InterdependenceSpec 9.3
In a community, species depend on one another. This is interdependence. Organisms depend on other species for food, shelter, pollination and seed dispersal.
- Animals depend on plants and other animals for food.
- Plants depend on insects and other animals for pollination and seed dispersal.
- Many species depend on trees for shelter and nesting sites.
Because of this, a change to one population can affect many others. If a species is removed or its numbers fall, species that feed on it may starve, while species it feeds on may increase in number. A community with many different species is more stable, because the loss of one species is less likely to cause the whole community to fail.