BIOL 301 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Limiting Factor, Intraspecific Competition, Soil Fertility
2 Apr 2017
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Enhanced survival is achieved through the dilution effect and the fact that a group is better able to fend off a predator than an individual. Prey animals also spend less time watching out for predators. Mating benefits are achieved because the social aspect of living in a group makes finding a mate much easier. The goal of leks is to improve sexual reproduction and mating: the costs of living in groups are predation and competition. Predation is a cost because large groups of animals are easier spotted by predators than individuals. Additionally, parasites and pathogen risk is greater in group living because parasites can jump from host to host and high population density can increase the spread of disease. In this case, the benefit of the dilution effect outweighs the cost of being seen more by animals. Competition is a cost because food must be shared among the group.
