Ecology - Competition

Why does behavior change?

To compete for a limited resource

Competition

The struggle between organisms to survive in a habitat where they need to same resource(s)

Intraspecific Competition

Competition between members of the same species

Interspecific Competition

Competition between different species

Indirect Competition

Organisms use the same resource, but don't interact with each other

Direct Competition

Organisms physically interact with each other over the same resource

Niche

Range of resources a species needs for survival; range of conditions a species can tolerate

Niches are

Multidimensional

Competition Exclusion Principle

Two species that occupy the same niche niche cannot coexist

Fundamental Niche

Possible range of resource that could be utilized

Competition leads to

Fitness loss. Neither species will be able to reach their carrying capacity

Realized Niche

Actual range of resources that could be utilized due to competition

What happens when there is a niche overlap?

Niche differentiation

Niche Differentiation

Competing species use the environment differently in a way that helps them to coexist

Commensalism

When one species gains a fitness benefit without affecting another (Ex. Birds on cow)

Mutualism

When both species benefit from interaction (Ex. Gut Microbiome)

Consumption

When one individual east/absorbs nutrients from another

Predation

Predator kills and consumes prey (usually carnivores)

Herbivory

A herbivore consumes algae or plant tissues (may or not not kill)

Parasitism

An organism lives in or on a host

Endoparasite

Found inside a host and consumes small amount of nutrients (does not kill host) (Ex. Tapeworm)

Ectoparasite

Found outside a host and consumes a small amount of nutrients (does not kill host) (Ex. Tick)

Parasitoid

Free-living as adult, but larva feed and kill the host (Ex. fungus in nervous system of plant)