Definition
noun
(ecology) A form of competition wherein organisms directly vie for resources, such as by aggression
Supplement
In biology, competition refers to the rivalry between or among living things for territory, resources, goods, mates, etc. It is one of the many symbiotic relationships occurring in nature. Same (i.e. intraspecific) or different (i.e. interspecific) members of species compete for resources, especially for limited natural resources. Competitions may also be categorized generally into two based on the mechanism involved: (1) interference competition and (2) exploitation competition.
In interference competition, the competition between organisms is direct. An example is the aggression display between competing organisms. This applies to both intraspecific and interspecific competition. In intraspecific competition, the competing organisms are of the same species. They vie for same resources such as territory, mate, food, etc. The male deer for instance lock horns when competing for a potential mate. Direct competition is also exhibited in interspecific competition. In interspecific competition, the opposing organisms are of different species. An example of direct competition between different species is the rivalry between a lion and a tiger competing for the same prey.
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