Which term refers to the struggle for resources among organisms?

• A. Fossil
• B. Adaptation
• C. Competition
• D. Mechanism

Answer: (C)

Competition is the struggle for resources among organisms. When food, water, space, or mates are limited, individuals or species vie for access, which affects survival and reproduction and can drive behaviors like territory defense, altered foraging, or resource partitioning. This interaction can occur within a species (intraspecific) or between species (interspecific), shaping how communities are assembled and how niches are defined. For contrast, a fossil is simply evidence of past life, not the current struggle for resources; an adaptation is a trait that helps an organism cope with the environment (a consequence of competition), and a mechanism refers to how something occurs in general, not the specific act of competing for resources. For example, two birds might compete for seeds, and one may shift to eating insects or occupying a different part of the tree to reduce direct competition.