Community Ecology- Species Interactions

Community Ecology is one of fhe most interesting topics in all of ecology (in my opinion). The major biological interactions between species (competition, predation, and mutualism)are important because they can influence aspects of community structure such as species diversity, aspects of population biology including population size, and act as important selective pressures influencing the behavior and morphology of species.

Competition

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- identify and explain examples of exploitative and interference competition from a variety of environments (TEKS 112.43. 12 B & 12 E and TEKS 112.44. 4 A).

- define the competitive exclusion principle and explain how this principle can influence patterns of community structure (TEKS 112.43. 12 B & 12 E).

- develop curricular materials to illustrate competition in a particular environment (TEKS 112.43. 12 B & 12 E and TEKS 112.44. 4 A).

Predation

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- identify and explain examples of predation, herbivory, and parasitism from a variety of environments (TEKS 112.43. 12 B & 12 E and TEKS 112.44. 4A).

- identify examples of morphological and behavioral adaptations that animals have to help capture their food (TEKS 112.43 7B, 12B)

- identify examples of morphological, biochemical, or behavioral adaptations that animals have to protect them from predators (TEKS 112.43 7B, 12B)

- explain the role that predation plays in regulating population sizes of species (TEKS 112.43. 12 B & 12 E and TEKS 112.44 7A).

- explain how predation can influence the species richness of a community (TEKS 112.43. 12B)

- develop curricular material to illustrate predation in a chosen environment (TEKS 112.43. 12 B & 12 E and TEKS 112.44. 4A).

Mutualisms

Expected Learning Outcomes

At the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to

- identify and explain examples of mutualisms from a variety of habitats (TEKS 112.43. 12 B and 12 E).

- explain the role that mutualisms can play in determining community structure (TEKS 112.43. 12 B and 12 E).

- develop curricular materials to illustrate mutualism in a chosen environment (TEKS 112.43. 12 B and 12 E).