Question

Given below are two statements:

Statement I: Gause’s ‘Competitive Exclusion Principle’ states that two closely related species competing for the same resources cannot co-exist indefinitely and competitively inferior one will be eliminated eventually.
Statement II: In general, carnivores are more adversely affected by competition than herbivores.

In the light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. Both Statement I and Statement II are false.
• B. Statement I is correct Statement II is false.
• C. Statement I is incorrec but Statement II is true.
• D. Both Statement I and Statement II are true.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Statement I is correct Statement II is false.

Answer 2

Statement I accurately represents Gause's Competitive Exclusion Principle, which states that when two closely related species competing for the same resources in the same environment, one species will eventually outcompete the other, leading to the elimination of the competitively inferior species.

However, Statement II is not generally true. In many cases, herbivores can be more adversely affected by competition than carnivores. The effect of competition can vary depending on the specific ecological context, availability of resources, and other factors.

Therefore, The correct option is (B): Statement I is correct Statement II is false.