You go on a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) in northern Minnesota. This ecosystem is cold most of the year and receives plenty of rainfall. It has many lakes that are full of walleye pike. You know that walleye like to eat minnows. In turn, the minnows feed on scuds (zooplankton), which eat algae (phytoplankton).
-Walleye pike tend to live in deep waters and feed at night.Northern pike live in shallower waters and feed all day.Which of the following best explains these differences?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Walleye pike and northern pike exhibit differences in their niche and habitat utilization, resulting in competition for resources. Walleye have adapted to living in deep waters where they are less likely to compete with northern pike for prey resources during the day. Instead, they have evolved to feed at night when their competitors are less active. Meanwhile, northern pike have adapted to living in shallower waters, where they hunt throughout the day and have access to a wider variety of prey than walleye. This demonstrates how competition can drive adaptation and lead to niche differentiation.

You Go on a Canoe Trip to the Boundary Waters