When members of different species compete for resources, one
species may be forced to move or become extinct, or the two
species may share the resource and coexist.
While the first two options (moving or extinction) have
been documented in a few instances, most studies have shown
that competing species can coexist. Coexistence can occur when
species utilize resources in slightly different ways and when the effects
of interspecific competition are less severe than the effects of
intraspecific competition. Robert MacArthur studied five species
of warblers that all used the same caterpillar prey. Warblers partitioned
their spruce tree habitats by dividing a tree into preferred
regions for foraging. Although foraging regions overlapped, competition
was limited, and the five species coexisted
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