Competition

What is competition an example of?

A biotic limiting factor - it is a result of the interactions between living organisms.

What are the two main types of competition?

• Interspecific competition.

• Intraspecific competition.

What is interspecific competition?

Competition between different species.

What is intraspecific competition?

Competition between members of the same species.

When does interspecific competition occur?

When two or more different species of organism compete for the same resource. This interaction results in a reduction of the resource available to both populations. As a result of less food, organisms will have less energy for growth and reproduction, resulting in smaller populations that if only one of the species had been present.

What happens if two species of organism are competing for the same food source but one of them is better adapted?

The less well adapted species is likely to be outcompeted. If conditions remain the same, the less well adapted species will decline in number until it can no longer exist in the habitat alongside the well adapted species.

What is the competitive exclusion principle?

Where two species are competing for limited resources, the one that uses the resources more efficiently will ultimately eliminate the other.

When does intraspecific occur?

When members of the same species compete for the same resource. The availability of the resource determines the population size - the greater the availability, the larger the population that can be supported, resulting in fluctuations n the number of organisms present in a particular population over time.

What happens in stage 1 in intraspecific competition on a population in a graph?

When a resource is plentiful in a habitat, all organisms have enough of the resource to survive and reproduce. This results in an increase in the population size.

What happens in stage 2 in intraspecific competition on a population in a graph?

As a result of the increased population, there are many more individuals that share the food or space available. Resources are now limited; not enough for all organisms to survive. The population will decrease in size.

What happens in stage 3 in intraspecific competition on a population in a graph?

Less competition exists as the smaller population means less organisms survive and reproduce, resulting in population growth.

What happens after stage 3 of intraspecific population?

The cycle of events repeats itself.