Compétition

Ecosystems contain many organisms, but they have a limited amount of the resources needed for survival and reproduction.

Competition is an interaction between individuals that happens when resources like food, water, shelter, and mates are limited.

Competition can be categorized by the identity of the organisms involved—either intraspecific, within the same species, or interspecific, between different species. It can also be categorized as direct or indirect competition based on whether the organisms interact directly or indirectly.

Competition is more likely to happen when there is an overlap between ecological niches. Organisms with similar niches need many of the same resources, while those with very different niches may not compete at all.

Interspecific competition happens when individuals of different species, such as coyotes and wolves, compete for a common resource, such as prey or territory. In territories where gray wolf and coyote populations overlap, competition between the two species may limit the number of coyotes within those territories.

One possible consequence of interspecific competition is competitive exclusion. If two species compete for the same limiting resou