Animal Interrelationships
Every living thing is profoundly affected by the presence or even absence of other living things. All the living factors that affect an organism are referred to collectively as its biotic environment and this, in turn, can shape or be shaped by the abiotic environment. Understanding relationships between organisms and their interaction with each other can help us understand how an ecosystem works.
In any animal community there are complex interactions between different populations and the individuals of which they are composed of. Competition within and between species is a common characteristic of all animal communities, as they compete for the same resources to fulfill their survival needs. Collaboration is also a common feature in animal communities, where animals collaborate with each other to catch prey. This collaboration can be intraspecific (between members of the same species) or interspecific (between members of different species). Predator-Prey Another relationship in an animal community is the predator-prey relationship, where one organism (predator) kills another (prey) or consumes part of it for its food. Predators can be classified by the way they obtain their prey. Searchers spend much of their time foraging for small invertebrate prey. Pursuers spend much of their time and energy stalking large vertebrate. Animals employ a huge range of strategies that enable them to locate, capture and consume their prey. Predators usually have a preferred species of prey but it is unusual for them to solely depend on one species for food. This gives them a competitive advantage when food is in short supply. The predator-prey relationship is usually balanced but sometimes changing conditions can change this balance. For example: under favorable conditions the number of prey might increase, leading to an increase in the number of predators. When the conditions don't favor the prey population anymore, their number will decrease. When this occurs there will be intraspecific competition among the predators, or they may switch to an alternate prey. This may severely affect the population of the alternate prey species. Some species of predator & prey have coevolved over thousands of years and other species have learned to coexist to maintain the delicate balance of an ecosystem. Prey species have evolved counteradaptations - structural, physiological and behavioral features which enable them to avoid predators. For example, some leaf-cutting insects induce a chemical defense in plants where the damaged plant tissue release toxic or repellent compounds that deter the insects. |
The following buttons lead to a range of activities that will help you get a clearer idea of animals and their ecosystems. Work through the activities, as per their number:
Symbiotic Relationships
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Ignore the instruction about watching the short film and move on to the following activity.