal or plant uses another animal or
plant to help it survive,
but does not affect the
other animal in any way
The whale shark is huge, and is unaffected, but the remoras get protection, transport (they can attach to the shark’s skin) and any extra food dropped by the shark

15. Detritivores and Decomposers
Plants, animals and fungi that eat and decompose dead things and poop
Detritivores can eat chunks of dead matter, but decomposers must absorb nutrients on a molecular level. I researched this but could not find which type of species interaction this was. Which one do you think it is, class?

16. In your groups . . . You must have at least one parasite,
one herbivore, and
One carnivore