I need to write about interspecific and intraspecific competition between species and individuals... but I really don't know where to start! I know I will have to be writing about evolution and competition, and migration, and you know, some stuff about the food supply and space. What do you do when you're all idea-ed out?
2007-01-02 11:05:37 · 8 answers · asked by floppity 7 in Environment
Intraspecific competition is always going to be intense because members of the same species have the same environmental needs. They compete for mates, feeding territories, living space, and access to other resources. Territories actually serve to limit competition.
Interspecific competition is more complicated. Plants compete with other plants for light, soil nutrients, water, growing space. They evolve adaptations for dealing with these issues. For instance, young maple trees can live in the shade beneath bigger trees. Young oak trees need more sunlight than that. So when a big tree falls in the forest, young maples are already started and they can grow quickly and take advantage of the extra sunlight from the hole in the forest canopy. They have a head start.
Different species adapt to competition by feeding at different times of day, in different parts of the habitat, or otherwise dividing up the available resources. For example, owls and hawks both want to eat mice. The hawks hunt them in the daytime and the owls hunt mice at night. Certain birds feed on insects or seeds in the tops of trees while others feed in the bottom or the interior branches.
These are some of the reasons why introduced or non-native species can be such a problem. When a new species is brought into an area, the native species have not had time to deal with competition issues. The new species may not encounter predators or diseases, so it may overpopulate and take over the niches of the species that belong there.
2007-01-02 11:35:12 · answer #1 · answered by ecolink 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
If my research is correct, inter specific deals with competition within the species. An example of this is the African Honey bee and the way they are working their north. These bees are inter breeding with less aggressive honey bees, taking over their hives. These bees, like many other foreign species were introduced into environment as an experiment or by accident.
Unspecific, I believe involves competition with other species. An example of this could be the introduction the rabbit to Australia, without a natural enemy to control their population, they are a big problem there. They are as popular there as rats are our cities.
There is a lot to write about the environmental problems created with the introduction of an aggressive foreign species and the havoc it can raise.
They are many insects, birds, fish, diseases, even plants that government agencies all over world are working hard at controlling they entry of these threats and solutions for their eradication.
Even my nickname, is a foreign introduction that dates back to the Spanish explorers. They compete for grazing land and their numbers are damaging their ecology. Many want their number reduced by hunting, others back the capturing of some of them and having them adopted.
Hope this will give some ideas!
2007-01-02 21:25:45 · answer #2 · answered by Mustang Tom 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think of somethings (ex. animals,people,plants etc.) you like or have an interest in and write about them in relations to intra and interspecific competition. It is easier to write about something that interests you versus something you could care less about. Basically, the law of nature, the strongest and/or most intelligent will survive. In most species except humans, the strongest (genetics) will survive over a lesser. Humans was this way until we created tools, weapons and technology where intelligence can overcome brute strenght, thus we became the superior species because of our intellegence and ability to adapt.
I'm not for sure if your essay is suppose to be a complex essay about a couple species or a brief essay about many species within a ecosystem. However, since it is a essay, I would think it to be a complex essay about a specific sepecies (INTRA) and then how that species competes within an ecosystem (INTER)with different species. If this is the case I would begin writing about that species you picked (ex. Lions) What they are, how they live and survive (ex.Prides) and what roles the members play in the pride and what role competition plays within the pride. Then write about other species with-in the lions ecoystem and how they compete for the same resources (ex. Wild dogs, leopards, etc.) and what nich, intelligence or genetics the lions have to overcome their competition.
If you need help in introduction wording, surf the web for examples of similiar essay for ideas.
2007-01-02 21:46:33 · answer #3 · answered by Forester7 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Look through a quote book and start your essay that way....such as:
Abraham Lincoln once said:
The dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise with the occasion. As our case is new, so we must think anew and act anew.
(this will be a good segway for you to go into evolution, competition and so on--changing/adapting survival)
2007-01-02 19:15:21 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
It has been 3 years since the last time we...
2007-01-02 19:08:12 · answer #5 · answered by nikkecola17 3 · 1⤊ 2⤋
You need to ask the CAVE MAN GUY who works for GEICO!
2007-01-02 19:07:27 · answer #6 · answered by 3cents 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
It was a dark and stormy night.........
2007-01-02 19:07:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
dirt is
2007-01-02 19:07:40 · answer #8 · answered by guanofrog@sbcglobal.net 1 · 1⤊ 2⤋