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competition
competition Interaction between individuals of the same species (intraspecific competition), or between different species (interspecific competition) at the same trophic level, in which the growth and survival of one or all species or individuals is affected adversely. The competitive mechanism may be direct (active), as when one organism releases a chemical substance that inhibits another, or indirect, as when a common resource is scarce. Competition leads either to the replacement of one species by another that has a competitive advantage, or to the modification of the interacting species by selective adaptation (whereby competition is minimized by small behavioural differences, e.g. in feeding patterns). Competition thus favours the separation of closely related or otherwise similar species. Separation may be achieved spatially, temporally, or ecologically (i.e. by adaptations in behaviour, morphology, etc.). The tendency of species to separate in this way is known as the competitive-exclusion principle.
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MICHAEL ALLABY. "competition." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "competition." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-competition.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "competition." A Dictionary of Zoology. 1999. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O8-competition.html |
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competition
competition The interaction between individuals of the same species (intraspecific competition), or between different species (interspecific competition) at the same trophic level, in which the growth and survival of one or all species or individuals is affected adversely. The competitive mechanism may be direct (active), as in allelopathy and mutual inhibition, or indirect, when a common resource is scarce. Competition leads either to the replacement of one species by another that has a competitive advantage, or to the modification of the interacting species by selective adaptation (whereby competition is minimized by small behavioural differences, e.g. in feeding patterns). Competition thus favours the separation of closely related or otherwise similar species. Separation may be achieved spatially, temporally, or ecologically (i.e. by adaptations in behaviour, morphology, etc.). The tendency of species to separate in this way is known as the competitive exclusion or Gause principle.
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Cite this article
MICHAEL ALLABY. "competition." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL ALLABY. "competition." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-competition.html MICHAEL ALLABY. "competition." A Dictionary of Ecology. 2004. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O14-competition.html |
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competition
competition in biology, relationship between members of the same or different species in which individuals are adversely affected by those having the same living requirements, such as food or space. Intraspecific competition, i.e., competition among members of the same species, is illustrated by some species of birds and mammals, the males of which set up territories from which all other males of the same species are excluded. In interspecific competition members of different species compete for the same ecologically limiting factors, such as a food source. Not all relationships among organisms are competitive; for example, the commensal relationship between members of different species is noncompetitive (see commensalism ). |
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Cite this article
"competition." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "competition." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-competi-bio.html "competition." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2011. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-competi-bio.html |
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competition
com·pe·ti·tion / ˌkämpəˈtishən/ • n. the activity or condition of competing. ∎ an event or contest in which people compete: a beauty competition. ∎ the action of participating in such an event or contest: in the heat of competition. ∎ [in sing.] the person or people with whom one is competing, esp. in a commercial or sporting arena; the opposition: I walked around to check out the competition. ∎ Ecol. interaction between organisms, populations, or species, in which birth, growth and death depend on gaining a share of a limited environmental resource. |
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Cite this article
"competition." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "competition." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-competition.html "competition." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-competition.html |
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