Interspecific relationships: Between 2 different species
The more people observe in nature the more we find that the different species have some very interdependent relationships. Some of these relationships are quite obvious such as a predator and it's prey. However some are very complex.
The relationships that we will be looking at include the following:
The relationships that we will be looking at include the following:
- Relationships: Mutualism, commensalism, antibiosis and amensalism
- Competition for resources
- Evolving together
- Exploitation: predator/prey, grazing/herbivory, and parasitism
- Mimcry
This is a wee power point giving you the key notes on this topic:
Mutualism: where both species benefit from the relationship
In this clip a Lybia leptochelis crab holds sea anemones in the Alicia species. The mutualistic relationship protects the crabs from predators while giving the anemones easier access to food.
Mimicry
'Mimicry is when some organism copies another one. In other words, they pretend to be the other species. The reasons why one species would copy another are all linked to survival in some way.... it will give the species a competitive/ecological advantage over others.
Note examples are usually appearance, but sound and scent is often used to pretend to be another species - some birds copy each others calls possibly to pretend they have a territory etc. - this would reduce competition from other species.
Tui are very capable mimics.
Most forms of mimicry help the species avoid being preyed upon. Biologists have identifed 2 main kinds of mimicry: Batesian and Mullerian; In Batesian the mimic pretends to be poisonous when it isnt. (It is Bluffing!!)
In Mullerian mimicry a number of dangerous/poisonous species have similar colouring. Like wasps and bees are all yellow and black.
Batesian- B=Bluff
Must be poisonous- M = Must be true
Note examples are usually appearance, but sound and scent is often used to pretend to be another species - some birds copy each others calls possibly to pretend they have a territory etc. - this would reduce competition from other species.
Tui are very capable mimics.
Most forms of mimicry help the species avoid being preyed upon. Biologists have identifed 2 main kinds of mimicry: Batesian and Mullerian; In Batesian the mimic pretends to be poisonous when it isnt. (It is Bluffing!!)
In Mullerian mimicry a number of dangerous/poisonous species have similar colouring. Like wasps and bees are all yellow and black.
Batesian- B=Bluff
Must be poisonous- M = Must be true
Wasps Mullerian Mimicry
The article below is a good written explanation of the differences between Batesian and Mullerian Mimicry. Buzzle has lots of good biology stuff for Level 3 Bio... especially good in the Speciation and evolution sections.
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