ABSTRACT:
In this article, we aim to discuss about various community interactions of specie in an ecosystem that are essential to maintain balance in the nature. One specie is food of other so it is necessary to elaborate the importance of community interaction. We also found the mechanisms used by organisms for their defense and protection. They used various approaches as predation, commensalism, parasitism and mutualism to dominate in ecosystem.
INTRODUCTION:
The ecosystems run because of the community interactions between specie i.e. one specie may harm the other specie , benefits the other or sometime very rarely one has no effect on other (parasitism , mutualism and commensalism ). These interaction are necessary to maintain food web and bring equity in cycle of nature. https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/ecologists-study-the-interactions-of-organisms-and-13235586
1. COMPETITION:
It is a type of community interaction in ecosystem in which species compete for resources such as food, shelter and for life . It may results in loss of one specie from the ecosystem. The competition basically limit the growth and survival rate of specie. Example :Grasshopper and bison compete for the grass.
2. COMPETITIVE EXCLUSION-COMMUNITY INTERACTIONS IN ECOSYSTEM:
A slight physical or reproductive advantage can sometime cause eradication of inferior element of competition, this is called competitive exclusion. For example: Paramecium Aurelia has a competitive edge in obtaining food over Paramecium caudatum. In separate culture both species show rapid growth but in same culture p. Aurelia growth has a competitive edge over the p. caudatum.
3. PREDATION:
When one specie capture and kill the other one for food it is called predation. In predation one specie is benefited and other is harmed. The one which kill the other is called predator. The one which is killed for food is called prey and the phenomenon of interaction is called predation. For example: dolphins chasing and eating fishes.
a. ADAPTATION OF PREDATORS:
Many predators have developed sense that help them to locate the prey. Many predators have physical adaptations as claws ,horns teeth and fangs etc. Some organisms have special organ e.g. rattle snake have heat sensing organs to locate prey.
b. ADAPTATIONS OF PREY:
Prey also have some adaptations that help them to protect themselves from predators.
Cryptic coloration also called camouflage make prey difficult to find. Aposematic coloration i.e. is warning or bright colors that a predator found it danger to prey. Example: poisonous dart frog. Mullerian mimicry is a phenomenon in which a less dangerous specie resemble a dangerous specie so predator adopt to avoid less dangerous specie ,assuming it to be dangerous. Example cuckoo bee and yellow jacket resemble each other.
4. HERBIVORY:
It is an interaction in which organism interact by plant community i.e. one specie eat the grass or plant for food. For example: large bison , grasshopper etc. eat grass.
a. ADAPTATIONS OF HERBIVORE PREDATORS:
Many herbivore have chemical sensors on their foots to detect the danger of poisonous plant. Some organisms have sense of smell to distinguish between tasty and tasteless plant. Some have developed digestive system for processing vegetation.
b. ADAPTATIONS OF PREY PLANT:
The plants have features as spines and thrones. Some plant have bad smell so predators assume it to be tasteless as well. Some plants have chemical weapons for defense. Example: locoweeds have selenium toxins.
5. SYMBIOSIS:
The interaction in which two species are in direct contact. Some biologist consider symbiosis synonym of mutualism.
a. PARASITISM:
When one organism is parasite, get nutrition, food and shelter from the host and in return harm them , their interaction is called parasitism. Parasites are of following types: Endoparasite are parasites that live within the body of host. For example: tapeworm. Ectoparasites are parasites that live outside the body and take its food from inside the host. Example: ticks and mites feed on blood of host.
b. MUTUALISM:
In mutualism both species get benefited. For example: photosynthesis by unicellular algae in corals.
1. OBLIGATE MUTUALISM:
It is the type in which one specie cannot survives without the interaction with other, is left by the only option to depend on other specie. Example: termite and microorganisms in it’s digestive system.
2. FACULTATIVE MUTUALISM:
In this type both species can survive alone. For example: acacia and ant.
c. COMMENCIALISM:
In this type one specie get benefited however other is neither benefited nor harmed. Commensalism is interaction that is very rarely seen in nature but they exist. Example: hitchhikers as algae live on shells of turtles. Algae find space to grow but in return never harm or benefits the turtle specie.
CONCLUSION:
There are many ways in which species interact according to their needs. They may harm ,benefit or some time relax the other specie according to their desire of food . We get to know that how various species compete for the resources in order to dominate in ecosystem . If we learn ant study these interaction we will cope the danger of extinction of threatened species.
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Chapin, F. S., Matson, P. A. et al. Principles of Terrestrial Ecosystem Ecology. New York, NY: Springer Science+Business Media Inc., 2002.
