Final answer:
The type of isolation where two species rarely or never encounter each other due to occupying different habitats within the same area is known as habitat isolation,
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of isolation you are referring to is habitat isolation. This occurs when two species occupy different habitats within the same area, potentially encountering each other rarely or never. An example of this includes two species of crickets where Gryllus pennsylvanicus prefers sandy soil, while Gryllus firmus prefers loamy soil. Despite living in close proximity, their preference for different soil types leads to genetic isolation. Over time, such habitat isolation can result in speciation as the separated populations undergo natural selection, mutation, and genetic drift, becoming reproductively independent.
In ecological terms, these species are said to occupy different microniches and exhibit resource partitioning, leading to coexistence with minimal direct competition. Symbiosis is another aspect of inter-species interaction, which can also impact populations' abundance and distribution. In contrast to habitat isolation, symbiotic relationships, whether mutualistic or not, involve close, prolonged interactions between different species.