Ecology question 5

Explore different types of symbiotic relationships and interpret them as parasitism, commensalism and mutualism.


What are symbiotic relationships?

Symbiotic relationships are long-term relationship between two different species “living together”.
The relationship varies in population, it can be mutualism, commensalism & parasitism.


Mutualism: 
Each population benefits. The interaction is necessary for the survival and growth of each species.


Commensalism:

One population benefits, the other is unaffected.


Parasitism:
One population benefits (parasite) while the other is harmed (host). The interaction is necessary for the survival of the parasite. 


Now let's try.

 Remora fish attaching its body to the shark.

Answer: Commensalism

Intestinal worms.

Answer: Parasitism

Hermit crab and anemone.

Answer: Mutualism

http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=worms+in+intestine+cartoon&start=105&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=MVBHrAFxurXMOM:&imgrefurl=http://www.wellsphere.com/wellpage/parasitic-worms&docid=cn0ECKbr0J0BAM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi374OxWWT1_E3yYBIHGlCJWB6egiXuusjgi2HD6sae8OkUeHSI6FRplSMKHoX0UVp9iBizmx58dKt4l-lHwkOAY_A5Jwr6C6Blc9O8bHRqhYFOjNFpQBN25xeAFhl83eBXsrOJrq8tWor6/s320/helminth.jpg&w=320&h=217&ei=87C8T5OnNoKzrAeAm-mzDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=383&sig=106194743800114364724&page=4&tbnh=134&tbnw=160&ndsp=34&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:105,i:98&tx=57&ty=74

http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=remora+fish+and+shark&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=qihmGWpouf4epM:&imgrefurl=http://dedethe.blogspot.com/2012/03/symbiosis-predatorprey-mutualism.html&docid=FvLKaffw78jFoM&imgurl=https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivNHHZ6PcskxPbGRe30S7s7lKsWxWQs5YXCEGi8EzP8AFxKUl2J64LnejEp8Ba_ZdNaYrjhVRDOFruZ4tImJx3fAmjuiSsXIEQj0od9nrCyVQY-qnSuFSvy1GRsomrpeM-SVhhyphenhyphenmx3R6w/s1600/shark2.jpg&w=369&h=260&ei=aK-8T9K4JojNrQe7lt2jDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=773&vpy=151&dur=566&hovh=188&hovw=268&tx=193&ty=112&sig=106194743800114364724&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=132&tbnw=187&start=0&ndsp=24&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:0,i:74

Sources for Q4

 http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=population+of+birds&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=AC6MBGirS7KuMM:&imgrefurl=http://www.exploreafrica.net/blog/2011/11/jamala-madikwe/&docid=_2PPHk8clZvr-M&imgurl=http://www.exploreafrica.net/blog/www.exploreafrica.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Jamala-Madikwe-Waterhole-Elephants-12.jpg&w=787&h=525&ei=caO8T8itMs3nrAeiqKG6DQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=366&vpy=229&dur=433&hovh=180&hovw=270&tx=134&ty=97&sig=106194743800114364724&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=130&tbnw=183&start=0&ndsp=26&ved=1t:429,r:8,s:0,i:85


http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=many+different+kinds+of+animals&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=a9-2ftNtkcqeBM:&imgrefurl=http://schools.woboe.org/teachlearn/webquests/rainforestexplorers&docid=T7URlTJyqtHHgM&imgurl=http://schools.woboe.org/TeachLearn/WebQuests/RainforestExplorers/PublishingImages/animals6.jpg&w=500&h=375&ei=hKW8T4j0FsbSrQeV1JGhDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1057&vpy=141&dur=438&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=131&ty=149&sig=106194743800114364724&page=1&tbnh=146&tbnw=195&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:20,s:0,i:110


http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=habitat&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=bK12lVIqa9giyM:&imgrefurl=http://www.macroevolution.net/giraffe-habitat.html&docid=Ajasc9YgBdp8vM&imgurl=http://www.macroevolution.net/images/ideal-giraffe-habitat-400px.jpg&w=400&h=300&ei=gaa8T-T4IYXYrQeah9TIDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=294&sig=106194743800114364724&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=173&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:146&tx=99&ty=72


http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=habitat&num=10&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=bK12lVIqa9giyM:&imgrefurl=http://www.macroevolution.net/giraffe-habitat.html&docid=Ajasc9YgBdp8vM&imgurl=http://www.macroevolution.net/images/ideal-giraffe-habitat-400px.jpg&w=400&h=300&ei=gaa8T-T4IYXYrQeah9TIDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=294&sig=106194743800114364724&sqi=2&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=173&start=0&ndsp=28&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:146&tx=99&ty=72


http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=food+web&hl=en&sa=X&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=Z2U7TTh-TGcpMM:&imgrefurl=http://library.thinkquest.org/J0113170/forest/food.html&docid=ojeQ_uhDMdbqXM&imgurl=http://library.thinkquest.org/J0113170/forest/images/foodweb.jpg&w=423&h=312&ei=QKi8T_fZBs3orQfg4NmsDQ&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=231&sig=106194743800114364724&page=1&tbnh=125&tbnw=169&start=0&ndsp=29&ved=1t:429,r:4,s:0,i:145&tx=147&ty=102


http://www.google.com.sg/imgres?q=ecosystem+diagram&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1440&bih=780&tbm=isch&tbnid=s0VT-kXkZTHBaM:&imgrefurl=http://maliszewski10.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us/Mali%2BECO%2B3&docid=WzrBmg4zkdEEQM&imgurl=http://maliszewski10.wikis.birmingham.k12.mi.us/file/view/ecosystem-diagram-wedged-tailed-eagle-kookaburra-bird-rabbit-mouse-grass-snake-grasshopper-food-web-illustration-arrows-image.gif/181105029/ecosystem-diagram-wedged-tailed-eagle-kookaburra-bird-rabbit-mouse-grass-snake-grasshopper-food-web-illustration-arrows-image.gif&w=376&h=254&ei=Jam8T4XxNcnZrQezlcyuDQ&zoom=1

Ecology question 4

Define and explain the interrelationship among species, population, community, habitat, niche and ecosystem. State examples of each.

Population: 

Meaning?

A population is a group of living organisms of the same kind living in the same place at the same time. 

Community:
Meaning?
A community is formed by all of the populations in the same habitat which interact together. 

Habitat: 
Meaning?

A habitat is the physical place where a plant or animal (population) lives. It must supply the needs of organisms, 

such as food, water, temperature, oxygen, and minerals. 









Niche: 
Meaning?

A niche is the role and position of an organism (species) in the community. No two species can occupy exactly the same niche. 
Example: In this case, the grass is the producer. 






Ecosystem: 
Meaning?

An ecosystem is a complex interaction of living and nonliving processes.

Example: In this case, the organisms interact with each other using predator-prey relationship. 

Ecology question 3

Explain how limiting factors influence an organism’s distribution and range. 
E.g. 
Abiotic factors:  water, temperature, sunlight, salinity, oxygen, PH value         
Biotic factors: competitors, predators and parasites


Temperature: 
- Different temperatures can affect the growth, activities and survival of the organism.

Light: 

- Provides warmth

- Supports photosynthesis

- Enable organisms to see 

Water:
- Basic substance to survive as cells make up mostly of water

- Provides habitat for sea animals 

Air:

- Organisms need oxygen to carry out respiration.

- Plants need carbon dioxide to carry out photosynthesis.

PH value: 

- Determine types of organism living in a particular land or water


Competitors:
- More competitors
- Less food for other living organisms
- Weaker growth


Predators:
- More predators
- More organisms being eaten up
- Less number of the kind of organisms


Parasites:
- More parasites
- More living organisms suffer
- Less number of kinds of organisms

Ecology question 2

Understand that the biosphere is composed of ecosystems, each with distinct biotic and abiotic characteristics.    


What is ecology?
Ecology is the study of how living things interact with each other and with their environment.

What is a biosphere?

Life supporting zone where the 3 other zones meet, interact & make life possible.


So what are the 3 other zone?


Lithosphere : Lithosphere is the surface of the earth, including aquatic systems, which contains most of the life

Hydrosphere : Related to water
Atmosphere : Related to the air


What are biomes?

Biomes make up the whole biosphere. It is a large region where certain types of plants and animals thrive. Each biome has a unique set of environmental conditions and plants and animals that have adapted to those conditions. Major biomes consist of tropical rain forests, grasslands, deserts etc. 

Ecology question 1

Identify biotic and abiotic characteristics in an ecosystem.


Biotic factors: 


Interactions between the living organisms in the ecosystem. 


1) Predator-prey relationship : A living organism eats another living organism for energy. Period of interaction is very short. E.g. The lion hunts down a deer for food.


2) Parasitism : One organism benefits but another organism is harmed. Period of interaction is longer. E.g. Fleas live on the skin of dogs to suck their blood.


3) Commensalism : One organism benefits and the other organism is not harmed. Period of interaction is longer. E.g. Remora fish gets free transport from a shark by attaching to it and feed on the food scraps. Sharks are not harmed.


4) Mutualism : Both organisms benefit. Period of interaction is longer. E.g. Pollination of flowering plants.   


Abiotic factors:


1) Light : 
2) Temperature :
3) Air :
4) Water :
5) PH level :
6) Soil:






    

Pic 5 19/4/12

This condition is called Keratomalacia. It is a disease caused by a deficiency in vitamin A. This person should eat more yellowy food such as papaya, carrots and pumpkins.