Final answer:
The theory of competition extends the logistic model of population growth by explaining how individuals within a population compete for limited resources, a factor inherent to natural selection. Carrying capacity plays a crucial role in this model, dictating the maximum sustainable population size and influencing resource competition. This aligns with Darwin's view on the struggle for existence and the role competition plays in population regulation and evolution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory of competition can be seen as an extension of the logistic model of population growth by further explaining the dynamics of populations within the constraints of limited resources. The logistic model incorporates the concept of carrying capacity, which is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely. This model suggests that population growth will slow as it approaches carrying capacity due to resource limitations, leading to competition within (intraspecific) and between (interspecific) species.
Charles Darwin's principle of 'struggle for existence' highlights the role of competition for limited resources in natural selection. In the context of the logistic model, individuals in a population are not only governed by the carrying capacity but are also constantly in competition for essential resources such as water, sunlight, and nutrients for plants, and food, shelter, and mates for animals.
Moreover, real-world population dynamics, as mentioned in the logistic model, indicate that carrying capacity can fluctuate due to environmental changes and natural events. This points to an ever-present competition for resources that affects population sizes and growth rates, aligning closely with Darwin's ideas of competition and natural selection as drivers of evolution and population dynamics.