4. Amoeba Sisters Ecological Relationships

Front

What type of ecological relationship is characterized by both organisms benefiting from the interaction?

Back

Mutualism

Front

What is the term for a symbiotic relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another?

Back

Parasitism

Front

In which type of symbiotic relationship does one organism benefit while the other is neither helped nor harmed?

Back

Commensalism

Front

What happens to the predator population when the prey population increases?

Back

The predator population increases because it has a plentiful food source.

Front

What is the term for the struggle between organisms to obtain the same resource?

Back

Competition

Front

What is an example of mutualism in nature?

Back

Cleaner shrimp and larger fish, where both benefit from the cleaning process.

Front

Define parasitism and provide an example.

Back

Parasitism is a relationship where one organism benefits and the other is harmed; for example, a tick feeding on a mammal.

Front

What is the difference between commensalism and mutualism?

Back

In commensalism, one organism benefits while the other is unaffected, whereas in mutualism, both organisms benefit.

Front

How does competition affect population dynamics in an ecosystem?

Back

Competition can limit the growth of populations as organisms vie for limited resources.

Front

What is the role of predators in an ecosystem?

Back

Predators help control the population of prey species, maintaining balance in the ecosystem.