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Used in the sentence:

There was no garden when they moved in, so they are not (???) any existing plants.

I wanted to say threatening, but I am curious if a word specifically relating to this phenomenon.

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  • The logic underlying this sentence a bit troubling in that it posits replacement of a pre-existing garden as the locus of a threat to plant life. Is there some way to reword it that is less tautological?
    – user57832
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 13:08
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    Crowding out is idomatic here.
    – Phil Sweet
    Commented Jun 21, 2018 at 17:08
  • @DJohnson good point. Perhaps I should phrase it as ...they are not (???) any preexisting plants.
    – ChickenFeet
    Commented Jun 22, 2018 at 1:56

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How about “competing”? As in, “They are not competing with any existing plants.”

The word “competition” comes up quite frequently in the study of biology and ecology when describing the interactions between two or more species, hence my suggestion.

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"threatening" is good, or as lightweaver said "competing with", crowding, hindering, affecting, incompatible with, shading.

i assume you are introducing new plants to an existing space

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