Competition and Cooperation

Two More Interactions

Competition is a struggle between individuals or

populations for the same resources

Think team sports (Go Bills!)

Biological competition involves resources:• Light• Space • Nutrients

Examples: Creosote bushes-compete for the same water supply

Rainforest trees and strangler figs: a vine grows up the trees and competes for the water, light and nutrient in the soil

Different animals will compete for food.They can be from the same species or different species

Or animals will fight over territory:Typically they will urinate to mark theirTerritory, make noises, or put on threatening displays

Nope! They don’t use toilets!

They fight over mates a lot too!You know-birds sing and display their feathers or dance

Crickets chirp and other animals fightcartoon

Strangely competition doesn’t always happen between populations that share the same resources: water, space, nutrients!

Many different populations coexist in a habitat without it harming any of them.

There are other interactions besides competition:Cooperation is one of them

Cooperation is an interaction where organisms work together so it benefits them all

cartoon

Getting food is a big reason to cooperateLions and wolves hunt in packsKiller whales hunt in podsAll of these encircle their prey so they are easier to catch

Let’s eat!

Some species live in colonies, like ants, bees, and termites.They’re more social than middle school students!

Other species live in family groups, like apes and monkeys

cartoon

Competition and cooperation are opposites

But they are both types of interactions