Character displacement and ecological exclusion, Biology

Assignment Help:

Consider two species of organisms, species A and species B. Species A has a population in a community. Another population species B arrives into the same community, rather suddenly, being brought into the community by man (there could be other ways by which the new species can enter into a community). Let us assume that the food organisms of the two species are identical (it can be insects or seeds etc.). The range of food particle size fed upon by each individual species falls into a normal curve. By normal curve we mean that there is a variation in the given trait, for example size of the seeds or insects in this case, or beak sizes which are all distributed in such a way that the largest number of individuals in the population has optimum or mean size or measurement and a very few individuals have extreme sizes or measurments. The normal distribution as shown in Figure takes the fo!m of a bell shaped curve. You could observe from Figure that there is a significant overlap in the normal curves of food capturing devices (mouth, beak or tooth sizes) of species A and B. The region of overlap implies that the members of the two species have to compete for their food over a larger area in the community. Essentially, there is an ecological interspecific cornpetiton for food. You may also note in the figure that some food particles (food particles of both large and small sizes) are out of the reach of each species. Although the population as a whole can feed on a range of food particle size, any individual in the community is restricted in the size of the food particles it can feed on.

Assuming that the number of food particles of each size is the same, then individuals outside the region of overlap have better accessibility to the food particles and thcy may have to expend only less energy in acquiring them. Compare these individuals with those which lie within the region of overlap. They have not only to compete with conspecific individuals for their food, but with those of the other species as well. The net result is that the individuals outside the region of overlap have more energy for reproduction, and naturally will tend to leave more offsprings to thc next generation. These offsprings will essentially carry the alleles of their parents including those involved in the determination of food particle size. The effect of this natural selection.


Related Discussions:- Character displacement and ecological exclusion

Light-environmental components, LIGHT All of us know that the sun is the ...

LIGHT All of us know that the sun is the ultimate source of energy for all activities in our biosphere. The electromagnetic radiations from the sun supply energy which warms up t

Amniocentesis, Amniocentesis is a way of prenatal testing in which the amn...

Amniocentesis is a way of prenatal testing in which the amniotic fluid is withdrawn from the uterus by the help of a needle. The fluid and the fetal cells it contains are analyzed

Hydrarch - kinds of succession, Hydrarch - Kinds of Succession When su...

Hydrarch - Kinds of Succession When succession takes place in a wet area, that is, succession progresses from hydric to mesic conditions. This can be further subdivided as:

Define plate counts and colony forming unit, Define Plate Counts and Colony...

Define Plate Counts and Colony Forming Unit? Plate counts is the most frequently used method to measure microbial numbers. The technique, however, can be used only for those mi

Why is it not correct to assert that dna self-replicates, Why is it not cor...

Why is it not correct to assert that DNA self-replicates? DNA is not completely autonomous in its duplication process because the replication does not happen without enzymatic

Explain food applications of dextran, Food Applications Dextran can be ...

Food Applications Dextran can be used in food products, as it is capable of moisture retention and inhibition of crystallization of sugar. The properties of dextran as gelling

Mismatch and recombinational repair, Q. Mismatch and Recombinational repair...

Q. Mismatch and Recombinational repair? Mismatch repair: 1. Mismatches can take place when DNA polymerase inserts wrong nucleotide during replication 2. Mismatch repair is

What is an etiological agent of disease, Q. What is an etiological agent of...

Q. What is an etiological agent of disease? The etiological agent of disease is the agent that causes the disease. It may perhaps a living being, substance or environmental fac

Cell, What is eukaryotic cell?

What is eukaryotic cell?

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd