Community Interactions Review (Unit 4)

Front

What is commensalism?

Back

A type of symbiosis where one organism benefits while the other is neither helped nor harmed. Example: Remora fish attaching to sharks.

Front

What is primary succession?

Back

The process of ecological change that occurs in an area where no soil exists, such as after a volcanic eruption.

Front

What does it mean for an ecosystem to be sustainable?

Back

It means the ecosystem can maintain its structure and function over time without external inputs.

Front

What is mutualism?

Back

A symbiotic relationship where both organisms benefit. Example: Flowers and pollinating insects.

Front

What is a biotic factor in an ecosystem?

Back

A living component that affects the ecosystem, such as the type of food an organism eats.

Front

What is parasitism?

Back

A type of symbiosis where one organism benefits at the expense of another. Example: A tick feeding on a mammal.

Front

What is predation?

Back

An interaction where one organism (the predator) kills and eats another organism (the prey).

Front

What is ecological niche?

Back

The role and position a species has in its environment, including all interactions with biotic and abiotic factors.

Front

What is secondary succession?

Back

The process of ecological change that occurs in an area where a disturbance has destroyed an existing community but left the soil intact.

Front

What is a climax community?

Back

A stable and mature community that undergoes little or no change in species over time.