After the introduction of the American mink into Belarus, the native European mink became larger, and the American mink gradually decreased in size.These changes most likely occurred because of
A) competitive exclusion.
B) interference competition.
C) character displacement.
D) Müllerian mimicry.
E) Batesian mimicry.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Character displacement is a phenomenon where differences among similar species whose distributions overlap geographically are accentuated in regions where the species co-occur but are minimized or lost where the species' distributions do not overlap. This occurs to minimize competition for resources. In the case of the American and European mink, the changes in size among the species where they coexist could be an example of character displacement, allowing them to exploit different niches and reduce direct competition.

After the Introduction of the American Mink into Belarus, the Native