A discussion about Evolution and other scientific theories

[Elvellon]

The purpose of this thread is not to make a discussion of Evolutionism vs Creationism, there is already a thread for it, so please don’t bring that discussion here.
I wish to start a thread were ideas about the mechanics of Evolution, and other orthodox scientific theories, can be discussed.

I would start asking your opinion about what you think it is the role of competition (between species and between individual organisms) on Evolution. This may look a very straightforward question, but think about it. The result of competition is normally considered to be the survival of the fittest, but what does this means? The result of evolution can be a more advanced form of the progenitor organism, but can also be that divergent evolution is the result. Meaning that a species can evolve to occupy a previously unoccupied niche in the ecosystem (and therefore avoid to compete with other species). Also, when two very similar species compete for the same niche of the ecosystem, that invariably ends with the extinction of the less apt, or with the subtle specialization of the two species, so that they occupy very similar, but not quite the same, niche. Could we say that, because of this, competition is a transitory state that successful species transcend? (By eliminating competition or by finding a new niche were there is no competition).