# Competition

When living things use the same limited resources, like food, light, water or mates.

Biology (school) · Part 07: Ecosystems and food chains · Card 4 of 11 · Last updated 2026-10-19

## Analogy

Two shops fighting for the same customers.

## In practice

Tall trees compete with seedlings for sunlight.

## Practice

### Flashcards

- **What do animals compete for?** Food, water, territory and mates.
- **What do plants compete for?** Light, water, space and minerals from the soil.

## Questions people ask

### What is interdependence?

Interdependence means that organisms in a community depend on each other for food, shelter, pollination or seed dispersal. If one species changes, others are affected. For example, if flowers disappeared, the insects feeding on them would suffer, and so would the birds eating the insects.

### What is a predator-prey cycle?

When prey numbers rise, predators have more food, and their numbers rise too. More predators eat more prey, so prey numbers fall. Then predators starve and also fall, and the cycle repeats. The predator curve peaks slightly after the prey curve.

## Related concepts

- [Ecosystem](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-7/biology-school-part-7-concept-1)
- [Habitat](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-7/biology-school-part-7-concept-2)
- [Biotic and abiotic factors](https://studyvisually.com/learn/science/biology-school/biology-school-part-7/biology-school-part-7-concept-3)

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