White-breasted nuthatches and Downy woodpeckers both eat insects that hide in the furrows of bark in hardwood trees. The Downy woodpecker searches for insects by hunting from the bottom of the tree trunk to the top, while the White-breasted nuthatch searches from the top of the trunk down. These hunting behaviors best illustrate which of the following ecological concepts?
A)competitive exclusion
B)resource partitioning
C)character displacement
D)keystone species
E)individualistic hypothesis

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Resource partitioning refers to the division of limited resources by different species in a way that enables them to coexist. In this case, the nuthatch and woodpecker are partitioning the insect food source in the bark of trees by hunting in different areas of the tree. This allows both species to coexist without directly competing for the same resources.

White-Breasted Nuthatches and Downy Woodpeckers Both Eat Insects That Hide