Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Predator-Prey Interactions02:39

Predator-Prey Interactions

Predators consume prey for energy. Predators that acquire prey and prey that avoid predation both increase their chances of survival and reproduction (i.e., fitness). Routine predator-prey interactions elicit mutual adaptations that improve predator offenses, such as claws, teeth, and speed, as well as prey defenses, including crypsis, aposematism, and mimicry. Thus, predator-prey interactions resemble an evolutionary arms race.Although predation is commonly associated with carnivory, for...
Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores02:26

Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores

Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.
Competition02:34

Competition

When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. Even if two competing individuals or populations do not interact directly, the overall fitness of both competitors is lowered as a result of not having full access to the limited resource.Intraspecific competition, which occurs between individuals of the same species, serves as a natural mechanism for regulating population size. Too much...
Microbial Interactions: Competition01:26

Microbial Interactions: Competition

Microbial competition is an ecological interaction in which microorganisms vie for limited resources within shared environments. These resources may include nutrients, space, or light, depending on the system. The intensity and outcome of competition are influenced by the environmental context, such as nutrient availability, spatial constraints, and the diversity of microbial species present. These competitive interactions significantly influence the structure, function, and resilience of...
Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores02:40

Epiphytes, Parasites, and Carnivores

Plants often form mutualistic relationships with soil-dwelling fungi or bacteria to enhance their roots’ nutrient uptake ability. Root-colonizing fungi (e.g., mycorrhizae) increase a plant’s root surface area, which promotes nutrient absorption. While root-colonizing, nitrogen-fixing bacteria (e.g., rhizobia) convert atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into ammonia (NH3), making nitrogen available to plants for various biological functions. For example, nitrogen is essential for the biosynthesis of the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Landscape quality drives ecological responses to habitat loss and fragmentation.

Nature ecology & evolution·2026
Same author

Predictions From Evolutionary Theory for Urban Environments.

Evolutionary applications·2026
Same author

The outcomes of integrating biological interactions into rebuilding plans depend on prey specialization.

Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America·2026
Same author

Revisiting evolutionary rescue in the wild.

Trends in ecology & evolution·2026
Same author

Foliar pathogen epidemic slows decomposition of invasive plant litter.

Ecology·2026
Same author

Slow and fast dispersers competing in heterogeneous landscapes: a comparative study of modeling perspectives.

Journal of theoretical biology·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Herbivore-induced Blueberry Volatiles and Intra-plant Signaling
10:28

Herbivore-induced Blueberry Volatiles and Intra-plant Signaling

Published on: December 18, 2011

Refuge-mediated apparent competition in plant-consumer interactions.

John L Orrock1, Robert D Holt, Marissa L Baskett

  • 1Biology Department, Washington University, Saint Louis, MO 63130, USA. orrock@wustl.edu

Ecology Letters
|November 26, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Refuge-mediated apparent competition occurs when plants shield consumers, increasing pressure on other species. This ecological interaction can influence invasion success and community composition.

More Related Videos

Detached Leaf Assays to Simplify Gene Expression Studies in Potato During Infestation by Chewing Insect Manduca sexta
05:56

Detached Leaf Assays to Simplify Gene Expression Studies in Potato During Infestation by Chewing Insect Manduca sexta

Published on: May 15, 2019

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 18, 2026

Herbivore-induced Blueberry Volatiles and Intra-plant Signaling
10:28

Herbivore-induced Blueberry Volatiles and Intra-plant Signaling

Published on: December 18, 2011

Detached Leaf Assays to Simplify Gene Expression Studies in Potato During Infestation by Chewing Insect Manduca sexta
05:56

Detached Leaf Assays to Simplify Gene Expression Studies in Potato During Infestation by Chewing Insect Manduca sexta

Published on: May 15, 2019

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Plant Community Dynamics
  • Consumer-Resource Interactions

Background:

  • Apparent competition, an indirect ecological interaction, is influenced by consumer behavior.
  • Refuge-mediated apparent competition describes how plants can shield shared consumers, altering competitive dynamics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and illustrate the concept of refuge-mediated apparent competition.
  • To identify conditions favoring inferior competitors in this interaction.
  • To explore implications for biological invasions and community ecology.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized a simple ecological model.
  • Incorporated empirical examples to demonstrate the concept.

Main Results:

  • Inferior competitors succeed more when resource needs are similar and consumers strongly utilize refuges.
  • High consumer attack rates on superior competitors enhance this effect.
  • Refuge-mediated apparent competition can lead to emergent Allee effects, impacting invasion dynamics.

Conclusions:

  • Refuge-mediated apparent competition is an underappreciated mechanism shaping plant communities.
  • This interaction may explain patterns in biological invasions, including lag phases and restoration failures.
  • Consumer refuge-seeking behavior and its impact on direct competition are key factors.