Aquatic ecology and Biodiversity

Unit 8- Animal associations and interactions

8.9. Competition

Competition is a common feature found in animals and it adversely affects the other species with reference to food, space, light, oxygen or any other common need. It is of two types, viz. intra-specific competition and inter-specific competition. In intra-specific competition, there is competition between the individuals of the same species, e.g. some of the larger fishes preying on smaller fishes. In inter-specific competition, there is a competition between two different species. E.g. Fishes eating the mosquito larvae and Carnivores feeding on the herbivores.The interspecific relationships between animal can be graphically represented as shown below: Inter-specific relationships among organisms.

The symbol ‘+’ denotes the fact that both members of the partnership are benefited, while the symbol ‘-’ refers to the harmful nature of the association and symbol ‘0’ denotes the fact that there is no significant effect as a result of partnership on the partners.