Intraspecific competition

Definition

Competition for limited resources among individuals of the same species, resulting in reduced fitness for all competitors and typically favoring the most competitive individuals in survival and reproduction.

Etymology

Latin intra- (within) + specificus (species) + competitio (rivalry)

Example

Larval tiger beetles (Cicindelinae) in the same burrow compete for prey and space; larger or earlier-emerging larvae often cannibalize smaller conspecifics, a dramatic form of intraspecific competition that regulates population density.

Synonyms

• within-species competition

Related Terms

• Interspecific competition
• density-dependent regulation
• Carrying capacity
• territoriality
• Scramble competition
• contest competition
• niche partitioning
• Population dynamics

Usage Notes

Contrasts with interspecific competition (different species); often stronger than interspecific competition because conspecifics share identical resource requirements. May be scramble (equal partitioning) or contest (winner-takes-all) type. Frequency increases with population density and is a key mechanism of density-dependent mortality.