CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWERS

In regions where bobcats and lynx do not co-occur, the two species have similar-sized teeth and catch similar-sized prey. In regions where the two species do co-occur, lynx have much longer teeth and capture larger prey than bobcats.

Differences in tooth size between lynx and bobcats that co-occur is an example of
[ Select ]
Competitive exclusion
Competitive interference
Competitive exploitation
Character displacement
, which is an evolutionary outcome of
[ Select ]
predation
competition
commensalism
mutualism
.

Question

CHOOSE THE BEST ANSWERS

In regions where bobcats and lynx do not co-occur, the two species have similar-sized teeth and catch similar-sized prey. In regions where the two species do co-occur, lynx have much longer teeth and capture larger prey than bobcats.

Differences in tooth size between lynx and bobcats that co-occur is an example of 
[ Select ]
Competitive exclusion
Competitive interference
Competitive exploitation
Character displacement
 , which is an evolutionary outcome of 
[ Select ]
predation
competition
commensalism
mutualism
 .

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

This question presents two related prompts about how species differences evolve in the presence of another similar species.
First, consider the statement: Differences in tooth size between lynx and bobcats that co-occur is an example of ________ , which is an evolutionary outcome of ________ .
Option 1: Competitive exclusion. This idea states that two species competing for the same resources cannot stably coexist, leading to one species being excluded. It does not directly describe how trait differences arise between co-occurring species, so it’s not the best fit here.
Option 2: Competitive interference. This concept involves direct interference among species (e.g., aggression or territorial behavior) that reduces the other’s access to resources. It does not explain an evolutionary change in morphology (tooth size) that occurs with co-occurrence, so it’s unlikely to be correct.
Option 3: Competitive exploitation. Also called resource competition, this term refers to competition for shared resources, which can drive ecological interactions but does not specifically capture the pattern of morphological divergence that occurs to reduce niche overlap, so it’s not the best match for this context.
Option 4: Character displacement. This is the evolutionary process where differences among similar species become more pronounced in regions where the species co-occur (sympatry), due to selection to minimize resource overlap. The observed shift to longer teeth and larger prey in co-occurring lynx versus bobcats is a classic example, reflecting niche differentiation driven by competition.

Second, filling the second blank: character displacement is an evolutionary outcome of ________ .
Options for the evolutionary mechanism include predation, competition, commensalism, and mutualism.
- Predation: While predation can influence trait evolution, the tooth size difference described here is driven by competition for shared prey, not by predator–prey interactions.
- Competition: This is the core driver of character displacement in this scenario. When two similar species compete for the same prey in the same area, selection favors divergence in traits related to resource use (e.g., tooth size, prey size) to reduce direct competition.
- Commensalism and mutualism: These are positive species interactions but do not explain the divergence pattern produced by competition for resources in sympatry.

Putting it together, the observed pattern—lynx developing longer teeth and capturing larger prey when co-occurring with bobcats—illustrates character displacement, an evolutionary outcome of competition, because the trait differences reduce niche overlap and competition for prey.

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