Darwin pointed out in The Origin of Species that, for any species you might pick, many more offspring are produced than can possibly survive. Consider the number of acorns produced by an oak tree during its lifetime versus the number of those acorns that actually make it into adulthood. Under such circumstances, Darwin argued that competition for limiting resources is inevitable. Since Darwin's time, ecologists have considered competition one of the most important factors determining the distribution and abundance of organisms. To assess the effects of competition on the growth rate of both vascular and nonvascular plants.
Competition is an interaction in which both interacting species are harmed.
During Lab 6 you will set up your competition experiment. You will collect your results in Lab 8 and report your findings during Lab 9. The important variables for the experiment are the number of plants per pot and the ratio of plants of different species. These plants will be taken to the greenhouse, where they will be watered regularly. The experiment will be completed during the eighth laboratory.