Niche Complementarity Requires

Question

Niche complementarity requires
A) There be a community of species in several niche dimensions, and that a species occupying a similar position along one dimension will not tend to differ along another dimension.
B) There be a community of species in several niche dimensions, and that a species occupying a similar position along one dimension will tend to differ along another dimension.
C) That a species occupying a similar position along one dimension will not tend to differ along another dimension.
D) There to be an isolated species that occupies a position along one niche dimension, but never differs along another dimension.

Accepted Answer

Niche complementarity occurs when species in a community use resources in different ways or occupy different niches, allowing them to coexist without direct competition. This requires a community of species in several niche dimensions, meaning there are multiple resources or factors that can be used to differentiate niches. The key aspect of niche complementarity is that species occupying a similar position along one dimension will tend to differ along another dimension. For example, two plant species may both grow in the same soil type, but if one species prefers full sun while the other prefers shade, they can coexist and use the same soil resources without competing directly for light.