. ▁ ▁Exp lo itative ▁ ▁Exp lo itation ▁competition ▁occurs ▁indirect ly ▁through ▁a ▁common ▁limit ing ▁resource ▁which ▁acts ▁as ▁an ▁intermediate . ▁For ▁example , ▁use ▁of ▁resources ▁de ple tes ▁the ▁amount ▁available ▁to ▁others , ▁or ▁they ▁comp ete ▁for ▁space . ▁ ▁Appar ent ▁ ▁Appar ent ▁competition ▁occurs ▁indirect ly ▁between ▁two ▁species ▁which ▁are ▁both ▁pre yed ▁upon ▁by ▁the ▁same ▁pred ator . ▁For ▁example , ▁species ▁A ▁and ▁species ▁B ▁are ▁both ▁pre y ▁of ▁pred ator ▁C . ▁The ▁increase ▁of ▁species ▁A ▁may ▁cause ▁the ▁decrease ▁of ▁species ▁B , ▁because ▁the ▁increase ▁of ▁As ▁may ▁aid ▁in ▁the ▁surv ival ▁of ▁pred ator ▁Cs , ▁which ▁will ▁increase ▁the ▁number ▁of ▁pred ator ▁Cs , ▁which ▁in ▁turn ▁will ▁h unt ▁more ▁of ▁species ▁B . ▁ ▁By ▁size ▁asym met ry ▁▁ ▁Compet ition ▁var ies ▁from ▁complete ▁symmetric ▁( all ▁individuals ▁receive ▁the ▁same ▁amount ▁of ▁resources , ▁ir res pective ▁of ▁their ▁size ) ▁to ▁perfectly ▁size ▁symmetric ▁( all ▁individuals ▁explo it ▁the ▁same ▁amount ▁of ▁resource ▁per ▁unit ▁bi om ass ) ▁to ▁absolutely ▁size - as ym metric ▁( the ▁largest ▁individuals ▁explo it ▁all ▁the ▁available ▁resource ). ▁The ▁degree ▁of ▁size ▁asym met ry ▁has ▁major ▁effects ▁on ▁the ▁structure ▁and ▁divers ity ▁of ▁e colog ical ▁communities , ▁e . g . ▁in ▁plant ▁communities ▁size - as ym metric ▁competition ▁for ▁light ▁has ▁stronger ▁effects ▁on ▁divers ity ▁compared ▁with