Answer:
1. Trophic level
There are basically five trophic levels in a typical food web in relation to organisms primary source of energy. In other words, there are several trophic levels an organism can occupy in a food chain which depicts the number of steps it is from the start of the food chain which starts with primary producers (i.e. plants). The next trophic level after that is where you find herbivores (i.e. animals that feed on plants). And the level continues as such as you have more organisms on the food chain relying on organisms that are on the previous trophic level for their nutritional needs.
2. Commenalism
A typical example of commenalism is the one-sided symbiotic relationship between cattle and cattle egrets. The cattle egrets feed on insects being disturbed as the cattle graze on forage while the cattle remain unharmed.
3. Interspecies competition
Interspecies competition is bound to occur if two or more organisms occupy the same niche or environment leading to a struggle for the limited resources needed to survive.
4. Ecological succession
Virtually all ecological communities have undergone succession, which involves the introduction of new physical features and biological components into an area. Ecological succession could be primary or secondary. There is usually a progression from a less stable community to a community that is more stable.
5. Ecosystem
An ecosystem consists of two major components: biotic components such as community of living organisms and abiotic components which make up the environment of living organisms. Living organisms interact with abiotic components of the ecosystem through energy flows and nutrient cycles to keep the ecosystem alive and functional.
6. Ecological Resilience
Forces such as fires, insect infestation, human activities, wild fires etc. can disturb an ecosystem’s balance. In reaction to such forces, an ecosystem having resilience has the ability to respond to such disturbances through mechanisms that help restore the ecosystem back to its equilibrium state.
7. Hypothesis
An hypothesis is a statement of guess made to explain an observation. It can be tested or verified through evidence from experiments or researches to give a more informed facts that could either prove the statement as false or support the statement.
8. Mutualism
Mutualism is a symbiotic relationship where both parties benefit from the relationship. An example of mutualism is the symbiotic relationship between nitrogen fixing bacteria and leguminous plants. The bacteria helps in converting nitrogen into compounds like ammonia for easy absorption by the roots of the leguminous plants. The leguminous plants provide a conducive and favorable environment for such bacteria to thrive.
9. Parasitism
In this type of relationship, the parasitic organism feeds and benefits from the host organism it is found on or in, while the host suffers harm. An example is the parasitic relationship between ticks and dogs. Dogs serve as the host. Ticks live on the skin of dogs and also suck their blood, causing irritation, anemia and discomfort to dogs
10. Predation
For example, Lions hunt and eats herbivores like antelopes. The lion is the predator while the prey is the antelope.
