Exploitative competition is the differential ability of competitors to harvest a limiting resource; which limits the supply that other organisms need to survive that is incapable of harvesting resources at a much rapid pace.

Preemptive competition occurs when a competitor recruits to and dominates a habitat, monopolizing all available space, precluding the establishment of potential competitors (Sutherland and Karlson 1977; Grace 1987)

Interference competition occurs when competitors physically deprive other organism's access to resources.