Direct competition in biology refers to the competition between two or more organisms for the same resource(s) such as food, water, space, or mates, in which each organism negatively affects the other's ability to access and utilize the resource. Direct competition can occur between individuals of the same species (intra-specific competition) or between individuals of different species (inter-specific competition). The competition can result in resource depletion, reduced growth, reproduction, or survival, and can ultimately affect the population dynamics and community structure of the organisms involved.
