What is Ecology?
Ecology is a branch of biology that studies interactions of organisms with other organisms and their environment.
Community Interactions in an Ecosystem
One form of an interaction found in an ecosystem is predation. Predation is when one animal (the predator) hunts and kills another animal (the prey) for food. Another form of interaction is symbiosis, which is a close relationship between two organisms that usually lasts for a long period of time. There are three forms of symbiosis: mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism. Mutualism is a relationship among two organisms in which they both benefit, such as oxpeckers and zebras. Oxpeckers eat the bugs and parasites off the zebra. The oxpecker benefits because it has a steady supply of food, and the zebra benefits because it has its parasites removed. Commensalism is a relationship among two organisms where one benefits and the other is simply neutral, such as barnacles and whales. Barnacles attach to whales as a mode of transportation, while in no way harming or benefiting the whale. Parasitism is a relationship among two organisms where one benefits and the other is harmed, such as tapeworms and dogs. The tapeworm benefits by deriving food from its host, while the tapeworms cause the dog to lose weight, malnutrition, and even disease. Lastly, another form of interaction in an ecosystem is competition. When two organisms occupy the same niche, or role, the compete. They can compete over a mate, resources, etc.
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Where the Nine Banded Armadillo Live?
The nine banded armadillo lives in terrestrial ecosystems. "Armadillos live in temperate and warm habitats, including rain forests, grasslands, and semi-deserts" [1]. The armadillo tends to avoid extremely wet or extremely dry areas. Due to the armadillo's burrowing and digging behavior, they often live in places based off of its suitable soil. Because the nine banded armadillo's body temperate is lower than most mammals, they cannot tolerate the cold for long and must live in warm places. At 71 degrees Fahrenheit, an armadillo will even begin to shiver! "The amount of rainfall in the area is also important to determining armadillo habitat. It has been estimated that they prefer to live in climates that provide up to 38 cm of rainfall annually" [2]. This is because the rain affects the amount of available food and the soil conditions.
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What Type of "Feeder" is an Armadillo?In an ecosystem, there are producers (plants), primary consumers (animals that eat producers; herbivores), secondary consumers (animals that eat the producers and secondary consumers), and tertiary consumers (animals that eat producers, primary consumers, and secondary consumers) are usually the top of the food chain. The armadillo is a secondary consumer, eating plants, small reptiles, and small mammals.
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What is an Armadillo's Niche and how does it Interact with Other Animals?
An organism's niche is its habitat ad the role it play in its habitat. An armadillo's niche includes its removal of harmful fire ants, which they eat, protecting other animals around them. Armadillos often compete with skunks, because they eat similar meals. "Armadillos have also been known to raid the nests of various species and so could harm populations of ground-nesting birds such as quail" [3]. The nine banded armadillo also interacts and competes with members from its own species. Males often defend their homes and compete over females by kicking, clawing, and chasing each other. Pregnant and lactating females may also attack other females and younger armadillos.
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