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, whereas the white-breasted nuthatch searches from the top of the trunk down. These hunting behaviours best illustrate which of the following ecological concepts?
A)competitive exclusion
B)resource partitioning
C)character displacement
D)keystone species
E)bottom-up and top-down hypotheses

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hunting behaviours of these two species illustrate resource partitioning, which is the differentiation of niches that enables similar species to coexist in a community by using different resources or different methods of obtaining resources. By searching for insects in different parts of the same tree, the white-breasted nuthatch and Downy woodpecker are avoiding competition and utilizing resources in different ways.

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