Interspecific interactions of two species of any population may be beneficial, detrimental or neutral. Explain each of them with the help of suitable examples.

i) Predation – In this interspecific interaction, the organisms on the higher trophic levels (predator) feed on those on the lower trophic levels (prey). So in this interaction, the benefits are rest with the predator while it is detrimental to the prey.

Example:- Herbivores are predators of the green plants (prey).

ii) Competition – In this interspecific interaction, both the species compete with each other for the same resources that are limiting. It is detrimental to both the species.

Example:- South American lakes visiting flamingos and resident fishes compete for their common food, the zooplankton in the lake.

iii) Parasitism – In this interspecific interaction, one of the species (species A) exploits the other (species B) for shelter and food. It is beneficial to species A i.e. the parasite while detrimental to the species B i.e. the host.

Example:- The lices on humans and ticks on dogs use the host body for shelter and their blood for food.

iv) Commensalism – In this interspecific interaction, one of the species is benefitted while the other is neither benefitted nor harmed.

For example, the clown fish living among the tentacles of the sea anemone gets protection from the predators which stay away from the stinging tentacles. The anemone doesn’t appear to receive any benefits or harm (i.e. neutral) from this.

v) Mutualism – In this interaction, both the species benefit each other in some ways.

For example, the mychorrhizae are associations between fungi and the roots of higher plants. The fungi help the plant in absorption of the essential nutrients from the soil while the plant provides the fungi with energy yielding carbohydrates.