How did Robert MacArthur demonstrate that five closely related species of warbler birds could successfully coexist on the same spruce tree without competitive exclusion?

Answer and explanation

Correct answer: C. Showed resource partitioning by foraging in different zones of the same tree at different times

  1. Step 1: MacArthur (1958) studied five species of warblers (Dendroica) living in the same coniferous forest canopy.
  2. Step 2: Rather than one species driving the others to extinction, all five coexisted peacefully on the same trees.
  3. Step 3: MacArthur discovered that each species specialized in foraging within distinct micro-habitats (different vertical and horizontal zones of the spruce canopy) and employed different foraging behaviors.
  4. Step 4: This behavioral mechanism of niche differentiation is termed resource partitioning, which avoids direct competition and allows coexistence.
Answer
By showing that the warblers exhibited resource partitioning, foraging in different zones of the tree and hunting insects at different times of day
Why not the others: 'By showing that the warblers cross-bred...' is genetically false, as all five are distinct reproductive species; 'By showing that each warbler species killed the predators...' is biologically unfounded; 'By showing that four species were parasitic...' is false because all five are free-living insectivorous birds.

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