▁the ▁competition ▁between ▁the ▁two ▁species ▁of ▁Par ame ci um ▁that ▁occurred ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁their ▁co ex istence . ▁Through ▁his ▁studies , ▁G ause ▁proposed ▁the ▁Compet itive ▁ex clusion ▁principle , ▁obser ving ▁the ▁competition ▁that ▁occurred ▁when ▁their ▁different ▁e colog ical ▁nich es ▁over la pped . ▁ ▁Compet ition ▁has ▁been ▁observed ▁between ▁individuals , ▁populations ▁and ▁species , ▁but ▁there ▁is ▁little ▁evidence ▁that ▁competition ▁has ▁been ▁the ▁driving ▁force ▁in ▁the ▁evolution ▁of ▁large ▁groups . ▁For ▁example , ▁m amm als ▁lived ▁beside ▁re pt iles ▁for ▁many ▁millions ▁of ▁years ▁of ▁time ▁but ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁gain ▁a ▁compet itive ▁edge ▁until ▁din osa urs ▁were ▁dev ast ated ▁by ▁the ▁C ret ace ous – P ale ogene ▁ext inction ▁event . ▁ ▁E volution ary ▁strateg ies ▁▁ ▁In ▁evolution ary ▁context s , ▁competition ▁is ▁related ▁to ▁the ▁concept ▁of ▁r / K ▁selection ▁theory , ▁which ▁rel ates ▁to ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁tra its ▁which ▁promote ▁success ▁in ▁particular ▁environments . ▁The ▁theory ▁origin ates ▁from ▁work ▁on ▁island ▁bi oge ography ▁by ▁the ▁e colog ists ▁Robert ▁Mac Ar thur ▁and ▁E . ▁O . ▁Wilson . ▁ ▁In ▁r / K ▁selection ▁theory , ▁select ive ▁press ures ▁are ▁hypoth es ised ▁to ▁drive ▁evolution ▁in ▁one ▁of ▁two ▁s tere ot yp ed ▁directions : ▁r - ▁or ▁K - selection . ▁These ▁terms , ▁r ▁and ▁K , ▁are ▁derived ▁from ▁standard ▁e