competitive exclusion principle

American  

noun

1. Ecology. Also called Gause's law; Gause's principle. a principle that says if two species occupy the same ecological niche, the inevitable competition for resources will result in one of the species dying out, being driven out, or adapting to a different niche.

---

competitive exclusion principle Scientific  

/ kəm-pĕt′ĭ-tĭv /

1. The principle that when two species compete for the same critical resources within an environment, one of them will eventually outcompete and displace the other. The displaced species may become locally extinct, by either migration or death, or it may adapt to a sufficiently distinct niche within the environment so that it continues to coexist noncompetitively with the displacing species.

2. Also called Gause's law

---

Example Sentences

Explain how the competitive exclusion principle relates to this example.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

The competitive exclusion principle works because if there is competition between two species for the same resources, then natural selection will favor traits that lessen reliance on the shared resource, thus reducing competition.

From Textbooks • Sep. 6, 2018

Because of the competitive exclusion principle, species inhabiting the same niche within the same habitat can find success by dividing resources.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018

The competitive exclusion principle states that no two species can occupy exactly the same niche in exactly the same habitat at exactly the same time.

From Textbooks • Jan. 1, 2018

Describe the competitive exclusion principle and its effects on competing species.

From Textbooks • Apr. 25, 2013