Chapter 37, Problem 1CC

Fill in the blanks in the table below summarizing the interspecific interactions in a community.

Summary Introduction

To complete: The blanks summarizing the interspecific interactions in a community.

Introduction: While surviving in an ecosystem, many species interact with each other. These interactions can be mutually beneficial or harmful for one or the other. There are five main types of interspecific interactions, namely, predation, competition, herbivory, parasitism, and mutualism.

Answer to Problem 1CC

Tabular representation: Table 1 represents the interspecific interactions in a community as follows:

Interspecific interactions	Effect on species 1	Effect on species 2	Examples
Predation	+	-	Osprey/fish
Competition	-	-	Hyenas/vultures
Herbivory	+	-	Deer/shrub
Parasitism	+	-	Tapeworm/horse
Mutualism	+	+	Clown fish/anemone

Table 1 Depicts the interspecific interactions in a community.

Explanation of Solution

The five types of interspecific interactions are as follows:

Predation: In predative interspecific interactions, one species preys on the other species for food or territory. It is a type of +/- interaction where one species benefits and the other species does not benefit. For example: interaction between a deer and a lion is predation.

Competition: It is the competitive interspecific interaction where two different types of species are competing for the same resource. Neither of them benefits from this, so it is a type of -/- interaction. For example: the interaction between vulture and hyenas.

Herbivory: It is the interaction between the herbivores and the plants. This interaction is a type of +/- interaction where the deer is benefited while the plant is not. For example: an interaction between deer and grass is herbivory.

Parasitism: It is parasitic form of interspecific interaction that involves one organism using the other for food and shelter. One organism such as the tapeworm inhabits the gut or any other part of the other organism such as the horse. This interaction is a +/- interactions, where only one is benefitted.

Mutualism: In this interaction, the organisms that are interacting are mutually beneficial for each other. One species provides one factor, while the other species provides another factor, for example, in the case of mycorrhiza, the fungus is in mutual interaction with the roots of the gymnosperm tree. The fungal element provides minerals and water from the soil, while the tree provides the nutrients. It is a +/+ form of interaction as both the organisms are benefitted.