How Organisms Interact

How Do Organisms Interact?

Word of the Week

Competition

Competition is an interaction between two organisms trying to get the same resource, such as food, territory, or a mate. 


Animals of the same species may compete for a mate, while two different species may compete for the same meal.

Types of Interactions

Intraspecific Interactions

Interactions between two members of the same species.

Interspecific Interactions

Interactions between members of different species.

Direct Interactions

Interactions that occur when one organism impacts another without any other organisms being involved.

Indirect Interactions

Interactions that occur when one organism impacts another organism through a third organism.

Species Spotlight

Panther Chameleon

Furcifer pardalis

Panther chameleons are some of the most colorful reptiles in the world. Found only on the island of Madagascar, these lizards have some amazing interactions with other species. Like all chameleons, panther chameleons are insectivores, meaning they mainly eat insects! Chameleons prey on insects, like grasshoppers, crickets, mantises, and walking sticks. To catch these bugs, chameleons shoot out their long, sticky tongues like an arrow. 


Chameleons can move their eyes independently from each other (one eye can look up while the other looks down - give it a try!). This allows them to keep and eye out for bugs and predators without moving their heads. Staying perfectly still also helps them hide from predators like large birds and snakes. The relationship chameleons have with insects and their predators is direct and interspecific! Chameleons may indirectly compete with other chameleons and insectivores for food and hiding spots. It can be a hard life in Madagascar, but the panther chameleon has developed some incredible strategies to help them survive!

Learn More
BRAIN BLAST

While chameleons and octopus don't interact, they do share the ability to change color. Figure out how these unrelated animals are able to change from green to red in the blink of an eye! Is it the same mechanism?

Conservation Corner

Interspecific Interactions with Humans

It is easy to forget that humans are animals and, like all other animals, impact the environment and other species. Unfortunately, many of our interspecific relationships negatively affect the other species. We directly impact other animals through hunting or changing their environment from wild spaces to cities or farms. For example, poaching (hunting) African forest elephants for their tusks and destroying their forest are direct impacts we have on their species.


Humans also indirectly impact species in many ways. When humans unsustainably take fish from the ocean, sharks lose their food supply and are indirectly affected. It is important that we focus our attention on the interactions we have with wildlife to make sure they are not negatively impacted. 

Interaction Investigation

Determine if the interactions of the bolded species below are direct or indirect.

Interaction Investigation Printable

Species Interactions Challenge

For each interaction on the worksheets below, determine if it is direct or indirect and intraspecific or interspecific by following the appropriate method.

Glossary

Competition

An interaction between organisms where both are working to obtain the same resource.

Direct Interaction

An instance where the actions of one organism impacts another.

Indirect Interaction

An instance where the actions of one organism impacts another through a third organism.

Interspecific Interaction

An instance that occurs between two different species.

Intraspecific Interaction

An instance that occurs within the same species.

Predation

A direct relationship that occurs when one organism eats another organism.

Symbiosis

An interspecific interaction where at least one species benefits.

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