What type of competition occurs when members of the same species vie for limited resources?

Intra-specific competition occurs when individuals of the same species compete for limited resources such as food, water, space, or mates. This type of competition can significantly influence population dynamics, behavior, and evolution of a species.

When members of the same species compete, they may develop various strategies to cope with the competition, such as foraging adaptations or territorial behaviors. The intensity of these interactions can also affect the overall health of the population, leading to variations in growth rates and reproductive success.

Exploitation competition, on the other hand, refers to a scenario where individuals indirectly compete by consuming resources and reducing the availability of those resources for others, and this can happen between different species or within the same species. Inter-specific competition includes competition between different species for similar resources, while competitive exclusion refers to the principle that when two species compete for the same resources, one species will outcompete the other, leading to the latter's local extinction. Thus, intra-specific competition specifically denotes competition among the same species, highlighting the unique dynamics that occur within a single population.