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B2d - Interdependence

Terms in this set (25)

What is one reason as to why the size and distribution of any population will change over time?
Population and distribution can be affected by how well the organisms compete with each other or against other species for limited resources. Similar animals in a close habitat will be in close competition
What do animals compete for?
- Food
- Water
- Shelter
- Mates
- Dominance
- Protection or survival
What do plants compete for?
- Light
- Water
- Minerals
- Nutrients
- Space
What happens to those organisms who are better-adapted to their environment?
They will gain most of the resources and therefore be able to survive and produce offspring
What does the inerdependence of organisms determine?
Their distribution and abundance
What are the two types of competition (interdependence) and what do they mean?
- Interspecific - This is where individuals of different species compete for the same resources in an ecosystem e.g. food or space
- Intraspecific - This is where individuals from the same species are competing for the same resource.
Which competition is more significant? Interspecific or Intraspecific?
Intraspecific as the organisms have exactly the same needs
What is an ecological niche?
An organisms particular location/place and job or function within it's community
What happens if two similar organisms or species are lving in the same habitat?
They will have the same prey and nesting sites, however they will also compete to occupy the same ecological niche meaning they will be in direct competition for the resouces they need.
Give an example of two similar organisms occupying the same ecological niche
Red squirrels, which are native to the UK, and Grey squirrels which were introduced from the USA, both of these organisms were forced to compete for the same ecological niche, this has led to the red squirrels becoming an endangered species
What are predators and prey?
- Predators are animals that kill and eat other animals
- Prey are the animals that get eaten

e.g. Lynx and Snowshoe hare
What are the common relationships betwteen the predator and the prey?
- There is usually a nice balance of the two
- However the prey will always outnumber the predators
Why does the predator and prey cycle always turn back to a normal population of predators and prey?
The numbers of predator and prey will regulate each other
Describe the predators and prey cycle
- We begin with a normal population of prey which outnumbers the predators
- The number of predators increases as there is plenty of food available
- The decrease of the prey population as there are more being eaten by an increased number of predators
- Decrease in predator population as there is now not enough food
- Back to the start
Why are the peaks of the predator and prey population in the cycle out of phase?
Because the effect and consequences of their actions take time to come into effect
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