Final answer:
Competition is a relationship between organisms that strive for the same resources in the same place. It can be classified as intraspecific or interspecific.
Step-by-step explanation:
Competition is a relationship between organisms that strive for the same resources in the same place. It can be classified as intraspecific or interspecific:
- Intraspecific competition occurs between members of the same species and can improve the species' adaptations. For example, two male deer competing for mates by clashing their antlers together.
- Interspecific competition occurs between members of different species and may lead to one species going extinct or both becoming more specialized. For example, one species of ant may attack and take over the colony of another ant species.
Overall, competition plays a fundamental role in shaping the interactions and adaptations of species in their ecosystems.
For instance, interspecific competition between cheetahs and lions for prey can result in the lions 'winning' due to their inherently different traits that might give them an advantage. This outcome forces the losing species, the cheetahs in this case, to adapt by finding a new niche or moving to a different area to avoid competition. Similarly, two different species of ants might compete for territory, where the more aggressive or numerous species might overtake the colony of the other.