POPULATION INTERACTIONS

POPULATIONS OF DIFFERENT SPECIES INTERACT WITH ONE ANOTHER IN VARIOUS WAYS IN THEIR HABITAT
INTERACTIONS OCCUR BETWEEN MEMBERS OF SAME SPS OR BETWEEN DIFFERENT SPS (INTERSPECIFIC INTERACTIONS)
INTERACTIONS MAY BE BENEFICIAL ,DETRIMENTAL OR NEUTRAL (NEITHER HARM OR BENEFIT) TO ONE OF THE SPS OR
BOTH
SPECIE SPECIES INTERACTIONS
SA B
MUTUALISM
COMPETITION

PREDATION

PARASITISM

COMMENSALISM

0 AMENSALISM
 COMMENSALISM
• RELATIONSHIP IN WHICH ONE SPS IS BENEFITTED AND THE
OTHER IS NEITHER HARMED OR BENEFITTED.
1. AN ORCHID (EPIPHYTE)GROWING ON OTHER TREE
2. BARNACLES GROWING ON THE BACK OF WHALE
3. CATTLE EGRETS AND GRAZING CATTLE –CATTLE MOVE
&STIR THE GROUND TO FLUSH OUT INSECTS
4. SEA ANEMONE AND CLOWN FISH( FORMER DOES NOT
DERIVE ANY BENEFIT )
 AMMENSALISM
INTERACTION IN WHICH ONE SPS CAUSES HARM TO ANOTHER SPECIES WITH
ITS TOXIC SECRETION ,OFTEN WITHOUT GETTING ANY GAIN /BENEFIT FROM IT
1. PENICILLIUM NOTATUM – PRODUCES ANTIBIOTIC PENICILLIN INHIBITS BACTERIAL
GROWTH
2. WALNUT TREE PRODUCES JUGLONE –INHIBITS GROWTH OF GRASS ,TOMATOES ETC
3. BACTERIA –STREPTOMYCES PRODUCES ANTIBIOTIC
Penicilliu
m
 PARASITISM
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN 2 DIFFERENT ORGANISMS OF DIFFERENT SPS IN WHICH
THE SMALLER PARTNER (PARASITE)IS BENEFITTED
• DERIVES NUTRITION FOOD AND SHELTER FROM THE BODY OF THE LARGER
PARTNER (HOST).
• DECREASES CHANCES OF SURVIVAL OF THE HOST.
• MANY PARASITES ARE HOST SPECIFIC-THEY COEVOLVE
• PARASITES DEVELOP SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS-ADHESIVE ORGANS ,SUCKERS ,LOSS OF
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM, HIGH REPRODUCTIVE ACTIVITY.
• LIFE CYCLE OF THE PARASITE INVOLVES 1\2 HOSTS
EG-LIVERFLUKE -2 HOST –SNAIL&FISH.
PLASMODIUM –VECTOR (MOSQUITO)
• MAJORITY OF PARASITES DO HARM TO THE HOST
REDUCE SURVIVAL, GROWTH ,REPRODUCTION AND POPULATION DENSITY
 PARASITISM
PARASITES ARE OF 2 TYPES
ECTOPARASITE -OUTSIDE THE BODY OF THE HOST-
LICE ,TICKS ,CUSCUTA
ENDOPARASITE-INSIDE THE BODY OF THE HOST (FOUND IN
THE LIVER ,KIDNEY RBC).LIFECYCLE SHOWS SPECIALIZATION
–TAPEWORM, ASCARIS ,MALARIAL PARASITE .
 BROOD PARASITISM
BROOD PARASITISM -
• WHEN A BIRD LAYS ITS EGGS IN THE NEST OF ANOTHER BIRD. THE HOST BIRD (AS THE
OWNER OF THE NEST IS CALLED (CROW) IS THEN RESPONSIBLE FOR RAISING AND
FEEDING THE PARASITE BIRD CHICK (CUCKOO).
• BROOD PARASITES ARE ORGANISMS THAT RELY ON OTHERS TO RAISE THEIR YOUNG.
• THE BROOD PARASITE MANIPULATES A HOST, EITHER OF THE SAME OR OF ANOTHER
SPECIES, TO RAISE ITS YOUNG AS IF IT WERE ITS OWN, USING BROOD MIMICRY, FOR
EXAMPLE BY HAVING EGGS THAT RESEMBLE THE HOST'S (EGG MIMICRY).
 MUTUALISM
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN 2 INDIVIDUALS OF SPECIES ,BOTH OF WHICH
ARE BENEFITTED.
1. LICHENS –RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FUNGI AND ALGAE \CYANOBACTERIA
2. .MYCORRHIZA- ASSOCIATION BETWEEN FUNGI AND ROOTS OF HIGHER
PLANTS .FUNGI –PROVIDES WATER ,AND NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL ,PLANT-
PROVIDES CARBOHYDRATES.
3. ASSOCIATION BETWEEN PLANTS &ANIMALS –CROSS POLLINATION
• PLANTS-PROVIDE NECTAR &POLLEN ,ANIMALS –POLLINATE FLOWERS ,SEED &FRUIT
DISPERSAL .
• PLANTS AND ANIMALS CO EVOLVE…THEREFORE LINKED TOGETHER
EG –RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FIG AND A POLLINATOR WASP .
• ORCHIDS SHOW VARIETY OF FLORAL PATTERNS TO ATTRACT .NOT ALL PROVIDE
REWARDS
EG –SEXUAL DECEIT –OPHRYS (MEDITERRANEAN ORCHID )
ONE PETAL RESEMBLES TO THE FEMALE BEE IN SIZE ,COLOR AND MARKINGS
MALE PSUEDOCOPULATES DURING WHICH POLLEN IS DUSTED ON THE MALE BEE AND LATER
TRANSFERRED TO ANOTHER FLOWER DURING THE SAME ACT.
• ANY SLIGHT CHANGE WILL REDUCE POLLINATION
• THEREFORE THEY COEVOLVE
 COMPETITION
IT IS DEFINED AS AN INTERACTION THAT OCCURS BETWEEN 2 OR MORE
ORGANISMS WHEN THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR THEM IS LIMITED
AND AFFECTS THEM.
• IT IS OF 2 TYPES
A. INTRASPECIFIC COMPETITION –OCCURS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS OF
SAME SPECIES.
• COMPETITION SEVERE AS ALL THE INDIVIDUALS INVOLVED HAVE
SIMILAR REQUIREMENTS (FOOD HABITAT MATE ETC) &SIMILAR
ADAPTATIONS TO GET THEIR REQUIREMENTS .EG-ANIMALS
COMPETING FOR FOOD
B. INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION- OCCURS BETWEEN INDIVIDUALS OF 2
DIFFERENT SPS HAVING SAME REQUIREMENTS.
EG : -CARNIVOROUS ANIMALS COMPETING FOR PREY
- HERBS, SHRUBS, TREES COMPETING FOR WATER, LIGHT,
MINERALS AND BIOLOGICAL POLLINATORS.
 COMPETITION
• ACCORDING TO DARWIN INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION IS A POTENT FORCE FOR
EVOLUTION.
• GENERALLY COMPETITION OCCURS BETWEEN CLOSELY RELATED SPECIES –
RESOURCES LIMITING
• BUT CAN OCCUR BETWEEN SPS WHICH ARE TOTALLY NOT RELATED –RESOURCES THE
SAME FOR BOTH

EG- VISITING FLAMINGOS COMPETING WITH FISHES FOR FOOD(ZOOPLANKTONS) IN

THE SOUTH AMERICAN LAKES
• COMPETITION CAN OCCUR EVEN THOUGH THE RESOURCES ARE ENOUGH BUT THE
FEEDING EFFICIENCY OF ONE CAN LOWER OR ELIMINATE THE OTHER SPECIES.
• GAUSE STATED –IN HIS PRINCIPLE OF COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION STATES “TWO
CLOSELY RELATED SPS COMPETING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES CANNOT
COEXIST INDEPENDENTLY AND COMPETITIVELY ,THE INFERIOR WILL GET
ELIMINATED EVENTUALLY”.
EG- *2 SPS OF PARAMECIUM KEPT TOGETHER IN A HABITAT FOR LONG TIME –P
CAUDATUM & P AURELIA,…ONE SPECIES GOT ELIMINATED.
*ABINGDON TORTOISE (GALAPAGOS ISLAND) BECAME EXTINCT DUE TO THE
FEEDING EFFICIENCY OF GOATS
 COMPETITION

• ELIMINATION OF SMALLER BARNACLE CHATHAMALAS BY

THE SUPERIOR ONE BALANUS –ROCKY SEACOAST OF
SCOTLAND .
• SPECIES FACING COMPETITION EVOLVE MECHANISM TO CO
EXIST RATHER THAN EXCLUSION
• MECHANISM -RESOURCE PARTIONING
• 2 SPECIES COMPETING FOR THE SAME RESOURCES AVOID
COMPETITION BY FEEDING AT DIFFERENT TIMES
• MAC ARTHUR SHOWED 5 CLOSELY RELATED SPECIES OF
WARBLERS COEXISTED ON A TREE –DUE TO BEHAVIORAL
DIFFERENCES IN THEIR FORAGING (EATING) HABITS
 PREDATION
A BIOLOGICAL INTERACTION WHERE A LARGER SPECIES CALLED
PREDATOR ATTACKS ,KILLS, AND FEEDS ON THE SMALLER SPECIES
CALLED PREY.
 GROWTH &SURVIVAL CHANCES OF PREY IS CONTROLLED BY THE PREDATOR.
 PREDATION –NATURES WAY OF TRANSFERRING ENERGY –CONDUIT OF ENERGY
FROM PLANTS TO HIGHER TROPHIC LEVELS.
 KEEPS PREY POPULATION UNDER CONTROL.
 WITHOUT PREDATORS –PREY POPULATION CAN MULTIPLY &CAUSE ECOSYSTEM
INSTABILITY.
EG –WHEN EXOTIC SPS INTRODUCED INTO A GEOGRAPHICAL AREA IN THE
ABSENCE OF NATURAL PREDATORS –THEY SPREAD FAST &MULTIPLY
 PRICKLY PEAR (OPUNTIA)INTRODUCED IN AUSTRALIA SPREAD OVER
HECTARES OF LAND –CONTROLLED BY A CACTUS FEEDING MOTH FROM ITS
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT.
 CONTROL OF RED LOCUSTS IN MAURITIUS BY INDIAN MYNAH
 CONTROL OF MOSQUITO BY GAMBUSIA FISH
 PREDATION
• PREDATORS HELP TO INCREASE BIODIVERSITY BY PREVENTING
ONE COMMUNITY FROM BECOMING DOMINANT --- SUCH
PREDATORS ARE CALLED KEYSTONE SPS
• MAINTAIN SPS DIVERSITY BY REDUCING THE INTENSITY OF
COMPETITION OF THE PREY SPS
o PISASTER (STARFISH)-ROCKY INTERTIDAL COMMUNITIES
OF AMERICAN PACIFIC COAST
o PISASTER FEEDS ON MYTILUS
o MYTILUS (MUSSEL) FEEDS ON INVERTEBRATES
o WHEN (STARFISH) REMOVED FROM THAT AREA MORE THAN 10
SPS OF INVERTEBRATES BECAME EXTINCT WITHIN ONE YEAR
BECAUSE OF INTERSPECIFIC COMPETITION.
• IF THE PREDATOR IS TOO EFFICIENT AND OVER EXPLOITS ---PREY
BECOMES EXTINCT …..FOLLOWING WHICH THE PREDATOR ALSO
BECOMES EXTINCT
• THEREFORE -----PREDATORS ARE PRUDENT .
 PREDATION
• PREY SPECIES HAVE EVOLVED VARIOUS DEFENSE MECHANISM—TO LESSEN EFFECT
OF PREDATION.
 SPECIES OF INSECTS AND FROGS ARE CAMOUFLAGED
 SOME SPECIES ARE POISONOUS ,THEREFORE AVOIDED BY PREDATORS
 MONARCH BUTTERFLY HAS A CHEMICAL IN THE BODY MAKING IT HIGHLY
DISTASTEFUL TO BIRDS(PREDATOR),ACQUIRE THIS DURING ITS CATERPILLAR
STAGE BY FEEDING ON A POISONOUS WEED
 PLANTS ALSO DEVELOP WAYS TO PROTECT ITSELF FROM HERBIVORES
 25%OF INSECTS FEED ON SAP (PHYTOPHAGES)
 SINCE PLANTS CANNOT MOVE –DEVELOP MORPHOLOGICAL &CHEMICAL DEFENSES
 THORNS(ACACIA) AND SPINES (CACTI)
 MANY PRODUCE AND STORE CHEMICAL WHICH MAKES HERBIVORES SICK
 CALOTROPIS –POISONOUS CARDIAC GLYCOSIDE ,WHEN EATEN CATTLE FALL SICK .
 NICOTINE, QUININE, OPIUM, CAFFENINE-PRODUCED AS DEFENSE AGAINST
PREDATORS