Final answer:
The statement is false; sympatric species tend to diversify traits to reduce competition, unlike allopatric species that do not share the same geographic area and therefore have less direct competition.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that two species living sympatrically will tend to overlap in traits more than when living allopatrically is false. When species live sympatrically, meaning they share the same geographic region, natural selection often favors diversification and differentiation in traits to reduce competition for resources. This process is known as character displacement or resource partitioning. For example, in scenarios where species A and B have overlapping needs for food and nesting space, one species may evolve to utilize different resources or develop different behaviors to coexist. In contrast, when species live allopatrically, in different geographic regions, there is no direct competition, and thus less pressure for such differentiation in traits.