A Newly Evolved Species May Take Over an Ecological Role

question 28

Multiple Choice

A newly evolved species may take over an ecological role or ecological niche that is already occupied, provided that the new species has:

• A) the ability to alter or change the environmental parameters.
• B) fitness that is almost as high as the fitness of the original species.
• C) the ability to grow to a larger size, thus providing it with a selective advantage.
• D) features that make it competitively superior to the original occupant of that niche.
• E) the ability to evolve through natural selection, as opposed to the original occupant, who cannot continue to evolve.

---

Definitions:

Excess Capacity

Excess capacity occurs when a firm's actual production is less than its maximum possible output, often indicating underutilized resources or insufficient demand.

Perfect Competition

An economic model describing a market where no buyer or seller has the market power to influence prices, characterized by many participants and free entry and exit.

Profit Maximization

The process or strategy undertaken by a firm to generate the maximum possible profits with the available resources and market conditions.

Short-run Equilibrium

Describes a situation in a market where supply equals demand within a short period, without enough time for all factors of production to adjust.