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Competition and Territory

Bacteria fight. They release antibiotics, inject toxins into neighbours, and physically crowd rivals out of space and nutrients. In many mixed communities, competition is more common than cooperation.

The human parallel

Neighbours, roommates and rivals. Sharing a limited space means negotiating boundaries, and not all of that negotiation is friendly.

Why it matters

A healthy community is not a peaceful one. Ongoing competition is part of what keeps any single species from taking over.

What we can say

Each claim carries a confidence rating, a caveat, and the papers it rests on.

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