Population Interactions

Population interaction in the ecosystem occurs between the populations which interact with one another living in a community. Population interactions are divided into several types. There are two kinds of factors- biotic and abiotic factors. Different kinds of population interaction affect a lot to the abiotic factor which constitutes the ecosystem. Some of the population interactions are Competition, Predation, Camouflage, Symbiosis, and so on.

Populations

A population is formed by the combination of a group of organisms of the same species.  An individual may have birth and deaths but a population has birth rates and death rates. In population, these rates refer to per capita births and deaths. These rates are the change in numbers that increases or decreases with respect to the member of the population. The population is composed of individuals of different age groups. If age distribution is plotted for the population the structure is known as the age pyramid. 

Population Interactions in the Ecosystem

This type of interaction occurs between different populations which affects the organisms in a community. Interspecific interaction occurs from the interaction of the population of two different species of organisms in the ecosystem. There are two types of factors in the environment – biotic (biological) and abiotic (physical) factors. There are some factors that are important and needed for living beings to survive such as water, soil, carbon dioxide, oxygen, and so on. Different types of population and their interaction affects the abiotic factors in the ecosystem. Some of the major modes of interaction between different populations are mentioned below:

Competition

This is a kind of interaction that occurs between two or more two types of species when they compete with each other. These competitions are for limited resources. Resources can be water, food, or prey. Competition is categorized into different types:

• Inference Competition
• Exploitation Competition
• Apparent Competition

Predation

Predation is defined as a type of interaction between species where there is a full dependency on one kind of species over the other for their survival. The one which gets preyed on for food is known as the prey and the other which feeds on the prey is known as the predator. The food chains and food webs are based on the concept that predators is depended on other species for food in the entire life cycle. Living organisms have their own strategies for attacking and defending which they use to hunt weaker species. Predator and prey are applied to plant and animal relationships. For example – a cow feeding on grass.

Camouflage

Camouflage means ‘to disguise’. It is defined as a defense survival strategy where a species develop structural adaptation which helps them to blend with the environment to be safe and hide from predators. For example – lizards, frogs, chameleons, and so on hides themselves from predators.

Symbiosis 

Symbiosis in the Greek language means to live together. There are many species which are depended on each other for survival. These types of species are depended on each other for food. The different types of symbiosis in population interaction are :

• Parasitism – It is an interaction in which one organism feeds off another organism. An organism that feeds on other species is known as a parasite and the prey species are known as the host. This is a case of one-sided symbiosis. Parasites multiply and cause harm to the hosts.
• Mutualism – It is a kind of interaction that occurs between two or more types of species of organisms. In these types of interactions, each type of species benefits in some or other way from another other species. It is a common type of ecological interaction. 
• Commensalism – This is a special kind of interaction where two or more species are dependent on each other for food and survival and both get benefitted, without harming each other.

FAQs on Population Interaction

Q1: Define Population. 

Answer:

Population is defined as the group of individuals living together. Population is composed of individual of different age groups. If age distribution is plotted for the population the structure is known as age pyramid. Population forms a community which is responsible for the operation of ecosystem.

Q2: Define Population Interactions.

Answer:

Population Interaction is the type of interaction between the different population which effects the organisms which are in a community on one another. Interspecific interaction occurs from the interaction of population of two different species of organism in the ecosystem. 

Q3: Name the types of Population interaction.

Answer:

The types of population interaction are as follows:

• Competition
• Predation
• Camouflage
• Symbiosis