EcosystemsAn ecosystem is a system formed by a group of living things interacting with each other and their non-living soroundings.
Ecosystems have three main components:
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Living things depend on each other for survival. An example of this is the relationship between termites and microscopic organisms called flagellates. Termites feed on wood and other tough plant materials.
The flagellates live inside the gut of a termites and digest the wood, and the termites absorb these digested nutrients. In return, the flagellates are interdependent- they affect one another's survival. |
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Mutualism
Mutualism is a relationship where two organisms live closely together and both benefit from it. For example, without the flagellates, the termite would not have any food. The flagellates receive food and the correct temperature and moisture levels for survival. Both organisms depend upon each other.
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Parasitism
Parasitism is a relationship where one organism lives on or in another organism ( the host ) and feeds off it. The parasite can not survive withought the organism in which it lives.. The parasite usually harms the host, but rarely kills it. For example, the caterpillar is being attacked by a wasp parasite.
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Commensalism
Commensalism is a relationship where one organism benefits and the other is unaffected. For example, the South American frog raises its tadpoles in pools of water trapped in bromeliad plants,. The plants is neither harmed nor receives benefits.
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Competition |
Predation |
Organisms are said to be in competition when they both try to obtain the same resource, which may only exist in limited amounts. Competition occurs between members of the same species and between different species. There is only a limited supply of food and resources, and so some individuals will not survive. In natural communities, competition is often fierce. There is a constant struggle for survival, and many die whether they are young or old.
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When organisms kill and eats another, the attacker is called the predator and the one being eaten is called the prey. This feeding relationship is known as predation. For example, a praying mantis preying on a cricket. The mantis is the predator and the cricket is its prey.
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Adaptions
Organisms are able to cope with the biotic and abiotic factors in their environment because they have special features that assist them to survive. These features are called adaptions. An adaption is any feature that assists an organism to survive and reproduce in its environment.
Structural adaptions
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Behavioral adaptions
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Functional adaptions
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A structual adaption is a body part that helps an organism to survive. For example, a bat has wings for flying which helps the bat to survive by giving it access to a wide range of food sources. The bats can exploit foods such as flying insects, plant fruits or nectar high in trees.
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A behavioral adaption is a feature of an organisms habits, actions or way of life that helps it. For example, the spinifex hopping mouse only comes out at night when the air has cooled, so that it does not lose water and dehydrate. The mouse avoids the heat by remaining in its burrow. This helps to slow the evaporation of moisture from the mouse.
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A functional adaption is a feature of the way an organism's body works. When you exercise, your body automatically makes your heart beat faster so that more blood is supplied to your muscles. This is a functional adaption because it is controlled automatically.
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