Ecological Interactions and Niche Differentiation Quiz

Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both species benefit.

Niche refers to the ecological role of a species within its environment.

Predator-prey relationship involves one species hunting and consuming another for food.

Convergent evolution leads to unrelated species developing similar characteristics due to similar environmental challenges.

Biotic factors are living components of an ecosystem, like predators, prey, and competitors.

Niche encompasses the environmental conditions and resources a species can exploit within its habitat.

Decomposers break down organic matter into simpler substances, facilitating nutrient recycling in ecosystems.

Commensalism is a relationship where one species benefits while the other is neither harmed nor helped.

Co-evolution is the evolutionary process where two species influence each other's development over time.

A keystone species has a disproportionately large impact on its ecosystem relative to its abundance.

Competitive exclusion occurs when one species outcompetes another for resources, leading to the elimination of the less competitive species.

Amensalism is a relationship where one organism is harmed while the other remains unaffected.

Fundamental niche describes the full range of environmental conditions suitable for a species' survival and reproduction in the absence of competition.

Ectoparasites live on the external surface of their host organism, such as lice feeding on the skin and hair of mammals.

Niche differentiation facilitates the coexistence of diverse species within an ecosystem.

Resource partitioning involves species dividing available resources to minimize competition and coexist in an ecosystem.

Character displacement results in increased competition between species, leading to niche differentiation and reduced overlap in resource use.

Coevolution leads to the development of specialized relationships between species, facilitating their coexistence and niche differentiation.

Intraspecific competition reduces competition within a species, allowing individuals to specialize in different niches and coexist.