Which type of competition occurs among members of the same species for resources?

Intraspecific competition is the correct answer because it specifically refers to competition among individuals of the same species for limited resources such as food, water, territory, and mates. This type of competition can lead to a variety of outcomes, including the strengthening of certain traits within a species as individuals better adapted to securing resources may survive and reproduce more successfully. Furthermore, this competition can significantly influence population dynamics and ecosystem balance, affecting overall species survival and interaction within the habitat.

In contrast, interspecific competition involves different species competing for the same resources. Competitive exclusion refers to the principle that two species competing for the same limited resource cannot coexist at constant population values; one will outcompete the other. Resource partitioning is a strategy some species use to minimize competition by utilizing different resources or the same resources at different times or in different ways. All these concepts are important in understanding ecological interactions, but intraspecific competition is distinct because it focuses solely on members of the same species.