Question

What is the relationship between character (trait) displacement and the competitive exclusion principle?

A. Character (trait) displacement refers to predator-prey interactions, while the competitive exclusion principle refers to competition between species on the same trophic level.

B. Rationale for character (trait) displacement stems from the competitive exclusion principle. Species exhibit evolutionary change leading to different ecological niches, as a result of competition.

C. The competitive exclusion principle details that productivity limits the number of trophic levels in a community. Similarly, character (trait) displacement describes how predation can determine the diversity of prey species in a commmunity.

D. The competitive exclusion principle defines the rate at which energy enters the food chain via primary producers, while character (trait) displacement defines how much energy is converted from one trophic level to another.

Answer 1

B. Rationale for character (trait) displacement stems from the competitive exclusion principle. Species exhibit evolutionary change leading to different ecological niches, as a result of competition.

The rationale for character displacement stems from competitive exclusion principle, also known as Gause's Law, which states that in order to coexist in a stable environment teo competing species should differ in their respective ecological niche. If this does not happen, it will lead to one species eliminating the other through competition.