Question

In the late 1960s, Robert Paine conducted landmark studies on diversity in the rocky intertidal zone, comparing the species diversity in control plots with diversity in experimental plots from which he removed the top predator, sea stars. After 5 years, 15 species of intertidal invertebrates lived in the control plots, while the experimental plots were dominated by only two species, one mussel and one barnacle. The process MOST likely responsible for the loss of species diversity in the experimental plots was:

predation.
parasitism.
competitive exclusion.
resource partitioning.
mutualism.

Answer 1

Answer:

Option-(C): The process most likely responsible for the loss of species diversity in the experimental plots was competitive exclusion.              

Explanation:

• Nature's balance should never be interfered with, as each organism inside the ecological system or pyramid has its own significance and thus holds  greater importance inside the lives of other organisms too. Which makes it very clear that the rest of the organism would have fought for the same resources and shelter and eventually there number would have decrease due to lack of natural resources to survive.