Studies of various plants have shown that at low elevations, neighboring plants tend to affect the focal plant negatively, but in more stressful environments at those same elevations, they tend to affect the focal plant positively. This result is most consistent with the assumptions of
A) the standard intermediate disturbance hypothesis.
B) Huston's dynamic equilibrium model.
C) Hacker and Gaines's extension of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis.
D) the Menge-Sutherland model.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Hacker and Gaines's extension of the intermediate disturbance hypothesis suggests that in more stressful environments, positive interactions among species (facilitation) are more likely to occur, which aligns with the observation that neighboring plants positively affect the focal plant in stressful conditions.

Studies of Various Plants Have Shown That at Low Elevations