6.1: Biotic Interactions

Last updated

Sep 5, 2022
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- 6: Communities
- 6.1.1: Trophic Interactions

Melissa Ha and Rachel Schleiger
Yuba College & Butte College via ASCCC Open Educational Resources Initiative

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Biotic interactions refer to the relationships among organisms. They can be intraspecific (between members of the same species) or interspecific (between members of different species). When at least one of the interactants is harmed, the relationship is called an antagonism. Trophic interactions, in which one species consumes another, are antagonisms. Competition is another antagonism in which species at the same trophic level (that eat the same things) interact through using the same resources. Interactions in which at least one species benefits and neither is harmed are called facilitation, which can be categorized as commensalism or mutualism.

Vegetation surrounding water at Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge

A Light-Footed Clapper Rail standing in muddy water near cordgrass — Figure $\PageIndex{a}$ : A variety of biotic interactions occur among the species at The Seal Beach National Wildlife Refuge (top). For example, the Light-Footed Clapper Rail (bottom) benefits from the cordgrass in which it nests. However, predators such as red foxes harm this endangered bird. The refuge manages this harmful interaction by installing fencing to exclude the red fox, which historically did not occur in the area. Top image and bottom image by US Fish & Wildlife Service (public domain).

Attribution

Modified by Melissa Ha from Community Ecology from Environmental Biology by Matthew R. Fisher (licensed under CC-BY)

Biotic interactions

6.1.1: Trophic Interactions
Trophic interactions relate to feeding and include predation, herbivory, and parasitism. They are represented in food chains and food webs.
6.1.2: Competition
Competition occurs between organisms on the same trophic level that share resources. When two species have the same role in a community, competitive exclusion will occur, resulting in the local extinction of one species.
6.1.3: Facilitation
Commensalism occurs when one species benefits, and the other is unharmed. In contrast, both species in a mutualism benefit.
6.1.4: Symbiosis
There are many cases in which two species live in close association for long periods. Such associations are called symbiotic. In symbiosis, at least one member of the pair benefits from the relationship. The other member may be injured (parasitism), relatively unaffected (commensalism) or may also benefit (mutualism).

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