Organisms and Interactions in an Environment

​Each organism has a unique role to play in an ecosystem. That is called the organism's niche.

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​A niche can include the species' physical home, the environmental factors necessary for the species' survival and all of the species' interactions with other organisms.

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​Niche can also be...

​A niche can also be thought of an organism's function role - for example a bison is a grazing herbivore on American grasslands, lions interact with hyenas in the african savanna, etc.

Open Ended

What are these organisms competing for?

Open Ended

Explain how the relationship between the clownfish and sea anemone is an example of mutualism.

​The remora fish are benefitted - get a 'free' ride and food scraps from the shark.

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​The shark is not benefitted or harmed by the fish.

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

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
• predation

Multiple Choice

Red-billed oxpeckers are birds that often feed on parasites that infest impala.  This is an example of _______.

• commensalism
• mutualism
• neutralism
• competition

Multiple Choice

A relationship between two organisms in which both organisms benefit. 

• Mutualism 
• Competition
• Parasitsm 
• Commensalism 

Multiple Choice

When a mosquito bites you, you are the __________ and the mosquito is the  ____________.

• host, hostess
• parasite, host
• host, parasite
• prey, predator

Multiple Choice

Clown fish live among anemones, acting as a lure for the sea anemone's prey. The clown fish get protection and shelter from the anemone. This is an example of which type of symbiosis?

• Commensalism

• Mutualism

• Parasitism

Multiple Choice

Hookworms enter the human body by burrowing into the skin of the feet. Once in the skin, they enter the bloodstream and travel to the small intestine where they attach to the walls and begin to drink the person's blood and weaken the victim.

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

Multiple Choice

Lichens are close associations of fungi and algae. The fungi hold the water supply and the algae perform photosynthesis to manufacture carbohydrates for both organisms.

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

Multiple Choice

In the jungles of South America lives a thorn tree call an acacia. A species of ant eats secretions of the acacia, drinks its sap, and raises its young in the hollow thorns. The ants also keep competing vines from growing near the acacia tree and they help repel any insects that would damage the acacia tree.

• mutualism

• commensalism

• parasitism

Multiple Choice

Which of he following interactions demonstrates a PARASITIC relationship?

• A mosquito sucking blood from a warm blooded animal.
• A group of baby otters floating together to help warm each other in the cold waters.
• Many fish swimming together to protect each other from predators.
• Two hyenas fighting over a female to mate with.

Multiple Choice

Mockingbirds will push the eggs out of a blue bird's nest and use the nest for it's own babies illustrating...

• commensalism

• parasitism

• mutualism

• predation