Two species of buttercup are found in a field in North Dakota, and they tend to flower at approximately the same time in early spring. When some ecology students decide to conduct an experiment in community dynamics, they selectively remove one species from the field by hand-picking all emergent plants. When the one species is removed, the other species shows a significant increase in its population size the next season. This study demonstrates:

Question

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The removal of one species led to an increase in the population size of the other species, suggesting that the two species were competing for resources. This demonstrates interspecific competition, where the two species are competing for similar resources and one species is outcompeting the other. Choices A, B, C, and D do not fit the scenario described.

Two Species of Buttercup Are Found in a Field in North