Plants share the same space
Plants may look calm and still, but they also interact with each other. Because many plants grow close together, they must share the sunlight, water, space and nutrients around them. This sharing leads to interaction among plants.
Key idea
Plants compete for sunlight, water, space and nutrients from the soil. Plants need sunlight to make food by photosynthesis.
Competing for sunlight
Tall trees can block the sunlight from smaller plants below. To get more light, some plants become climbing plants (creepers) that wind around trees and reach up towards the Sun.
Example
A creeper climbs up a big tree trunk so that its leaves can reach the sunlight at the top.
Plants and animals
Plants also interact with animals. Animals help plants by carrying pollen between flowers and by spreading seeds to new places. When seeds land far apart, the young plants have more space, water and sunlight, so they compete less and grow better. In this way plants and animals help each other survive in the same habitat.