Question

I need help with all parts

2(a). Two species have similar niches, yet neither extirpates the other. List two reasons why this might be?

(b). A Müllerian mimic can have aposematic coloration. Describe what this organism might look like and/or how it might behave.

(c)An organism can have both cryptic and aposematic coloration. Describe what this organism might look like and/or how it might behave.

(d)In Southeast Asia, there is an old saying: “There is only one tiger to a hill.” In terms of energy flow in ecosystems, explain why big predatory animals such as tigers and sharks are relatively rare.

(e)Your friend tells you that keystone species are the most abundant species. How do you respond?

Answer 1

Ans 2a) If the two species have similar niche but still they coexist together and neither one is eliminated because :

1) Thw two competing species for the same niche can coexist together by Niche differentiation. (Without such differentiation,there will be competition between the two sepecies for food,space etc and can eliminate one another).

2) Due to evolution, the two competing species for the same resources will eventually diverge in those characteristics that overlap and thereby reducing the competition.This is known as character displacement.

Ans 2b) Mullerian mimicry usually is observed in mimetic species and they are offensive and unpleasant or obnoxious. Inmimicry, one individual of species gains advantage by looking like an individual of different species. For example, Bees,wasps, hornets etc all look alike.

Ans 2c) By cryptic coloration or camouflage, the prey becomes difficult to spot and camouflages with the background to avoid eaten by the predator or even sometimes may appear in bright colours which is usually a sign of toxic species or organisms.This is also known as aposematic or warning coloration.

Ans 2d) If we analyze the energy flow model,only 10% of energy is passed to next trophic level starting from Environment - Plants - Herbivores - carnivores - Top carnivores (or big animals) and rest of the energy is returned to the environment as heat.If this 10% law occurs, there would not be enough energy passed to the Top carnivores as compared to their size. Thus,they are few in number. If their (Predator) number increases, they will consume all the Preys available and when the prey number decreases,the predator also die (due to lack of food).This is also known as prey predator relationship.

Ans 2e) Keystone species plays a crucial role in the community.The loss of keystone species can lead to sharp decrease in the population and the other species dependent on the keystone species will also go extinct. Keystone species can be plants,big animals etc. Coral reefs can also be considered as a keystone species.They are present abundantly in the oceans (mostly in unpolluted water) and many zooplanktons,fishes live in the coral reefs and also depend on it for space,nutrients,etc. If coral reefs are destroyed, phytoplanktons,zooplanktons can also get destroyed and top-down and bottom up control of trophic structure can get impaired.