(ECO) Community Interactions Lesson

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Community

Is there a vacant lot, abandoned house, or field somewhere in your hometown that has been left undisturbed over a period of time? Are there subdivisions and shopping malls being added to where forests used to be?

Think back to how it has changed over the last months or years. Perhaps it started with bare soil or some grass, and eventually, you noticed taller grasses, bushes, or even some saplings beginning to grow.

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You will learn about these changes, as well as relationships between organisms, within a community.

Community Involvement

What is a Community?

A community consists of all the interacting populations (different species) that live in a defined area. Community interactions, such as competition, predation, and various forms of symbiosis, can powerfully affect an ecosystem. A community is defined by biotic factors or living things.

Symbiosis is any close association between two species that share some sort of relationship. The three types of symbiosis are mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Click through the slides below to learn more about each type.

 

Succession

At the beginning of the lesson, we discussed how vacant areas have changed over time. This is called succession.

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Stages of Secondary Succession

In succession, we usually focus on the producers (or plants) first because they will influence the environment the most to provide habitats for animals.

The volcanic eruptions and lava flows that built the islands of Hawaii are a good example of primary succession. Take a look at the pictures below and read more about this change over time.

Initially, a volcano erupts spreading lava. Over time, lava weather and soil formation begin. Spores are blown into the area that develops into lichens. Eventually, enough soil forms to hold windblown seeds and moisture so that grasses and weeds can grow. From this point changes continue similar to secondary succession.

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Biodiversity

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Challenge and Before You Go

Practice Time! Use the knowledge you learned from the lesson to complete the practice activities below.

Before You Go - You Need To Know

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The following key points are from the explore section of the lesson. You must know the following information before moving to the next lesson. This is just a summary of the key points.
  1. What is symbiosis and what are the three types of symbiotic relationships?
    • Symbiosis is a relationship between two organisms. The three types are mutualism (both benefit), commensalism (one benefits, one neutral), and parasitism (one benefits, one harmed)
  2. What is succession?
    • Changes in an environment over time.
  3. What are the two types of succession?
    • Primary succession is where there is no previous life and begins with bare rock.
    • Secondary succession is where a climax community (stable community) is disturbed and succession begins again. A fire or earthquake can cause secondary succession to occur

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IMAGES CREATED BY GAVS (freepik)