Species Interactions,

Ecological Succession,
and Population Control
WEEK 4 ACTIVITY

SUBMITTED BY:
MARIELA MAE PEÑAFIEL

SUBMITTED TO:
MR. NOMER D. CABREROS
 LET’S INITIATE!

1.) Define parasitism, mutualism, and commensalism and give an example of

each.
Parasitism is an association of organisms where one organism is benefitted
at the expense of other. For example, lice in the scalp of the human.
Mutualism is an association of organisms wherein both are benefitted. For
example, Rhizobium and legumes.
Commensalism refers to the association of organisms wherein one
organism is benefitted while other remains unaffected. For example, Whale
and barnacles

2.) Differentiate the primary ecological succession from the secondary

ecological succession and give an example to each.

Primary succession occurs in an environment without previous life, or a

barren habitat. Secondary succession occurs in an area that had
previously been inhabited but experienced a disturbance, such as a
wildfire. The newly created volcanic island has no previous life, and is
made of rock, devoid of soil.

3.) Differentiate the r-selected species and the K-selected species and give an
example to each.

You can see r- and K-selected strategies clearly by looking at different

organisms within a phylogenetic group, such as the mammals. For example,
elephants are highly K-selected, whereas mice are much more r-selected.
Among the fishes, most, like the salmon, are r-selected.
 LET’S INQUIRE!

1.) How would you reply to someone who argues that we should not worry

about the effects that human activities have on natural systems because

ecological succession will repair whatever damage we do?

I’d ask them to explain why they believe that and to give me examples of

where they think they’ve seen it take place. Sometimes, that is what will

happen. Most of the time, however, succession will happen, but the plants

growing in are invasives that cannot support the local, native wildlife’s

ability to reproduce. Habitat is either too fragmented or too invaded for

that to happen most of the time.

 LET’S INFER!

List two factors that may limit human population growth in the future. Do you
think that we are close to reaching those limits? Explain.

Limiting factors can be physical, biological, density dependent,

or density independent. These factors include food, water,

living space, disease, predation, and natural disasters.

If the human species were to suffer a population crash, what are three species
that might move in to occupy part of our ecological niche?

Let us take a look at this question, so the question says: if human

species would suffer a population grass, what are the 3 species that
might move in the occupy part of the ecological nice? So probably it
will be robable ominious. They will replace human sneakin.
Environment is complicated, so human nick in involment is
complicated, because humans are all over the world, because humans
are all over the word. Now. It is hard to find out a species that can
replace humans. There might be some keystone species, so there
might be some keystone species that can replace humans and this
keyponeskeystone species who are able to change environment that
once changed by human ends, so that can replace by humans and
keystone species who are able to change in forment. That once
changed by humans in some as to make a new environment for other
species, so this is the answer.