On the rocky coast of Scotland, the larger barnacle Balanus lives in the lower part of the…
Contributed by StemPy LabTry it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
On the rocky coast of Scotland, the larger barnacle Balanus lives in the lower part of the intertidal zone. The smaller barnacle Chthamalus is found only higher up.
- Which barnacle is the better competitor?
- What would you expect if Balanus were removed from the lower zone?
- What is that effect called?
- State the principle that the experiment supports.
Need a reminder? The key ideaShow
Competition harms both species. Closely related species that compete for a limited resource cannot live together for ever (Gause). Connell: Balanus excludes Chthamalus. Competitive release follows the removal of the better competitor. Species can live together by resource partitioning.
The worked solution
Have you tried it?
Work it out on paper first. It is fine to get stuck or make a mistake: that is how we learn. When you are ready, go through the solution one step at a time, and check each step against your own.
Step 1. (a) Balanus, the larger barnacle.
Step 2. (b) Chthamalus would spread into the lower zone, where it was kept out.
Step 3. (c) Competitive release.
Step 4. (d) The competitive exclusion principle of Gause: closely related species that compete for the same limiting resource cannot coexist for ever.
Answer: (a) Balanus; (b) Chthamalus spreads into the lower zone; (c) competitive release; (d) Gause's competitive exclusion.
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