ECOLOGy
Interactions Among us
Formally known as the study of interactions of organism to another and their physical environment, ecology is one of the most crucial of the science areas. A simple change in the environment can have drastic impacts on the entire ecosystem and the organisms in it. Humans are dependent on their environment, as are all creatures, and the greater our understanding of our environment, the greater our ability to survive on a basic level.
ecosystems & biomes
An ecosystem is a community of biotic and abiotic factors that are interdependent on each other. An ecosystem can exist at any scale. Broadly speaking, the diversity of an ecosystem depends on the physical characteristics of its environment, the interactions that species within the ecosystem have with each other and the environment, and the diversity of species present.
A "Biome" is a term used to organize large-scale ecological variations. [1] The differences in temperature, precipitation, topography, and amount of sunlight determine the type of biome that will form. Biomes will generally be classified according to the dominant type of environment and dominant species, for example: a salt marsh, a mangrove swamp, etc. Because temperature plays such an important role in the formation of an ecosystem, it is also incorporated into true classification of a biome, i.e. cold winter deserts vs hot deserts.
A "Biome" is a term used to organize large-scale ecological variations. [1] The differences in temperature, precipitation, topography, and amount of sunlight determine the type of biome that will form. Biomes will generally be classified according to the dominant type of environment and dominant species, for example: a salt marsh, a mangrove swamp, etc. Because temperature plays such an important role in the formation of an ecosystem, it is also incorporated into true classification of a biome, i.e. cold winter deserts vs hot deserts.
Community interactions
predation
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Predation, also known as predator and prey, takes place when one organism (the predator) ingests another (the prey).The term "predation" means the consumption of another organism for nutrients that the predator requires to survive.
Predation is a process of major importance when it comes to influencing the abundance, distribution, and diversity of species in communities. [2] Often, successful predation will lead to a gradual increase in the population size of the predator and a decrease of the population of the prey. The effects of such an event may indirectly "ripple" throughout the rest of the community, indirectly changing the success of other species. Predator and prey are interdependent on one another: as the number of available prey decreases, so will the number of predators. As the population of predators decreases, the prey will exhibit an increase in population, and left unchecked, will continue growing until the species reaches its carrying capacity.
Predation is a process of major importance when it comes to influencing the abundance, distribution, and diversity of species in communities. [2] Often, successful predation will lead to a gradual increase in the population size of the predator and a decrease of the population of the prey. The effects of such an event may indirectly "ripple" throughout the rest of the community, indirectly changing the success of other species. Predator and prey are interdependent on one another: as the number of available prey decreases, so will the number of predators. As the population of predators decreases, the prey will exhibit an increase in population, and left unchecked, will continue growing until the species reaches its carrying capacity.
symbiosis
The first type of symbiosis, known as Mutualism, is an interaction in which both organisms benefit. Scientists categorize mutualism into two categories: Facultative and Obligate. In Facultative mutualism, the interaction is not necessary for the survival of the organisms involved. Obligatory mutualism is the opposite: the organisms rely on the benefits provided by the interaction to survive.
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The final form is parasitism. In cases of parasitism, one organism benefits while the other is harmed. The organism who is benefitting, otherwise known as the parasite, is dependent on their host (the one being harmed) for nutrients. While the host is negatively affected by the parasite, it is rare that parasitism leads to the host's death.
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COMPETITION
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In a community, there may be many things that are in short supply for the organisms. Normally, these "things" are resources, and the struggle to obtain them over all the other organisms in that community is competition. Competition occurs more frequently in communities with high population densities. Whenever two niches overlap, competition ensues between organisms. Two organisms that have the same requirements- food, water, nesting sites, etc- and inhabit the same space will fight over the resources available.
Competition can be divided into two categories: intraspecific and interspecific. Intraspecific is when individuals of the same species compete for the exact same things in an environment, therefore this the most avid type of competition. Interspecific competition is engaged between species.
Competition can be divided into two categories: intraspecific and interspecific. Intraspecific is when individuals of the same species compete for the exact same things in an environment, therefore this the most avid type of competition. Interspecific competition is engaged between species.
ecology of the thorny oyster
The Atlantic Thorny Oyster lives along the coast of the (you guessed it) Atlantic ocean, physically cementing itself on seamounts and knolls. Therefore, the biome that this oyster inhabits is the aquatic marine. Preferring temperatures of 22-25° Celsius. The oyster exists in depths anywhere from 1.4 to 96 meters. [3] The Spondylus Americanus can easily thrive on low environmental nutrients, because it filter feeds, taking the minuscule food particles from the air and catching them with the cilia in the oyster's gills. This also means that there is minimal competition, because all the resources the oyster needs are floating in the water.
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The trophic level of an organism is its position of the energy pyramid in relation to the other organisms in the ecosystem. The food chain begins with the producers, typically plants, who capture energy from the sun through photosynthesis. Above that level are the primary consumers. These organisms feed mainly on the primary producers, obtaining the energy from these producers. Above them, the secondary consumers, and then finally the tertiary carnivores, usually considered the top predators of an ecosystem. There is an additional level, below the producers: the decomposers. A decomposer, typically a soil bacterium or fungus, breaks down organic material so that it is reusable for future producers. The reason for the triangular shape of the energy pyramid is that as the energy flows upwards to the next trophic level, the amount of energy passed decreases, meaning that organisms at the top of the chain must consume many more organisms in order to keep themselves sustained.
The Thorny Oyster finds its niche in shallow bodies of water that may be enclosed, such as lagoons, that offer both hiding space from predators and effective places to cement themselves. Because the Spondylus Americanus spends most of its life cemented in one place, it has very limited interaction with other organisms except to sexually reproduce. The one interaction it partakes it has to do with its thorns: small epibionts rest on the shell of the oyster, and when grouped together, camouflage the oyster from predators. The epibionts also receive protection because of the thorns on the shell. This would be considered a mutualistic relationship.