interactions
Here are the five main types of interactions with examples:
Predation (+/-): One organism (predator) kills and consumes another (prey). Example: A lion hunting a zebra.
Competition (-/-): Two or more organisms vie for the same limited resource, such as food, water, or territory, harming both in the process. Example: Lions and hyenas competing for the same prey.
Mutualism (+/+): Both species benefit from the interaction. Example: Bees gathering nectar while pollinating flowers.
Commensalism (+/0): One organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Example: Barnacles attaching to whales for transportation.
Parasitism (+/-): One organism (parasite) benefits at the expense of another (host), typically without killing it immediately. Example: Ticks feeding on a dog.
Part B
Identify the type of biotic interaction being described in each example: predation, interspecific competition, intraspecific competition, mutualism, parasitism, commensalism.
1. _____Competition____ Two humans fight for the last bag of chips.
2. ____Commensalism______ Some birds use abandoned nests built by other birds.
3. ____Parasitism______ Tapeworms can be found in the intestines of animals (such as cats, dogs and humans) absorbing nutrients meant for the animal, making them very skinny.
4. ____Competition_____ Cows and horses both graze on grass.
5. ____Mutualism___ Dogs have lived with humans for thousands of years, getting food and shelter. Humans receive companionship, protection and assistance from dogs.
6. ____Predation______ Foxes hunt and kill rabbits.