Intraspecific struggle: definition, causes and characteristics

In the living nature of their own, sometimes severe laws. Between different organisms of even one species, competition often arises. What is intraspecific struggle? What causes and consequences can it have?

Intraspecific struggle: definition and essence of the concept

The mutual relations of living organisms among themselves can develop in different ways. Sometimes they manifest themselves in the form of cooperation, where both parties benefit, sometimes they are mutually derogatory. Competition is a kind of relationship in which living organisms compete. As a rule, someone usually gets a benefit.

There are two types of competition: interspecific and intraspecific. The first, as the name suggests, occurs between representatives of different species. It often occurs when the life of organisms requires the same resource, for example water. Especially if the amount of the resource is limited.

Intraspecific struggle is manifested in representatives of one or several populations within the same species. In this case, the ecological niche of living organisms is as close as possible, therefore, rivalry is more severe and sharper than in the case of interspecific competition.

Causes and consequences

Representatives of one species compete for territory or food. The need for it appears when the population becomes too numerous. One of the reasons may be a sharp change in environmental conditions as a result of natural disasters or disasters.

Intraspecific struggle is constantly occurring as a competition for fertilization. Competition is more common among males who are forced to fight for the attention of a female. It is well developed in species where social roles are clearly defined, and with the help of rivalry the leader is chosen.

Competition within species is an important natural mechanism that regulates the number of individuals so that the population does not grow excessively. It is also a serious engine that provokes living organisms to mutate, adapt to environmental conditions.

Intraspecific struggle: examples

Animals that practice rivalry with their brethren are quite numerous. To reduce rivalry within the population, various adaptations can be developed in animals. For example, in insects at different stages of development, individuals are different in appearance, way of feeding, etc. In butterflies, these are pupae, dragonflies, ants and others - larvae.

More than a thousand species of animals as a competition have chosen cannibalism. In some species it is always present, in others it arises in "difficult times" with unfavorable environmental factors. Female mantis and black widow eats partner immediately after mating, lions can encroach on their own cubs, hamadry eat offspring of conquered females.

Examples in plants

Animals, by virtue of their abilities, show more vivid and diverse rivalry. In plants, intraspecies struggle proceeds slowly. It occurs in competition for sunlight, water and nutrient resources.

Have you ever seen in the forest of weak and poorly developed trees, while their brethren grow tall and strong at a distance of half a meter? Most likely, they came under the influence of the factor of competition. More resistant plants develop more actively, gradually shading foliage "neighbors." In the absence of the sun, weak individuals grow worse and eventually die.

An example of struggle is the development of powerful branched roots in plants. The more they grow, the less nutrients the neighboring plants will get. Thus, intraspecific competition fulfills the function of natural selection, contributing to the survival of the most powerful and adapted organisms.