Study Questions for Biotic Interactions
1.
Distinguish among negative, positive and exploitative biological
interactions.
2.
As a population ecologist, would you be most likely to be studying
interspecific competition or intraspecific competition?
3.
Do plants usually compete through exploitation competition or
interference? Why?
4.
What kind of interaction is allelopathy?
Describe in general how it works.
5.
Discuss 4 ways in which
species might be able to exist next to each other even though their niches
overlap considerably.
6.
Why is it important to study competition in a realistic context (i.e.,
outside in a natural setting)?
7.
Explain the dynamics of lynx-snowshoe hare population cycling (what
causes the patterns of population changes?).
8.
What 2 general kinds of defenses have plants evolved to deter herbivores?
Describe 1 example of each type.