competitive exclusion theory

The competitive exclusion theory states that if two species are competing for the same limited resources in an environment, one will outcompete the other, leading to the latter's decline or local extinction. Essentially, no two species can occupy exactly the same ecological niche indefinitely because the better-adapted species will use resources more efficiently or reproduce more successfully. Over time, this competition results in one species thriving while the other is excluded from that specific environment, promoting biodiversity by encouraging species to specialize and occupy different niches.