In the ecosystem, single species can not survive. There is a minimum requirement of one more species on which they can feed. Even, autotrophs such as plants can not survive alone, they need soil microorganisms to break down the organic matter into simple inorganic matter. They need animals such as bees to pollinate.
Hence animals, plants, and microorganisms are interdependent; there is many interactive linkages exist.
Interaction between two species can be beneficial, detrimental, or neutral; these relations are called symbiosis relations.
The following are possible interactions:
- Mutualism
- Competition
- Predation
- Parasitism
- Commensalism
- Amensalims
Mutualism:
The interaction in which both interactor species get benefitted is called mutualism.
For example,
- Lichens have a mutualistic relationship with fungus and photosynthesizing algae. The fungus helps the plants to absorb the nutrients from the soil while plants provide energy to the fungus.
- Plants-animal interaction is mutualistic and co-evolution; Animals help with pollination and dispersion of seeds by using flower nectar.
Competition:
- Both species lose in the competition in their interaction with each other.
- Competition is a way of struggle and the existence of survival of the fittest. Darwin's principle also supported this.
- Competition either happens when closely related species compete for the same limited resources or it may happen totally unrelated species could also compete for the same resources.
- The Abingdon tortoise in Galapagos Islands became extinct within a decade after goats were introduced to the island because of the greater efficiency of the goat. Closely related species competing for the same resource can not co-exist indefinitely. An inferior one would be eventually extinct.
- In general, herbivores and plants are more affected by competition than carnivores.
Predation:
- Predation is short terms interactions in which a predator kills and eats prey.
- Only predator species get benefitted from the interaction. Predation is the way to transfer the energy from one trophic level to the next trophic level.
- Apart from the transfer of energy across the trophic level, it also keeps the prey population under control.
- Particular species become invasive and spread very fast because it does not have a natural predator.
- For example, the Prickly pear cactus was introduced in Australia in 1920 became invasive, and spread into millions of hectares of land. To control the spreading, the cactus feeding predator is Moth was introduced.
- We use the pest control method to control the invasive insects in crops.
- If a predator is too efficient then prey will extinct and ultimately predator will also extinct for lack of food.
For example,
- Birds eating plant seeds.
- Animal eating plants; Herbivorse is a predator of plants.
- Tiger eating deer.
Parasitism:
- Only one Parasitism species get benefitted from the interaction.
- Parasite mode of life means free lodging and meal. Many parasite species are evolved into single host species,; if the host evolves the special mechanism to reject the parasite, the parasite has also evolved the same to counter and neutralized.
- The majority of parasite harms the host.
For example,
- The malarial parasite needs a mosquito to spread to other hosts.
- Cuscuta, a parasitic plant that is commonly found in plants, it derives nutrients from host plants.
- Brood parasitism in birds; parasitic bird lays its eggs in the nest of its host and lets the host incubate them.
Commensalism:
Commensalism is a type of interaction in which one species benefits and another species is neither harmed nor benefitted.
For examples,
- Orchid growing as an epiphyte on Mango tree.
- Barnacles grow on the back of the whale.
- Cattle egret and grazing cattle
Here mango trees, whales, and grazing cattle are unaffected.
Amensalism:
Amensalism is one type of interaction in which one species is harmed and another is unaffected.
For example,
- The root of Walnut trees secrete antibiotics that harm the surrounding plants.
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