Try it on paper first. A hint, the key idea and the worked solution are here when you need them.
This problem is for A-Level and IB, and it is not in the NEET syllabus. Two warblers feed at heights described by bell curves of the same spread, m. Their best heights are m apart.
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.
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.
Given. m, m.
Plan. Use the two formulas.
Step 1. (a) At the middle, the distance to each peak is m. The use is , which is .
Step 2. (b) . The overlap is .
Answer: ; .
Check. If the species fed at the same height, the overlap would be . Here it is small, so the species hardly compete.
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