Ramnele S. Cala BIO 160.

1 (BC)
Delmonte, Jhon Patrick
Exercise 4: Competition

A. Barnacle Simulation

Round 1

The data shows that there is greater local abundance for the Chthalamus barnacles
than the Balanus barnacles over three days of experimentation. A larger number of Chthalamus
species occupied the rock surface, with a total of 129 in local abundance, compared to the 110
Balanus species that were able to occupy the same habitat in three days. According to the
Ecology Center (2020), Balanus outcompetes Chthalamus in the low intertidal zone but
Chthalamus thrives more in the high tide zone where they are best adapted for survival. It’s also
evident in the data that the competition between the two types of barnacles is weak, seeing that
there’s only a difference of 19 between their local abundance. This is largely due to the predatory
snails which feed on the barnacles, reducing the strength of their interspecific competition
(Spiller, 2010).
References
Ecology Center. (2020). Competition between barnacles. Retrieved from
https://www.ecologycenter.us/species-richness/competition-between-barnacles.html
Spiller, D. A. (2010). Connell's legacy on species-interactions studies. Retrieved from
https://eco.confex.com/eco/2010/techprogram/P21571.HTM