Competition and Population

What sort of resources do animals and plants need?

All organisms compete for survival.

Animals compete for food, territory and mates.

Plants compete for light, water, pollination and minerals

All organisms in nature occupy a niche. What do we mean by a niche?

A position that a living thing occupies in a community. It is a specialized type lifestyle.

What are the two types of competition?

1. Intraspecific = this occurs between members of the same species and can occur for ALL resources

2. Interspecific = this occurs between members of different species and can occur for all resources except reproductive

What can happen if species compete for a niche in all aspects? 

The more the niches overlap, the greater the amount of competition between the

species. Eventually, one species will better the other. The less competitive might move to an other area , adopt new survival strategies or become extinct 

What is meant by the term population? 

A population is a group of individuals of the same species living together in a particular habitat or area.

Why might individuals want to live in populations?

• easier to come together to breed

• gain more protectiEon

• groups catch food easier

What factors affect the population of a species

• Lack of food or water

• Lack of oxygen – in ponds, lakes

• Predators

• Toxic waste / pollutants

• Overcrowding and competitors

• Disease

• Climate changes

• Lack of shelter

How can the decrease of a species affect another?

All organisms in an ecosystem or habitat are dependent on other organisms in one way or another.

This interdependence is often linked in unexpected ways and often the removal or introduction of one species can have unforeseen consequences on all the organisms present.