Community Ecology

Community ecology refers to the biotic interactions among an assemblage of different species. This assemblage includes animals, plants, microbes, and fungi. Community ecologists are interested in those factors that influence the species richness (total number of different species) of a community and the relative abundance of each of these species. Species richness and relative abundance of each species are combined to describe species diversity.

How would you begin to determine the species diversity of an African savanna community, such as the Serengeti, home to several large felids? This diagram may help you appreciate the complexity of the problem?

Community ecologists study the interspecific interactions of organisms, including coevolution, the reciprocal coadaptations of interacting organisms. Examples of interspecific interactions include predator-prey models, parasitism, mutualism, commensalism, mimicry, competition, ecological succession and energetics

Which of these questions would you think are important in understanding the ecological role of cheetahs?

Species diversity is necessary to the future of cheetahs!

How well do cheetahs compete with other species?

Why do cheetahs primarily hunt Thomson's gazelles instead of zebras which are larger in size?

What are the primary predators of the cheetah?

Are cheetahs keystone predators?

Is camouflage important for cheetahs?