Several species of grain beetles can live on dry meal, obtaining water from their metabolic reactions. Many of these beetle species are grain pests that do considerable damage to stored grain. You set up an experiment with a dozen jars of dry meal. In each jar you introduce 50 individuals from each of two species. The food supply is sufficient to last for a year, and the size of the jar is adequate to prevent toxic waste buildup. In 6 months, when you reexamine the jars, you will most likely find

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Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The competitive exclusion principle states that two species competing for the same resources cannot coexist at constant population values if other ecological factors remain constant. In this scenario, one species is likely to outcompete the other in each jar, leading to the dominance of a single species per jar.

Several Species of Grain Beetles Can Live on Dry Meal