Competition in plants

• Plants compete for light by growing quickly to reach it and often shade other plants with their leaves
• Water is a reactant in photosynthesis and plants need a regular supply of water for the process to occur
• Plants require minerals for healthy growth, including nitrates and magnesium
• Plants suffer deficiency diseases if they lack sufficient minerals for healthy growth
• Plants that grow in soils with few minerals have evolved different ways of accessing nitrates, such as being carnivorous and consuming insects
• Plants require space for healthy growth to maximize photosynthesis
• Competition for space can be intraspecific (within the same species) or interspecific (between different species)
• Competition ensures the growth of the healthiest individuals and maintains vigor in the population
• Individuals within a species that cannot compete effectively may not reproduce and may die, known as survival of the fittest
• Species that are unable to effectively compete may become extinct