Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Competition02:34

Competition

When organisms require the same limited resources within an environment, they may have to compete for them. Competition is a net-negative interaction. Even if two competing individuals or populations do not interact directly, the overall fitness of both competitors is lowered as a result of not having full access to the limited resource.
The Evidence for Evolution02:55

The Evidence for Evolution

Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
Evolutionary Psychology01:20

Evolutionary Psychology

Evolutionary psychology explores the origins of human behavior and mental processes by framing them within the context of natural selection, a theory famously propounded by Charles Darwin. This field asserts that many behaviors common across human societies — ranging from instinctive fear reactions to complex social interactions — arose as evolutionary adaptations. These adaptations enhanced the survival and reproductive success of our ancestors, thereby becoming embedded in the human psyche...
Genetics of Speciation02:16

Genetics of Speciation

Speciation is the evolutionary process resulting in the formation of new, distinct species—groups of reproductively isolated populations.
Limits to Natural Selection01:38

Limits to Natural Selection

Organisms that are well-adapted to their environment are more likely to survive and reproduce. However, natural selection does not lead to perfectly adapted organisms. Several factors constrain natural selection.
Gene Flow02:39

Gene Flow

Gene flow is the transfer of genes among populations, resulting from either the dispersal of gametes or from the migration of individuals.

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Pulse grazing by reindeer (<i>Rangifer tarandus</i>) can increase the phylogenetic diversity of vascular plant communities in the Fennoscandian tundra.

Ecology and evolution·2021
Same author

The dynamics underlying avian extinction trajectories forecast a wave of extinctions.

Biology letters·2019
Same author

Does density-dependent diversification mirror ecological competitive exclusion?

PloS one·2017
Same author

Sexual size dimorphism is not associated with the evolution of parental care in frogs.

Ecology and evolution·2014
Same author

Punctuated equilibrium in a neontological context.

Theory in biosciences = Theorie in den Biowissenschaften·2010
Same author

Do speciation rates drive rates of body size evolution in mammals?

The American naturalist·2009
Same journal

From head to tail: does habitat use drive morphological variation in snakes?

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
Same journal

Plant hormone manipulation impacts salt spray tolerance, which preempts herbivory as a driver of local adaptation in the yellow monkeyflower, Mimulus guttatus.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
Same journal

Influence of the resource acquisition-allocation Y-model's parameters on the detection of phenotypic trade-offs.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
Same journal

Chromosomal inversions may assist acute salinity and temperature adaptation in Atlantic cod eggs.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
Same journal

Quantitative genetics of shy-bold behaviour and plastic response to novel predator cues in the cherry shrimp, Neocaridina davidi.

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
Same journal

Do interactions between different Selfish Genetic Elements matter?

Journal of evolutionary biology·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 18, 2026

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
09:34

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila

Published on: August 22, 2013

Does competition drive character differences between species on a macroevolutionary scale?

Melanie J Monroe1

  • 1Department of Ecology and Environmental Science, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. melanie.monroe@yale.edu

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
|September 22, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Competition does not appear to accelerate body size evolution in mammals. This study of over 3000 species found little evidence that competition drives phenotypic differentiation in body mass between species.

More Related Videos

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks
08:51

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 18, 2026

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila
09:34

Assessing Differences in Sperm Competitive Ability in Drosophila

Published on: August 22, 2013

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli
15:00

Daily Transfers, Archiving Populations, and Measuring Fitness in the Long-Term Evolution Experiment with Escherichia coli

Published on: August 18, 2023

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks
08:51

Microinjection for Transgenesis and Genome Editing in Threespine Sticklebacks

Published on: May 13, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Macroevolutionary Studies

Background:

  • Sympatric species typically exhibit phenotypic differentiation to coexist, avoiding extinction or character displacement due to resource competition.
  • Theories suggest competition can accelerate (character displacement) or limit (competitive exclusion) microevolutionary phenotypic change.
  • The macroevolutionary impact of competition on phenotypic diversity remains under-examined.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate whether interspecific competition accelerates body size differentiation on a macroevolutionary scale.
  • To test predictions that competition either increases phenotypic diversity or halts evolution within occupied phenotypic space.

Main Methods:

  • Analyzed geographical ranges and body masses of over 3000 extant mammalian species.
  • Represented 29 diverse mammalian families in the dataset.
  • Examined patterns of body size variation in relation to potential competitive interactions.

Main Results:

  • Found limited evidence supporting the hypothesis that competition accelerates body size differentiation among mammalian species.
  • Observed patterns did not align with expectations of competition driving increased phenotypic diversity or evolutionary stasis.

Conclusions:

  • Interspecific competition may not be a primary driver of macroevolutionary body size diversification in mammals.
  • Further research is needed to understand the complex interplay of factors influencing macroevolutionary patterns.