Competition/Niche

Competition can occur between organisms for both biotic and abiotic resources.  Competition for biotic resources can be illustrated by organisms fighting for a limited amount of –

• air to breath
• mates for breeding
• water to drink
• space for nesting

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Fish in a lake have to compete for space. Different fish have different optimal temperature ranges. The graph below shows the temperature ranges of four fish species. At which temperature range will there be the most competition for space among these fish species?

• 5°C to 10°C
• 10°C to 15°C 
• 15°C to 20°C
• 25°C to 30°C

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Which organisms in the food web shown to the right are predators that compete for the same prey in this environment?

• Coyotes and rabbits
• White-tailed deer and rabbits
• Leafy weeds and cotton rats
• Bobcats and coyotes

Which organism in the food web shown above competes with white-tailed deer for food in this ecosystem?

• Leafy Weeds

• Balckberries

• Cotton Rats

• Bobcats

The ecological niches of three bird species are shown in the diagram. What is the advantage of each bird species having a different niche?

• As more birds feed higher in the tree, available energy increases.
• More abiotic resources are available for each bird.
• Predators are less likely to feed on birds in a variety of locations.
• There is less competition for food.

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Which of the following activities represents competition among organisms?

• A family of rabbits feed on abundant pine seeds.     
• A coyote pup learns to stalk both rabbits and hares.
• A wolf steals a rabbit killed by a coyote.
• A bobcat catches several rabbits as the rabbits eat pine seeds.

Aphids are consumers that eat producers.  Aphids often live in gardens and destroy food as it grows.  Which of the following could provide competition to the aphids in a garden ecosystem?

• The introduction of a species to the environment that eats vegetables
• The removal of spiders from the environment through pesticide use
• The creation of a new breed of tomato plant with larger fruit
• The addition of a new species to the ecosystem that preys on aphids

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Two closely related species of birds live in the same tree.  Species A feeds on ants and termites, while Species B feeds on caterpillars.  The two species coexist successfully because –

• each occupies a different niche
• they interbreed 
• they use different methods of reproduction
• birds compete for food

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An organism’s _______ describes not only the environment where it lives, but how it interacts with biotic and abiotic factors in the environment.

• biome
• community
• tolerance
• niche

By causing species to divide resources, _________ helps determine the number, kinds of species, and the niche each species occupies.

• predation
• abiotic factors
• niche
• competition