Competition

Competition (-/-)

when both individuals need the same LIMITED resource

effect: both species may grow slower, produce fewer offspring, or move away

ex. trees competing for sunlight

commensalism(+/0)

one species benefits the other one is unaffected

ex. barnacles on whales

Consumption (+,-)

consumer benefits, consumed organism is harmed

mutualism (+/+)

both species benefit from interaction 

ex. bees with flowers 

competition

individuals interacting where both sustain some cost

driving force of natural selection

when does competition occur?

when there are limited resources

evolutionary arms race

a repeating cycle of adaptations to outcompete

competitive exclusion principle

two species with identical niches cannot coexist in that nice indefinitely 

Niches 

 the environmental factors that influence the growth, survival, and reproduction of a species 

Niches (n)

dimensional hypervolume

n is the number of environmental factors important to the survival and reproduction of the species

fundamental niche

potential conditions/resources a species could use if there were no competition/predators

all of the places something could live in

realized niche

conditions/resources species actually uses after accounting for competition/predation

Barnacles realized niche was in the lower intertidal zone

resource partioning

when similar species share resources in a way that reduces competition 

ex. owls hunting at night for worms, hawks getting worms during the day