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Examples of Competition in Biology

August 10, 2023
written by Sidra Batool

Examples of Competition in Biology includes plants competing for light, temperature, nutrients, and space; microbes competing for chemical substrates, and animals competing for territory, water, food, shelter, and mates.

7 Examples of Competition in Biology

Here are examples of competition in Biology:

Examples of Intraspecific competition

  1. Male elephants competing for dominance and mating rights within a herd.
  2. Wolves within a pack competing for leadership and access to food.
  3. Territorial disputes among male lions for control over a pride of females.
  4. Birds in a colony competing for nesting sites and mates during breeding season.
  5. Ants from the same colony competing for food and territory.

Interspecific competition Examples

  1. Lions and hyenas competing for the same prey, such as wildebeests or zebras.
  2. Different bird species competing for insects or seeds in the same forest area.
  3. Gazelles and zebras competing for access to watering holes in the savannah.
  4. Plants competing for sunlight and space in a rainforest ecosystem.
  5. Barnacles and mussels competing for space on rocky shores.

Plant competition Examples

  1. Trees in a dense forest competing for sunlight and nutrients.
  2. Grasses competing for space and resources in a meadow.
  3. Weeds compete with crops for nutrients, water, and space in agricultural fields.
  4. Mosses and ferns competing for space and moisture in a shaded woodland area.
  5. Aquatic plants competing for light and nutrients in a pond or lake.

Competition among microorganisms Examples

  1. Bacteria in the gut microbiome competing for nutrients and space.
  2. Algae competing for sunlight and nutrients in a freshwater pond.
  3. Fungi competing for decomposing organic matter in a forest floor.
  4. Protists competing for resources in a marine plankton community.
  5. Bacteriophages competing for hosts in a bacterial population.

Competition in human populations Examples

  1. Individuals competing for jobs in a competitive job market.
  2. Students competing for top academic positions or scholarships.
  3. Companies competing for market share in a competitive industry.
  4. Athletes competing for medals and recognition in sports competitions.
  5. Wildlife conservation organizations competing for funding and support to protect endangered species.

Competition for mates Examples

  1. Male peacocks displaying their colorful tail feathers to attract females.
  2. Male birds singing and performing courtship displays to win over females.
  3. Male elk clashing antlers to establish dominance and gain mating opportunities.
  4. Male frogs calling and performing acrobatic displays to attract female frogs.
  5. Male spiders presenting elaborate courtship rituals to female spiders.

Invasive species competition Examples

  1. Zebra mussels outcompeting native mollusks for food and space in freshwater ecosystems.
  2. Kudzu, an invasive plant, rapidly spreading and outcompeting native plant species in the southeastern United States.
  3. Asian carp disrupting native fish populations by competing for resources in North American rivers.
  4. Brown tree snakes, an invasive species on Guam, preying on native bird species and causing their decline.
  5. The cane toad, introduced to Australia, competing with native amphibians for resources and becoming a pest.
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