What term describes the natural evolutionary divergence of ecological traits or feeding behaviors that allows competing species to divide limited resources and avoid direct competition (such as Darwin's finches feeding on different seed sizes)?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: D. Resource partitioning
- Step 1: Gause's law dictates that competing species cannot occupy the exact same niche indefinitely without one going extinct.
- Step 2: Resource partitioning (or niche differentiation) allows species to divide resources spatially, temporally, or morphologically (e.g., Robert MacArthur's warblers foraging in different zones of the same spruce tree), permitting long-term coexistence.
Answer
Resource partitioning
Why not the others: 'Competitive exclusion' Competitive exclusion is the complete elimination of one species by a superior competitor for the same niche; 'Bioaccumulation' Bioaccumulation is the buildup of contaminants in organism tissues over time; 'Succession' Succession is the chronological sequence of community replacement following a disturbance.
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