Interspecific Interactions: Competition and Predation
Students examine the ecological consequences of competition and predation, including competitive exclusion, resource partitioning, and predator-prey dynamics.
Key Questions
- How does the loss of a keystone species trigger a trophic cascade?
- In what ways does niche partitioning reduce competition between overlapping species?
- Analyze the co-evolutionary arms race between predators and prey.
Ontario Curriculum Expectations
Suggested Methodologies
Ready to teach this topic?
Generate a complete, classroom-ready active learning mission in seconds.
Planning templates for Biology
More in Population Dynamics and Ecology
Population Characteristics and Sampling
Students define key population characteristics (density, dispersion, demographics) and explore methods for estimating population size.
3 methodologies
Population Growth Models: Exponential and Logistic
Students use mathematical models to predict how populations change over time, comparing exponential and logistic growth patterns.
3 methodologies
Factors Limiting Population Growth
Students investigate density-dependent and density-independent factors that regulate population size, including competition, predation, disease, and climate.
3 methodologies
Human Population Dynamics
Students analyze the unique growth curve of the human population, exploring demographic transitions, age structures, and ecological footprint.
3 methodologies
Community Structure and Diversity
Students define ecological communities and explore concepts of species richness, relative abundance, and factors influencing community diversity.
3 methodologies