As a part of GCSE Science, students will look at interdependence and adaptation. This is the first of three quizzes on the topic and it looks in particular at inter-species and intra-species competition for resources such as food, water, space and a mate.
Organisms are well adapted to survive in their normal environment. Population size depends on a variety of factors including competition, predation, disease and human influences. Both plants and animals compete for the resources in their habitat. There are two types of competition; inter-species (different types of animal competing for the same resources) and intra-species (animals of the same type competing for resources).
Animals compete for food, water, territory and (intra-species only) mates. Natural selection reduces inter-species competition to a degree as it reinforces behavioural adaptations like feeding at different times of day, eating different types of food or feeding at different heights where there are trees. This means that two or more species can occupy the same territory and competition will only be for water.