In 1859, European rabbits were brought to Australia. They ate the same plants as sheep already living in Australia. This made raising she impossible for farmers. Which relationship occurred between European rabbits and Australian sheep? coexistence commensalism competion parasitism

## Step 1<br />The problem describes a situation where European rabbits and Australian sheep are living in the same environment and consuming the same resources. This is a clear indication of competition, as both species are competing for the same limited resources.<br /><br />## Step 2<br />The options provided are coexistence, commensalism, competition, and parasitism. We need to understand what each of these terms means in order to correctly identify the relationship between the two species.<br /><br />### **Coexistence** <br />This term refers to two species living in the same environment without directly affecting each other. This is not the case here, as the rabbits are directly affecting the sheep by consuming the same resources.<br /><br />### **Commensalism** <br />This is a relationship where one species benefits while the other is unaffected. This is also not the case here, as both the rabbits and the sheep are negatively affected by the competition for resources.<br /><br />### **Competition** <br />This is a relationship where two species are competing for the same limited resources. This is the case here, as the rabbits and the sheep are both competing for the same plants.<br /><br />### **Parasitism** <br />This is a relationship where one species benefits at the expense of the other. This is not the case here, as both the rabbits and the sheep are negatively affected by the competition for resources.<br /><br />## Step 3<br />Based on the above analysis, the relationship between the European rabbits and the Australian sheep is competition.