Question

Which of the following statements is consistent with the principle of competitive exclusion?

A) Bird species generally do not compete for nesting sites.
B) The random distribution of one competing species will have a positive impact on the population growth of the other competing species.
C) Two species with the same fundamental niche will exclude other competing species.
D) Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well adapted of two competing species.
E) Natural selection tends to increase competition between related species.

Answer 1

D) Even a slight reproductive advantage will eventually lead to the elimination of the less well adapted of two competing species.

Step-by-step explanation:

The competitive exclusion describes relationship between two species that compete for the limiting sources, and cannot coexist. It is enough for one species to have slightly advantage to be dominant over the other. As a consequence, other species (the weaker one) will be extincted (shift to a different ecological niche).