Communities

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Community Noun

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[kuh-myoo-ni-tee]

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Community

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A group of different populations of organisms living together and interacting with each other within a given area.

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Example: This image shows a pond community, where different species like fish, plants, and a snake live together and interact in the same environment.

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Biotic Component Noun

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[bahy-ot-ik kuhm-poh-nuhnt]

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Biotic Component

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The living or once-living parts of an ecosystem, which includes all plants, animals, fungi, and bacteria.

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Example: This image shows many examples of biotic components, which are all the living organisms in an ecosystem, such as the moose, fish, trees, and frogs.

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Interspecific Interaction Noun

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[in-ter-spi-sif-ik in-ter-ak-shuhn]

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Interspecific Interaction

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An interaction that occurs between members of different species living together within a community.

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Example: This image compares interspecific competition (different species competing) with intraspecific competition (same species competing) using several examples for each.

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Competition Noun

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[kom-pi-tish-uhn]

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Competition

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An interaction where organisms of two different species use the same limited resource, which negatively affects both participants.

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Example: A lion and a pack of hyenas confront each other, showing interspecific competition where two different species struggle for the same limited resources.

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Predation Noun

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[pri-dey-shuhn]

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Predation

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An interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts, kills, and consumes another organism, the prey.

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Example: A predator, the lion, hunts and attacks its prey, the zebra, which is a key interaction within an ecological community.

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Herbivory Noun

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[hur-biv-uh-ree]

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Herbivory

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A form of predation in which an organism, typically an animal, consumes parts of a plant or alga.

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Example: This diagram shows herbivory by illustrating an herbivore (deer) consuming a producer (grass) for energy within a community's food chain.

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Symbiosis Noun

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[sim-bahy-oh-sis]

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Symbiosis

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A long-term, close, and intimate biological interaction between two different species living in close physical association.

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Example: A clownfish lives safely among a sea anemone's stinging tentacles, showing a close relationship where two different species live together in a community.

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Mutualism Noun

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[myoo-choo-uh-liz-uhm]

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Mutualism

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A symbiotic relationship in which both participating species derive a benefit from their interaction with each other.

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Example: In this mutualistic relationship, ants protect and transport aphids, while the aphids provide a food source for the ants, benefiting both species.

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Commensalism Noun

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[kuh-men-suh-liz-uhm]

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Commensalism

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A symbiotic relationship where one species benefits while the other species is neither significantly harmed nor helped.

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Example: Cattle egrets follow large grazing animals like this buffalo, eating insects the buffalo stirs up. The egrets benefit, while the buffalo is unaffected.

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Parasitism Noun

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[par-uh-si-tiz-uhm]

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Parasitism

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A symbiotic relationship where one organism, the parasite, benefits at the expense of another organism, the host.

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Example: A mosquito (the parasite) feeds on the blood of a human (the host), benefiting itself while harming the host, which illustrates parasitism.