Senter and James have noted that "Therizinosaurus" was among the tallest dinosaurs in the Nemegt Formation. Due to its prominent height and high-browsing life-style, it probably had no prominent competition with other herbivores over the foliage. However, they suggested a potential niche partitioning with the sauropods of the formation, which were also long-necked dinosaurs. If engaged in combat, a large "Tarbosaurus" may have been not able to bite any higher than the thighs or belly of an adult standing "Therizinosaurus". The gigantic claws likely functioned as optimal defense against this situation. The paleontologist Thomas Holtz has compared the wet environments of the Nemegt Formation to those of the Okavango Delta. He suggested a resources competition between "Deinocheirus", "Saurolophus", "Therizinosaurus" and titanosaurs.