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What can happen to a weaker competitor in a local habitat?

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Diagram showing energy flow in a food chain from a tree to a caterpillar, then to a bird, and finally to microbes, with red arrows illustrating energy transfer and heat loss at each stage. — community ecology Energy transfer and heat loss along a food chain.

In the context of community ecology, when two species compete for limited resources, the weaker competitor in a local habitat may face several outcomes:12

Local Extinction: The weaker species may be driven to extinction within that specific area by the stronger competitor.2
Resource Divergence: The species may diverge in its use of resources to minimize competition, often filling different niches within the community. This can occur through character displacement, where natural selection favors individuals that compete less with the other species, such as evolving differences in physical traits like body size or bill shape.2
Evolutionary Adaptation: The species may evolve an increased competitive ability over time.2
Displacement to Marginal Areas: Individuals may be forced to inhabit less suitable or marginal areas to survive.1

Which species prevails locally is often determined by the physical environment, genetic factors, and interactions with other community members. Consequently, some species may only coexist regionally by maintaining multiple populations across various environments.2