Many organisms compete for space, or for resources that are linked to
space. Territorial behavior in animals is one expression of competitio
n for space. Models of competition for space seek to predict how the a
rrangement of individuals in a population changes as new individuals a
ppear, others die, and neighbors interact with each other; studies of
territorial behavior examine how neighbor interactions lead animals to
establish and maintain their use of space. In recent work on competit
ion for space and on territorial behavior, there has been a shift from
simple, general models to ones that incorporate heterogeneity in the
spatial and temporal distribution of resources, and in the ways indivi
duals use resources.