Final answer:
Extensive niche overlap results in increased competition as species attempt to utilize the same resources. The Competitive Exclusion Principle states that such a scenario cannot persist indefinitely, leading to one species outcompeting the other.
Step-by-step explanation:
Extensive niche overlap signifies increased competition between species. It means that multiple species are trying to use the same set of limited resources within a habitat. According to the Competitive Exclusion Principle, no two species can coexist in the long term if they occupy the same niche and compete for identical resources. Eventually, natural selection favors the species that can adapt to minimize competition or more effectively use the resources, leading to one species becoming predominant while the other may become locally extinct or be forced to migrate.
The Competitive Exclusion Principle states that such a scenario cannot persist indefinitely, leading to one species outcompeting the other.