The three main interactions we'll discuss; Competitive, exploitative and mutualistic
Throughout any ecosystem there are countless interactions occurring among various organisms. Ecologists define these interactions as a relationship between two or more organisms that affects the growth, survival or reproduction of the participants. Ecologists categorize the interactions as competition, exploitation or mutualism based on the costs and benefits resulting from the relationship. Competition, perhaps the most common interaction in nature, occurs when one organism benefits and the other isn't necessarily affected by the interaction. Exploitation or parasitism occurs when one organism benefits, while another organism is harmed from the interaction. Mutualism occurs when both organisms benefit from the interaction.
Let’s take a look at a few of the interactions found in my plot and what type of interaction is occurring.
A bumblebee touches down on the blossom of a blackberry bush. For the plant, the bumblebee is a delivery driver, transferring pollen from one flower to another, thereby ensuring a future crop of blackberry’s. For the bee, the flower is a grocer, providing nectar to make honey, thereby ensuring food for the next generation of bumblebees. Bees fly from flower to flower gathering nectar, which they make into food, benefiting the bees. When they land in a flower, the bees get some pollen on their hairy bodies, and when they land in the next flower, some of the pollen from the first one rubs off, pollinating the plant. This benefits the plants. In this mutualistic relationship, the bees get to eat, and the flowering plants get to reproduce.
The picture above displays an interesting mutualistic relationship of the oxpecker (a kind of bird) and the rhinoceros or zebra. Oxpeckers land on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks and other parasitesthat live on their skin. The oxpeckers get food and the beasts get pest control. Also, when there is danger, the oxpeckers fly upward and scream a warning, which helps the
The next interaction we’ll take a look into is probably one of the most common, competitive.
If a tree species in a dense forest grows taller than surrounding tree species, it is able to absorb more of the incoming sunlight. However, less sunlight is then available for the trees that are shaded by the taller tree, thus interspecific competition. In my plot area I have large fir trees, that overlook some smaller shrubs and even smaller fir trees. These trees are competing for not only sunlight, but water and nutrients as well.
This is a generalization of most mammals coming through my plot. Like the trees I listed above for mammals or in my case deer, elk, raccoon, possums, squirrels all have to compete for resources. These include food, water, mates, and space to live and breed in. Now even though the diets of the animals listed above aren't necessarily identical most of the necessary resources are similar enough to evoke competition. There can also be inter-specific competition; which is competition occurring in the same species. See the example above. This competitive behavior demonstrated itself to me while watching a lion take down and feed on a cape buffalo. As the pride feasted on the dead carcass, the hyena’s watched from a distance patiently waiting their turn. Above them soared the vultures, and behind them stood the jackals, all patiently waiting. At one point in time am sure the little jackals made their way to the front of the line and were swiftly slaughtered. Or the vultures came down while the hyenas were feasting and were either killed or shooed away. After many years of competitive behavior they've established a cycle or order of life. Hyenas know to wait for the lions to finish and the vultures and jackals wait quietly for the hyenas to finish.
Lastly we’ll take a look at an exploitative interaction occurring in my plot. The best occurrence I saw taking place was the infamous blood sucking mosquito. As I mentioned earlier an exploitative interaction occurs when one organism benefits, while another organism is harmed from the interaction. Now mosquito can and are beneficial to the equilibrium of any ecosystem but them sucking blood from various hosts is a exploitative interaction; the mosquito benefiting at the expense of another organism.
A bumblebee touches down on the blossom of a blackberry bush. For the plant, the bumblebee is a delivery driver, transferring pollen from one flower to another, thereby ensuring a future crop of blackberry’s. For the bee, the flower is a grocer, providing nectar to make honey, thereby ensuring food for the next generation of bumblebees. Bees fly from flower to flower gathering nectar, which they make into food, benefiting the bees. When they land in a flower, the bees get some pollen on their hairy bodies, and when they land in the next flower, some of the pollen from the first one rubs off, pollinating the plant. This benefits the plants. In this mutualistic relationship, the bees get to eat, and the flowering plants get to reproduce.
The picture above displays an interesting mutualistic relationship of the oxpecker (a kind of bird) and the rhinoceros or zebra. Oxpeckers land on rhinos or zebras and eat ticks and other parasitesthat live on their skin. The oxpeckers get food and the beasts get pest control. Also, when there is danger, the oxpeckers fly upward and scream a warning, which helps the
The next interaction we’ll take a look into is probably one of the most common, competitive.
If a tree species in a dense forest grows taller than surrounding tree species, it is able to absorb more of the incoming sunlight. However, less sunlight is then available for the trees that are shaded by the taller tree, thus interspecific competition. In my plot area I have large fir trees, that overlook some smaller shrubs and even smaller fir trees. These trees are competing for not only sunlight, but water and nutrients as well.
This is a generalization of most mammals coming through my plot. Like the trees I listed above for mammals or in my case deer, elk, raccoon, possums, squirrels all have to compete for resources. These include food, water, mates, and space to live and breed in. Now even though the diets of the animals listed above aren't necessarily identical most of the necessary resources are similar enough to evoke competition. There can also be inter-specific competition; which is competition occurring in the same species. See the example above. This competitive behavior demonstrated itself to me while watching a lion take down and feed on a cape buffalo. As the pride feasted on the dead carcass, the hyena’s watched from a distance patiently waiting their turn. Above them soared the vultures, and behind them stood the jackals, all patiently waiting. At one point in time am sure the little jackals made their way to the front of the line and were swiftly slaughtered. Or the vultures came down while the hyenas were feasting and were either killed or shooed away. After many years of competitive behavior they've established a cycle or order of life. Hyenas know to wait for the lions to finish and the vultures and jackals wait quietly for the hyenas to finish.
Lastly we’ll take a look at an exploitative interaction occurring in my plot. The best occurrence I saw taking place was the infamous blood sucking mosquito. As I mentioned earlier an exploitative interaction occurs when one organism benefits, while another organism is harmed from the interaction. Now mosquito can and are beneficial to the equilibrium of any ecosystem but them sucking blood from various hosts is a exploitative interaction; the mosquito benefiting at the expense of another organism.
Food Web
A food web helps keep an ecosystem stable. Food webs consist of many interrelated food chains, which assist in the transfer of food energy from one part of the web to another. The four components of a food web are:
Non-living components, such as water, sunlight, soil, nitrogen, oxygen and other organic compounds used by living organisms.
Producers, which are organisms such as algae and plants that make their own food through photosynthesis using the non-living components.
Consumers, which are primarily animals, and are divided into herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.
Decomposers comprised of mainly fungi and bacteria that decompose dead matter and return the raw materials to the ecosystem. Producers recycle these nutrients back into the food web.
Non-living components, such as water, sunlight, soil, nitrogen, oxygen and other organic compounds used by living organisms.
Producers, which are organisms such as algae and plants that make their own food through photosynthesis using the non-living components.
Consumers, which are primarily animals, and are divided into herbivores, carnivores and omnivores.
Decomposers comprised of mainly fungi and bacteria that decompose dead matter and return the raw materials to the ecosystem. Producers recycle these nutrients back into the food web.
The above image is a very accurate description of what the food web in my plot looks like. It is near a lake and includes all the animals in the picture. Notice the arrows going upward; this is the indication of what way the food is cycled. Starting from single cell organisms like Diatoms. From there are the primary consumers, the bottom of the food chain. This would include plankton snd larva. Then come the secondary consumers; small fish, ducks, frogs etc… which feed off the primary consumers. After that come the larger tertiary consumers; larger fish, raccoon, snakes and birds There are also producers like algae which produce oxygen through the suns solar energy (photosynthesis). Lastly are the decomposers; fungi and bactera. It is through these organisms that the bigger animals are recycled back onto the ground and later used as nutrients for plant life and other organisms.
Sample Food Chain for My Plot
Primary Producer Algea
Primary consumer Mosquito Larva, Dragon fly larva
Secondary consumer Small fish, Frog, Duck
Tertiary Consumer Large fish, Raccoon, Snake, Bird
Quaternary Consumer Raccoon
Sample Food Chain for My Plot
Primary Producer Algea
Primary consumer Mosquito Larva, Dragon fly larva
Secondary consumer Small fish, Frog, Duck
Tertiary Consumer Large fish, Raccoon, Snake, Bird
Quaternary Consumer Raccoon