• Competition: The struggle for survival when resources are limited.
• Intraspecific Competition: The competition between individuals of the same species.
• Interspecific Competition: The competition between individuals of different species.
• Niche: The specific role, or way of life, of a species within its environment.
• Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of individuals an environment can sustainably support.

Now imagine a showdown between you and a neighbor for the last chocolate bar in the local store.

That's a competition between individuals of different species or interspecific competition.

But what determines who gets the goods? Well, it's all about the niche - each species' "job description" in the environment. No two species can have exactly the same niche - just like how no two football players can play the same position at the same time. Interspecific competition kicks in when niches overlap. It's like when both a fast-food restaurant and a gourmet burger joint want to set up shop in the same mall food court!

So, who wins this ecological contest? It's survival of the fittest, baby! The stronger competitor - the one better equipped for survival - will diminish the carrying capacity of the other species' environment. For instance, if squirrels and birds are both after the same berries, and squirrels are quicker at collecting them, the bird population may decrease because the environment can't sustain as many of them.

Remember, carrying capacity is like the number of seats on a bus. It can only take as many passengers as it has seats. So, if the squirrels are snagging all the seats (i.e., the berries), there won't be enough room left for the birds!

So, let's wrap this up - when resources are scarce, it's a cutthroat world out there. Species must compete, either among themselves or with others. And in this battle, the one with the best survival skills reduces the resources available for the others. So next time you find yourself competing, whether it's for food or for grades, think about these ecological principles!