A population biologist notes a curious fact when observing a population of small voles in a field in Michigan: although he traps and removes a significant percentage (15 percent) of the breeding adults for study each year, the density of the voles does not seem to decrease in the following year. This suggests that ________ is occurring.
A) niche overlap
B) niche separation
C) intraspecific competition
D) competitive exclusion

Question

A population biologist notes a curious fact when observing a population of small voles in a field in Michigan: although he traps and removes a significant percentage (>15 percent) of the breeding adults for study each year, the density of the voles does not seem to decrease in the following year. This suggests that ________ is occurring.
A) niche overlap
B) niche separation
C) intraspecific competition
D) competitive exclusion

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

This suggests that intraspecific competition is occurring. When a significant percentage of breeding adults is removed and the population density does not decrease, it indicates that the remaining voles have less competition for resources, allowing the population to quickly rebound to its previous level. This is a characteristic effect of intraspecific competition, where individuals of the same species compete for the same resources.

A Population Biologist Notes a Curious Fact When Observing a Population