Competition in plants and animals

Possible relationships between 2 organisms A and B

+ = ‘gain’ - = ‘lose’O = ‘no effect’

Organism A

+ _ 0

Organism B

+ + + + - + o

_ x - - - o

0 x x o o

Which one is ‘competition’?

++ = Mutualism

+ - = predation / parasitism

PREDATOR - PREY RELATIONSHIPS

It’s been a bad day!

Yeah – and about to get

much worse..

+ O = commensalism

“nest sharing”

O O = cooperation

- - = competition

What do plants compete for? List three things…

• LIGHT

What do plants compete for? List three things…

• WATER

What do plants compete for? List three things…

• MINERALS

Give 2 ways a plant can overcome the problems of growing in the shade of another plant.

• Grow taller• Grow faster• Have shorter roots (to absorb water quicker)• Flower earlier in the season

Why have plants evolved different ways to spread their seeds?

• To avoid competition between seedling and parent plant.

Give 3 adaptations of successful adaptations for spreading seeds

• Dandelion – fluffy parachutes• Sycamore – wings• Coconut – floats• Cherry – sweet fruit

Competition in animals

Game 1 – SURVIVE!You need to collect a set of 4 cards

• SHELTER FOOD WATER MATE• Rules:• No swapping• No taking from others• Can only hold one of each kind• Sit down when you have survived!

Game 2 – GRASS!

• You have 2 minutes to list….

As many animals as possible that eat GRASS

What did that tell you about ‘competition’??

Game 3 – What are we competing for??

• You have 3 minutes to list…

As many types of competition from everyday life as you can…

Swap sheets with other groups to share ideas…

So what do wild animals compete for..?

Wild animals compete for:

• Food• Water• Mates• Shelter

Competition can be between different species…

• Eg??

Or within the same species…

Homework – competition in plants

• HSW questions a-g• Page 93