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Competition Definition

Competition is a relationship between organisms that strive for the same resources in the same ecosystem. For example, species compete for water and space to survive.

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Competition in Ecosystems

LESSON MATERIALSmove

Fun Facts

  • Lizards compete for crickets as a food source.
  • Invasive species can be new competition in an ecosystem.
  • Plants on a windowsill grow towards sunlight to compete for it.

Why Do We Need To Know About Competition

Learning about competition helps us understand why balance in nature is important. For example, wildlife biologists watch over animal numbers to make sure no animal, like elephants, gets too many without enough predators, like lions, to control them. This shows how competition helps keep nature balanced.

Also, knowing about competition is useful for protecting animals, like figuring out if whale sharks are in danger. It even helps scientists find new animals, showing how important it is for jobs like wildlife biology. Competition is important to know about for taking care of wildlife.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are food webs used to help explain ecosystem interactions?
Food webs are models of the interactions that happen between producers and consumers in an ecosystem. They can be used to explain how matter and energy are transferred, and they are useful in making predictions about food resources.
How does the lizard-and-cricket example explain competition in an ecosystem?
In the example, there was a limited food source. If one lizard didn’t get any food because it was too slow, eventually it would die. This can also happen out in nature when food is limited.
Explain how an environmental factor might affect an ecosystem.
One possible answer could include a flood as an example. Flooding in an ecosystem affects an ecosystem’s resources. Animals may not get enough to eat because all the plants have been washed away, or some animals may lose their shelters and become prey for other animals.
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