Question

Species A is an ectotherm. Species B is an endotherm. Species A and B are competing for the same resources via exploitation competition. The current competition coefficients are α = 0.99 (effect of species B on species A) and β = 0.95 (effect of species A on species B), respectively. The carrying capacities of species A and B are KA = KB = 10,000. With warming, the movement rates of species A are expected to increase so that β becomes β = 0.97, and the carrying capacity of species B is expected to decrease to KB = 9,500.

Group of answer choices
A. These species cannot coexist under either current or warmer conditions.
B. These species can coexist under current conditions but are unlikely to coexist under warmer conditions.
C. These species cannot coexist under current conditions but can coexist under warmer conditions.
D. These species can coexist under both current conditions and warmer conditions.

Answer 1

Species A and B can coexist under current conditions due to their competition coefficients and equal carrying capacities, but under warmer conditions, increased movement rates of species A and a reduced carrying capacity for species B make their coexistence unlikely.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correct answer for whether species A and B can coexist under current and warmer conditions is B. These species can coexist under current conditions but are unlikely to coexist under warmer conditions. Interspecific competition, competition coefficients, carrying capacities, and the responses of species to environmental changes like warming are key concepts here.

In competitive exclusion, if two species vie for completely overlapping niches, they cannot coexist long-term. The competition coefficients (α and β) describe the impact of one species on the other's growth rate--the closer the value is to 1, the more significant the effect. Here, the coefficients suggest a strong competitive interaction, but survival is still possible under current conditions. However, under warming scenarios, where the competition coefficient β increases slightly to 0.97 and the carrying capacity for species B decreases to 9,500, species A might have an increased competitive advantage due to higher movement rates, further straining species B's existence.