BIOLOGY 002 GROUP PRESENTATION

GROUP 2 MEMBERS

OMOJOLA TOLUWALASE

BAKARE AJOKE

SORINMADE BOLUWATIFE

BABALOLA DAVID

ISIBOR ESOSA

BENEBO ESTHER

AIKUTA HANNAH

ATINWORE ORETOMIWA

CHUKUJINDU PROSPER

TOPIC: COMPETITION

Competition is an interaction between organisms or species in which both require a resource that is
limited in supply (such as food, water or territory). In community ecology, competition is an important
biological interaction which affects community structure, species diversity and population
dynamics/shifts in population over time.

MECHANISMS OF COMPETITION

 Interference
 Exploitation
 Apparent competition

Interference and exploitation competition can be classified as “real” forms of competition while
apparent competition is not a real form of competition because organisms do not share a resource but
instead share a predator.

TYPES OF COMPETITION

 Intraspecific
 Interspecific

Intraspecific competition is one which exists between members of the same species.

Interspecific competition exists between members of different species.

PRINCIPLES THAT BACK UP COMPETITION

According to the competitive exclusion principle, species less suited to compete for resources must
either adapt or die, although competitive exclusion is rarely found in natural ecosystems.
According to evolutionary theory, competition within and between species for resources is important in
natural selection. However, in recent times, researchers have suggested that evolutionary biodiversity
for vertebrates has been driven not by competition between organisms but by these animals adapting to
colonize empty livable species.( This phenomenon is known as room to roam hypothesis).

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN COMPETITION AND SUCCESSION OVERCROWDING,FOOD SHORTAGE AND

EXTINCTION.

 Competition and succession

Succession is the gradual and continuous process by which one community is replaced by another until a
stable or climax community is formed. Changing habitat conditions and competition for resources
causes earlier communities to be replaced or succeeded by laterones. Completion is the backbone of
succession as species that cannot stand competition would be replaced.

 Overcrowding and competition

Overcrowding occurs when a population in a given habitat increases beyond a point where the
resources in the habitat are not enough to support all the individuals in the population. When
overcrowding occurs there is a high level of competition for food, space, mates, etc.

 Food shortage and competition

Producers provide the food that supports all consumer species either directly or indirectly. In a well-
established habitat, population sizes of the various species are adjusted to the amount of food that is
available in the habitat. However, certain environmental factors can decrease the food supplies of some
of these populations causing food shortage. During food shortage members of a population will
compete with one another for a limited food supply. Only the most vigorous individuals succeed in
getting food, the resistance.

 Extinction and competition

Extinction is the complete disappearance of a species from earth. When a species is unable to compete
successfully in an ecosystem, it is bound to go extinct.