Competition and Competitive Exclusion Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the term that describes when one species prevents another from occupying a niche by being superior?

Character displacement

Exploitation

Resource allocation

Competitive exclusion (correct)

Which term is used to describe the change in behavior of one species due to resource use or allocation by another species?

Interference

Character displacement (correct)

Exploitation

Competitive exclusion

In the context of species interactions, what does exploitation refer to?

Aggressive behavior towards other species

Resource use or allocation by another species

Preventing another species from occupying a niche

Stealing food from other species (correct)

What is the trait that is useful for doing certain things, such as birds eating seeds?

Beak size Signup and view all the answers

What does the K curve represent in the context of animals and their traits?

Expected density of trait sizes in animals Signup and view all the answers

What does the example of beak size distribution in finches illustrate?

How many of a certain trait in a certain population Signup and view all the answers

What term is used to describe an evolutionary change that occurs when two similar species inhabit the same environment?

Character displacement Signup and view all the answers

Where does character displacement usually occur?

In sympatric populations Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe populations, varieties, or species that occur in the same place at the same time?

Sympatry Signup and view all the answers

In which type of population do individuals have overlapping geographic ranges?

Sympatric populations Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'allopatry' refer to?

Individuals living apart Signup and view all the answers

What can lead to character displacement between two similar species?

Resource scarcity and competition Signup and view all the answers

What is the outcome of character displacement between two similar species?

Divergence in traits and resource use Signup and view all the answers

What ecological phenomenon is observed when two sympatric species evolve to occupy different ecological niches?

Resource partitioning Signup and view all the answers

What is an example of adaptive radiation in the text?

Evolutionary diversification of stickleback fish Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of growing fish in the lab and putting them in cages in different areas of the lake?

To study the trade-offs of living together Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the separation of gill raker length when both limnetic and benthic species of fish occur together?

Competition between the two species Signup and view all the answers

What is the effect of predation on the first dorsal spine of stickleback fish?

Increases in frequency Signup and view all the answers

What does the variation in beak sizes of finches across different islands illustrate?

Pattern of character displacement at community level Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the lack of overlap of canine diameter across different weasel species?

Trait overdispersion due to competition Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested by the change in beak size during and after droughts among different species of finches?

Patterns of character displacement influenced by environmental changes Signup and view all the answers

What is indicated by the direct result of the second drought on beak size evolution?

Decreased bill size in G. magnirostris due to competition with G. fortis with big beaks Signup and view all the answers

What does the lack of overlap of canine diameter across different weasel species suggest?

Trait overdispersion due to competition Signup and view all the answers

What does the variation between limnetic and benthic stickleback fish in response to predation indicate?

Competition and potential character displacement Signup and view all the answers

What is suggested by the change in behavior and traits of stickleback fish in response to different combinations of species?

Trade-offs for living together Signup and view all the answers

What does the pattern of character displacement among different species of finches illustrate?

Competitive interactions leading to trait divergence Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Species Interactions and Niches

Competitive exclusion occurs when one species outcompetes another for a niche, preventing its occupation.
Resource partitioning refers to the behavioral changes in one species due to resource use by another species.

Exploitation and Traits

Exploitation involves one species benefiting at the expense of another, often related to resource use.
Adaptations, such as beak traits, enable birds to efficiently eat seeds, showcasing evolutionary specialization.

Character Displacement and Ecology

The K curve represents the relationship between animal traits and their survival strategies under resource limitations.
Beak size distribution in finches demonstrates adaptive responses to environmental pressures, leading to niche differentiation.
Character displacement arises when similar species coexist in the same environment, often resulting in trait divergence.

Sympatry, Allopatry, and Population Dynamics

Sympatry describes populations or species that are geographically overlapping and coexist simultaneously.
Allopatry refers to populations that are geographically separated, leading to different evolutionary paths.
Character displacement typically occurs in sympatric populations, driven by competition for similar resources.

Adaptive Radiation and Experimentation

Adaptive radiation is exemplified by diversification in species, such as Darwin's finches, adapting to various ecological niches.
Lab experiments with fish in cages across a lake aim to explore ecological adaptations and niche specialization.

Gill Rakers and Evolutionary Responses

Separation of gill raker length in limnetic and benthic fish species indicates resource partitioning due to sympatric living.
Predation influences the morphology of stickleback fish, shaping traits like the first dorsal spine for survival.

Beak Size Variability and Ecological Significance

Variability in finch beak sizes across islands highlights adaptive evolution in response to food availability.
The absence of overlap in canine diameter across weasel species suggests niche differentiation and resource specialization.
Changes in finch beak size during drought conditions reflect natural selection pressures and environmental adaptability.

Behavioral Changes and Ecological Responses

Direct consequences of environmental events, such as droughts, drive evolutionary changes in species traits.
Variation in responses between limnetic and benthic stickleback fish due to predation illustrates adaptive behavior in resource competition.
Changes in stickleback fish behavior and traits hint at evolutionary responses to species coexistence dynamics.
Character displacement patterns among finches exemplify the evolutionary impact of resource competition in shared habitats.

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Description

Test your knowledge of competition in ecology and the concept of competitive exclusion. Explore how species prevent each other from occupying niches and the mechanisms behind it, including exploitation and behavior displacement.