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Eaton, R.L.
Interference competition among carnivores: a model for the evolution of social behavior
1979  Carnivore (2): 9-16

Competition among individuals of different species is believed to have a radical influence on the niches of species. Except for customary references in the earlier natural history literature to a species enemies, direct or interference competition has been largely ignored until recently. Based on a review of divergent taxa, Morse (1974:818) concluded, "Accumulating studies of social dominance relationships between species (meaning direct competition between individuals of different species) suggest that these relationships frequently play a major proximate role in resource partitioning among mobile animals" It seems probable that such relationships play a major ultimate role in the evolution of behavior and niches. Evaluating the effect of direct competition in niche breadth and overlap between species, Morse (1974:822) concluded, "whenever a dominant-subordinate relationship exists between two species, the breadth or location of one or both niches changes when the two species occur together. If one assumes that the hierarchical relationships entail priority to resources for the dominant species then these changes are predictable". However, Morse (1974) excluded interactions between species that frequently group. Citing Orians and Collier's (1963) study of blackbirds, Morse mentions that several individuals of a smaller species may dominate an individual of a larger, otherwise dominant species. But, neither Morse (1974) nor Orians and Collier (1963; G.H. Orians, personal communication) recognized that direct competition between species may be a primary influence on the evolution of social behavior.

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