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.