Ecological Relationships, Interactions and Interdependence

Symbiotic Relationships

mutualism - both species benefit ​

commensalism - one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped ​

parasitism - one species benefits and the other is harmed​

competition - neither benefits, due to struggle among organisms for the same limited resources in an ecosystem

Match

Match the following

• one species benefits and the other is neither harmed nor helped

• neither benefits, due to struggle among organisms for the same limited resources in an ecosystem

• both species benefit

• one species benefits and the other is harmed

commensalism

competition

mutualism

parasitism

• commensalism

• competition

• mutualism

• parasitism

Multiple Choice

Cattle egrets forage (feed) in fields among cattle. The egret gets easy access to flying insects stirred up by the cattle, and the cattle don't care if they are there or not.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• competition
• parasitism

Multiple Choice

Woodpeckers and squirrels both live in holes and open spaces in trees.

• mutualism
• commensalism
• competition
• parasitism

Multiple Choice

What type of symbiosis?  Hummingbirds feed on nectar from flowers.  The flowers are pollinated by hummingbirds as they move from flower to flower.

• commensalism
• mutualism
• parasitism
• competition

Multiple Choice

Select the best symbiotic relationship that these two organisms would express

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

Multiple Choice

Select the best symbiotic relationship that these two organisms would express

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

Predator - Prey

The predator prey relationship consists of the interactions between two species.

The words “predator” and “prey” describe the roles in a relationship between two species.
In this relationship, one species eats the other. The predator is the species that does the eating. The prey is the one that gets eaten.

Multiple Choice

Predator and prey populations are linked. For example, if the number of prey decreases, then the number of predators will ___________

• increase

• decrease

• stay the same

Multiple Choice

In this food web, the owl, who is a predator receives energy from which organisms?

• grasshopper and mouse
• mouse and rabbit
• rabbit and butterfly
• butterfly and frog

Match

Match the following

• Competition

• Predator-Pray

• Mutualism

A lion and a hyena pack fight over a fresh kill.

An anteater consuming the ants in an anthill

Bacteria in our gut that helps us digest food

• A lion and a hyena pack fight over a fresh kill.

• An anteater consuming the ants in an anthill

• Bacteria in our gut that helps us digest food