Deborah Omoyege

BIO 1134: Lab Report

Lab Time: W 1:00p.m.
November 24, 2009

Investigating the Competitive Exclusion Principle

Introduction

Gause cultured a few protest species such as Paramecium caudatum and Paramecium Aurelia
together, Paramecium caudatum went extinct (McGraw-Hill). Both species utilized bacteria as
food but Paramecium Aurelia grew at a rate six times faster than Paramecium caudatum and was
better able to convert the food into offspring (McGraw-Hill). However, when Gause cultured
Paramecium caudatum and Paramecium bursaria together, neither went extinct simply because
the population volumes of both were much less compared to when they were grown alone,
because some competition occurred between them (McGraw-Hill). Gause also recognized that
Paramecium was better able to utilize the yeast in the lower part of the culture tubes. From these
experiments Gause was able to conclude that two species with exactly the same requirements
cannot live together in the same place and use the same resources, that is, occupy the same niche
(McGraw-Hill). Gause established the competitive exclusion hypothesis, essentially meaning that
complete competitors cannot coexist (McGraw-Hill). Competitive exclusion states that when the
competition between species is sufficiently strong, only the dominant species survive (Ziyad and
Rhouma). In the scientific journal article the writers try to examine the different ways of using
harvesting and stocking techniques to prevent the extinction of the weak species in a competitive
exclusion environment (Ziyad and Rhouma). This experiment will test whether or not two diverse
species of the freshwater protozoan Paramecium can coexist together in the same niche.

Methods

A study of freshwater protozoan Paramecium was conducted. The methods that were in carrying
out this procedure were the use of a microscope, microscope slides, flasks, pipettes, rice, and test
tubes. A Pipette filled with Paramecium caudatum was added to the first of three test tubes.
Paramecium aurelia was added to the second test tube. The last test tube was composed of both
Paramecium caudatum and Paramecium aurelia. Rice is also added to all three test tubes as food
for the bacteria, which in turn would be food for the Paramecium. After the test tubes were filled
with the necessary stock cultures wet-mounts slides of the samples were prepared. Individually
microscope slides were placed on the stage of the microscope. The wet slides were then studied
and counted. Wet-mouth slides for each test tube were placed under the microscope and counted.
Every two days more wet mount slides from each sample were created for a period of ten days.

Results
 The population size of Paramecium aurelia began to grow rapidly over the course of ten days and
eventually depleted the Paramecium caudatum stock culture species.

Table 1.1

Day P. caudatum P. aurelia P. caudatum P. aurelia

alone, cells/mL alone, cells/mL mixed, mixed,
cells/mL cells/mL
0 1 1 1 1
2 4 6 6 4
4 13 26 18 12
6 26 44 10 33
8 28 46 7 39
10 28 46 3 44
12 31 50 2 48
14 31 49 0 48
16 30 48 0 47

The table above shows the number of cells per 0.5 mL that were present on the wet-mouths
composed of Paramecium caudatum, Paramecium aurelia, and Paramecium caudatum and
Paramecium aurelia combined. The first column shows the number of days that the samples sat
being the amount of time two species would have before an extension of one species occurs.

Graph 1.1 Graph 1.2

60
9
50 8 P. aurelia mixed, cells/mL
P. caudatum
7
40 alone, cells/ mL P. caudatum
6 mixed, cells/ mL
P. aurelia alone, cells/ mL
30 5 P. aurelia alone, cells/mL
P. caudatum 4
20 mixed, cells/ mL
3 P. caudatum
P. aurelia mixed, cells/ mL alone, cells/ mL
10 2
Day
1
0
0 5 10 15 20 0 10 20 30 40 50

50 Day

40
P. caudatum
30
Graphalone,
1.3cells/mL
P. aurelia alone, cells/mL
20

10 P. caudatum
mixed, cells/mL
0 P. caudatum…
Day P. aurelia mixed, cells/mL
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8
9
Results

The competition amongst the species affects population tremendously because of many factors.
The genus Paramecium consists of unicellular species of protists that live in freshwater
environments (VirtualLab). Under ideal conditions, sufficient food, water, and space, populations
of these species grow rapidly and follow a exponential growth pattern that ultimately affect
populations size (VirtualLab). Nevertheless, the size of any population can not continue to grow
and grow with out depletion. Eventually there will become a strong demand on the resources of
that particular niche. Inevitably limitations on food, water, sunlight, and other resources will
cause the population to stop increasing (VirtualLab). When a population arrives at the point
where its size remains stable, it has reached its carrying capacity (VirtualLab). The competition
for resources among members of a single species which is referred to as intraspecific competition,
places limits on population size (VirtualLab). In this lab experiement there is a competition for
resources among members of two different species; Paramecium caudatum and Paramecium
aurelia, places limits on the overall population size that could ever exist.

Discussion/ Conclusion

In conclusion it is quite impracticable for more than one species to coexist in one given area
which can also be referred to as niche, and subsist. As stated above the competition for resources
among members of two or more different species greatly affect population size. Earlier along in
the lab both the Paramecium caudatum and Paramecium aurelia grew at a very steady rate. As the
lab progressed Paramecium aurelia began to grow at a more frequent rate. The fact that
Paramecium aurelia grew faster than Paramecium caudatum shows the dominant species between
the two. G.F. Gause stated that between two species competing in the same niche for the same
food, water, light, etc. the species with a greater percentage of growth rate will prevail over the
other. Ziyad and Rhouma of “Coexistence and extinction...” assert that between species, when
competition is sufficiently strong, only the dominant species survive. This affirms the results in
the lab. The hypothesis was upheld and conclusive. During the course of the lab experiment, as
the days progressed the slides with both Paramecium aurelia and Paramecium caudatum began to
become very clear. Paramecium aurelia began to significantly outnumber Paramecium caudatum
until the point where it was completely eradicated. Thereby proving and concluding that the co-
existence of any two species is impossible. There is not enough resources to sustain life such as
food, water, light, etc. in a given niche in order for more than one species to survive. Because of
this, naturally some species leave and invade unoccupied habitats simply to avoid competing
(VirtualLab). Population Biology is a subject that is always open to more research. Further tests
can be done to reassure the simply fact that only one species can coexist in a specific niche.

Literature Cited

AlSharawi, Ziyad, and Mohamed Rhouma "Coexistence and extinction in a competitive

exclusion Leslie/Gower model with harvesting and stocking." Journal of Difference Equations &
Applications 15.11/12 (2009): 1031-1053. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. Web. 22 Nov.
2009.

Virtual Lab. McGraw-Hill Higher Education. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc., 1221

Avenue of the Americas.

Widmaier, Eric, et al. Biology--Textbook. New York, NY 10020: The McGraw-Hill

Companies, Inc., 2008. Print.