Species are often in competition with each other. What factors would your need to demonstrate to conclude that competition is occurring between two species? Why is demonstrating competition between two species in the wild so difficult?. Ecology

Factors would you need to demonstrate to conclude competition occurring between two species

• There are 2 types of competition:

1. Scramble competition - occurs when many organisms are competing for the same resource which is in short supply. No distinct winners or losers
2. Inference competition - occurs when organisms seeking the common resource harm each other, even if it is not in short supply. There are winners and losers

• The first rule of competition is that species must require at least some of the same resources before they can be potential competitors.
• To investigate competition between 2 species one must determine the range of environmental values in which each species can survive and reproduce. This is the fundamental niche of the species.
• In nature, the actual environmental range in which a species lives, called its realized niche, is a subset of its fundamental niche.
• Once you have the realized niche, focus in on the resource which is subject to the competition.

Determining competition in the wild can be difficult because animals needn't see or hear their competitors.