Week 5- Ecological Relationships & Population Dynamics

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What is mutualism?

Back

A relationship in which both organisms involved benefit from the interaction.

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What is an example of mutualism?

Back

Termites have bacteria in their gut that help them digest wood, while the bacteria receive nutrients and a safe environment.

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What are biotic factors?

Back

The living portions of an ecosystem, including plants, animals, and microorganisms.

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What happens when a population exceeds its carrying capacity?

Back

The population starts to die off until the numbers are below the carrying capacity.

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What is symbiosis?

Back

A close interaction between two different species, which can be mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic.

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What is commensalism?

Back

A relationship where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed.

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What is parasitism?

Back

A relationship where one organism benefits at the expense of another organism.

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What is carrying capacity?

Back

The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.

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What is predation?

Back

A biological interaction where one organism (the predator) hunts and eats another organism (the prey).

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What is biodiversity?

Back

The variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem, including the number of different species.