1.4 Competition

Question 1

Define competition

Answer 1

When two or more individuals compete for resources (e.g. light, food, water, oxygen, breeding sites*)

Question 2

Intraspecific competition:

Greater availability of resources = ?
Less availability of resources = ?
Consider effects on… - one…, one…

Answer 2

More rapid population growth/larger population.
Slower population growth/smaller population
BOTH populations - one becomes larger, one becomes smaller.

Question 3

Define intraspecific competition

Answer 3

Competition between organisms of the same species.

Question 4

Interspecific competition:

Define the competitive exclusion principle (2)

Process of the competitive exclusion principle (4)

Answer 4

• Where 2 species compete for limited resources, the one that uses these resources most effectively (competitive advantage) ultimately eliminates the other.
• No two species can occupy the same niche indefinitely when resources are a limiting factor.

1. Populations of 2 species occupy same niche
2. One has competitive advantage
3. This population increases in size, other population decreases in size
4. If conditions remain constant, other species eliminated.

Question 5

How would you show that a factor affects population size?

Answer 5

Link it to birth rate and death rate.

Question 6

Define interspecific competition

Answer 6

Competition between organisms of different species.