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Organisms have evolved different strategies for mitigating the effects of competition. What are these strategies?

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Temporal separation of competing species: This is a common strategy among predatory birds and mammals which have evolved night-time activity vs. day-time activity, in the same habitat. Species with similar food or space requirements exploit the same resource at different times of the day or season of the year. Examples include owls vs. hawks and falcons. Similar strategies are also employed by different ungulates of the Mara-Serengeti ecosystem. Through seasonal migration, different ungulates exploit the same habitats at different times of the years and often at different plant levels.

Spatial separation of species: This is a situation where the resources of a habitat are divided up between different species by each using only part of it, thereby avoiding physical contact - with each other. Thus, each species is specialized to a fixed set of physical conditions also known as its niche; hence the term niche separation.

Mutualism
Mutualism is defined as an association where both organisms benefit. Thus, individuals in a population of each mutualist species grow and/or survive and/or reproduce at a higher rate when in the presence of individuals of other species. Each organisms gains one of a variety of kinds of advantages. Quite often, mutualism involves provision of food to one organism and protection to the other.
Another case of mutualism is where a species as the source of food also provides a 'service' by ridding its partner of parasites or brings about pollination or seed dispersal.

Facultative
In this relationship both organism benefit by living in close association, but such a relationship is however not essential.

Obligate
As the name implies, in this relationship, an obligatory contact exists between different organisms.
Examples:
Lichens are plants made up of a fungus and an algae living in close association. They are usually found on rocks and tree trunks. The fungus is attached to the substratum by fungal treads. These fungal treads help to absorb inorganic substances which are then used by the algae during photosynthesis: The fungus obtains organic substances manufactured by the algae;
Bees and birds visit flowers in search of pollen and nectar.. In the process flowers are pollinated.

francis1897 answered the question on February 27, 2023 at 13:17

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Organisms have evolved different strategies for mitigating the effects of competition. What are these strategies?

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