Understanding Realized vs. Fundamental Niche

Answered using GPT-4o mini by AI Answer Generator

Question:

A species' realized niche:

is smaller than its fundamental niche because of the constraints of competition. does not overlap with those of similar species. is broader than a species' fundamental niche. includes environmental conditions that are not included in its fundamental niche.

Answer:

The correct statement regarding a species' realized niche is:

is smaller than its fundamental niche because of the constraints of competition.

The realized niche refers to the actual conditions and resources in which a species exists due to biotic factors such as competition, predation, and disease, while the fundamental niche represents the potential conditions and resources a species could theoretically occupy in the absence of these biotic constraints.