Intraspecific competition

Intraspecific competition (also intraspecific competition) is the ecological competition for habitat and resources within populations, that is important between several individuals of a species is the intraspecific competition for the regulation of population density and adaptation to changed conditions of life (evolution). In contrast, interspecific competition, which refers to the competition between populations of different species.

Since the individuals of a species have the same needs and behavior, they compete for the same resources. This results in the course of growth in a lack of these resources. Individuals suffering deficiency, have a shorter service life, reproduction and lower growth. The lack arises either by

• Resource utilization of previous individuals at the same site, or
• Restriction of the habitat by the repopulating of a habitat by another individual.

A common formulation for intraspecific competition is:

Where is the population density and the capacity.

The pressure of competition is dependent on the density of a population. If the number of the animals in a particular habitat, decreases the mortality rate and / or increasing the birth rate (for example, reduction of seed production in plants ). Populations with less organisms can grow, therefore, for an extended period of time. A theoretical equilibrium of a stable population is called the carrying capacity ( carrying capacity ). A population is stable if the birth rate and death rate in equilibrium. However, the population density and size is also of environmental conditions and predation (predators, grazing pressure ) dependent. Therefore, it is often - in contrast to the theory - subject to fluctuations.

To such an equilibrium Sets approximate, regulates plant canopies within a limited habitat also the self- thinning as negative feedback, the population density. When the self- thinning weaker individuals are displaced by stronger; the number of individuals ( population density ) decreases, whereas the biomass of the individual surviving individuals increases. The total biomass of the population remains the same. With the age of the individuals grow their claims and their biomass. The intraspecific competition intensifies, and decreases the probability of survival for the single individual.