Role of

Intraspecific
Competition
 What is
Intraspecific
Competition?
The logistic model assumes that every individual within a population will
have equal access to resources and, thus, an equal chance for survival. For
plants, the amount of water, sunlight, nutrients, and the space to grow are the
important resources, whereas in animals, important resources include food,
water, shelter, nesting space, and mates.
 In the real world, phenotypic variation among individuals within a
population means that some individuals will be better adapted to their
environment than others. The resulting competition between population
members of the same species for resources is termed intraspecific
competition (intra– = “within”; –specific = “species”). Intraspecific
competition for resources may not affect populations that are well below
their carrying capacity—resources are plentiful and all individuals can
obtain what they need. However, as population size increases, this
competition intensifies. In addition, the accumulation of waste products can
reduce an environment’s carrying capacity.
TYPES
OF
MECHANIS
 Direct
Interference competition is the process by which individuals directly compete
with one another in pursuit of a resource. It can involve fighting, stealing or
ritualised combat.
 Indirect
Organism can compete indirectly, either via exploitative or apparent
competition. Exploitative competition involves individuals depleting a shared
resource and both suffering a loss in fitness as a result. The organisms may not
actually come into contact and only interact via the shared resource indirectly.
RESOURCE
PARTIONING
 CONTEST

Contest competition takes place when a resource is associated with a

territory or hierarchical structure within the population. Contest
competition produces relatively stable population dynamics. The uneven
distribution of resources results in some individuals dying off but helps to
ensure that the members of the population that hold a territory can
reproduce. As the number of territories in an area stays the same over time,
the breeding population remains constant which produces a similar number
of new individuals every breeding season.
 Scramble
Scramble competition involves a more equal distribution of resources than
contest competition and occurs when there is a common resource pool that
an individual cannot be excluded from. For instance, grazing animals
compete more strongly for grass as their population grows and food becomes
a limiting resource. Each herbivore receives less food as more individuals
compete for the same quantity of food.