Chapter 4. Evolution, Biological Communities
and Species Interactions
Chapter 4.1 Objectives. Evolution produces species diversity
1. Explain how abiotic factors within a particular biome influence the organisms’ adaptations required for
survival.
2. Describe how natural selection leads to evolution.
3. Using an organism describe how limiting factors determine the range of conditions where a species can
survive.
4. Explain how disruptive, selective, and directional selection illustrates evolution.
Chapter 4.2 Objectives. Species interactions shape biological communities
1. Explain how interspecific competition leads to resource partitioning while intraspecific competition
leads to evolution.
2. Explain how predatory relationships change as organisms grow and develop.
3. Describe three types of symbiotic relationships
4. Describe the ecological niche of specialist, generalist, indicator, keystone, and non-native species.
Chapter 4.3 Objectives. Community properties affect species and populations
1. Contrast the abundance and diversity of species at the equator with species at the poles.
2. Describe the spatial structures of plant communities.
3. Describe the cause and effects of clustered, random, and uniform patterns of populations .
4. Describe how the edge effect and the ecotone define a community.
Chapter 4.4 Objectives. Communities are dynamic and change over time
1. Compare and contrast primary and secondary succession
Vocabulary
Acclimation
Adaptation
Climax community
Coevolution
Commensalism
Competitive exclusion principle
Directional selection
Disruptive selection
Disturbance –adapted species
Ecological Niche
Evolution
Generalist Species
Habitat
Host
Indicator species
Keystone species
Limiting factor
Mutualism
Natural selection
Non-native invasive species
Optimal range
Parasitism
Pioneer species
Primary succession
Range of tolerance
Resource partitioning
Secondary succession
Selection pressures
Specialist species
Speciation
Succession
Symbiosis
Sympatric speciation
Thomas Malthus
Zone of intolerance
Zone of physiological
stress