What condition(s) must be established before a researcher can definitively state that two species are competing for a resource? Is establishing that two species overlap in their use of a resource enough to determine that interspecific competition is occurring? Your comments should refer to the assigned textbook and article readings.

As part of your discussion, try to identify some potential examples of interspecific competition that you regularly see in your neighborhood. Examples might include common organisms like squirrels and chipmunks, or weeds growing in your vegetable garden, or house sparrows and starlings. Do you think that the pairs of species that you regularly see provide examples of interspecific competition? Can you think of explanations other than competition for the patterns that you observe?