Which term describes the act of one animal preying upon another?

Predation describes the ecological interaction where one organism, the predator, hunts and consumes another organism, the prey. This relationship is a fundamental aspect of ecosystems and serves as a means for energy transfer within food webs. Predators play a crucial role in controlling the population of prey species, which can help maintain balance in an ecosystem.

In contrast, competition refers to the struggle between organisms for limited resources, such as food, water, or space, without any direct predatory behavior. Symbiosis involves interactions between species that often benefit one or both parties, such as mutualism and commensalism, rather than one species preying on another. Cooperation implies social behaviors where individuals work together for mutual benefit, again not involving predatory dynamics. Thus, predation is specifically defined by the predatory relationship, making it the correct term in this context.