Use the figures to answer the following question.

In this experiment, Balanus was removed from the habitat shown on the left.
Which of the following statements is a valid conclusion of this experiment?
A) Balanus can survive only in the lower intertidal zone because it is unable to resist desiccation.
B) Balanus is inferior to Chthamalus in competing for space on rocks lower in the intertidal zone.
C) When the two species of barnacles compete with each other, both species still occupy low and high tide areas.
D) The removal of Balanus shows that competitive exclusion prevented Chthamalus from occupying the lower tide region of its fundamental niche.

Question

Use the figures to answer the following question.

In this experiment, Balanus was removed from the habitat shown on the left.
Which of the following statements is a valid conclusion of this experiment?
A) Balanus can survive only in the lower intertidal zone because it is unable to resist desiccation. 
B) Balanus is inferior to Chthamalus in competing for space on rocks lower in the intertidal zone. 
C) When the two species of barnacles compete with each other, both species still occupy low and high tide areas. 
D) The removal of Balanus shows that competitive exclusion prevented Chthamalus from occupying the lower tide region of its fundamental niche.

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The experiment shows that Chthamalus was able to occupy the lower tide region after Balanus was removed. This indicates that competitive exclusion was preventing Chthamalus from occupying its fundamental niche in the lower intertidal zone. Therefore, D is the correct choice. A, B and C are incorrect because they are not supported by the data provided in the figures.

Use the Figures to Answer the Following Question