Final answer:
Interspecific competition arises when species with similar requirements for food and space coexist, leading to competitive exclusion, resource partitioning, or population decline of the less competitive species.
Step-by-step explanation:
When members of the same species require the same food and space, a situation called interspecific competition typically arises. Interspecific competition is a form of competition between different species inhabiting the same ecological area. Three potential outcomes of this competition include:
- Competitive exclusion, where one species completely out-competes the other, leading to the local extinction or migration of the less successful species.
- Resource partitioning, where species adjust their feeding habits and niches to reduce direct competition, allowing coexistence.
- Population decline of the less competitive species, which may eventually lead to local extinction if no adaptive changes occur.
In cases where dietary overlap occurs due to changes in available food sources, one species often becomes dominant, potentially reducing the population of the other species. Additionally, conflicts, such as attacks can occur if the competition becomes intense. An example of this is seen between predators like cheetahs and lions, where competition for limited prey can result in lions displacing cheetahs from an area.