Final answer:
The competitive exclusion principle states that two different species cannot occupy the same niche in a habitat.
Step-by-step explanation:
The competitive exclusion principle in biology states that two different species cannot occupy the same niche in a habitat. This means that two species cannot coexist in a community if they are competing for all the same resources. The principle works because if there is competition between two species for the same resources, then natural selection will favor traits that lessen reliance on the shared resource, thus reducing competition. If either species is unable to evolve to reduce competition, then the species that most efficiently exploits the resource will drive the other species to extinction.