Practicing Success
Practicing Success
CUET Preparation Today
Which of the following examples demonstrates competitive exclusion in nature? |
The Abingdon tortoise becoming extinct after the introduction of goats The expansion of a species' distributional range when a competitor is removed The dominance of Balanus barnacles over Chathamalus barnacles in intertidal areas The coexistence of closely related warbler species through resource partitioning |
The dominance of Balanus barnacles over Chathamalus barnacles in intertidal areas |
The correct answer is Option (3) -The dominance of Balanus barnacles over Chathamalus barnacles in intertidal areas. In the rocky sea coasts of Scotland, Balanus barnacles competitively outcompete and exclude the smaller Chathamalus barnacles from the intertidal zone. This indicates that Balanus is the superior competitor, leading to the exclusion of Chathamalus from that specific habitat. The competitive exclusion principle suggests that closely related species competing for the same resources cannot coexist indefinitely, and the competitively inferior species will be eliminated. In this case, the dominance of Balanus over Chathamalus exemplifies the competitive exclusion phenomenon. |
