A community is a group of organisms living and interacting with one another in a specific environment. These interactions can be between the same species (intraspecific) or between different species (interspecific).
Communities can change over time through a process called ecological succession. This can be primary succession, which occurs in an area devoid of soil, or secondary succession, which occurs in an area with existing soil.
Understanding communities and their interactions is crucial for ecologicalconservation and management, as well as for understanding the interconnectedness of ecosystems.
Use evidence and scientific reasoning to explain how characteristic animal behaviors (e.g., building nests to protect young from cold, herding to protect young from predators, attracting mates for breeding by producing special sounds and displaying colorful plumage, transferring pollen or seeds to create conditions for seed germination and growth) and specialized plant structures (e.g., flower brightness, nectar, and odor attracting birds that transfer pollen; hard outer shells on seeds providing protection prior to germination) affect the probability of successful reproduction of both animals and plants.