Question

Resource partitioning includes:
(a)Temporal partitioning
(b)Spatial partitioning
(c)Morphological partitioning
(d)All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Organisms and different species have to find ways to coexist with one another in any habitat, organisms fight for limited resources. The initial idea of resource partitioning refers to the adaptations in species as a response to the evolution pressure from interspecific competition.

Complete answer:
Resource partitioning includes temporal partitioning, spatial partitioning, morphological partitioning.
Let’s see how each of it is related to resource partitioning.
Temporal partitioning occurs when species differ in their competitive skills based on varying environmental conditions. For instance, in the Sonoran Desert, some plants are more successful in obtaining food during wet seasons, while others are more successful during dry seasons. The consequence of this is that some species will have dominance in a few seasons. Also in a dry season, dry-adapted plants will have competition with the other dry-adapted plants, to avoid this they can store to coexist.
Species lower competition by using the same resource by occupying different areas or habitats this is known as spatial partitioning. It can occur at small scales (microhabitat differentiation) or at large scales (geographical differentiation). For example, the lizards in the Caribbean islands mostly eat the same types of food i.e. insects. However, they can live in different areas within the context of their larger habitat such as some lizards can live on the forest ground while others may live higher up in trees of the forest. With the use of their physical location, different species can coexist more effectively with one another.
In morphological partitioning, species lower competition by evolving different adaptations in body and shape. For instance, in a collection of moths in the 1850s, before industrialization, it was observed that there were more white-winged moths on trees than dark-winged. After industrialization, in the 1920s, the proportion was reversed; there were more dark-winged moths. In the course of the post-industrialisation period, the tree trunks became dark due to industrial smoke and dust, so the dark-winged moth had better survival. In simple words, predators will spot a moth against a contrasting background.
So, the correct answer is ‘All of the above’.

Note: When the same resources are in demand, one species typically has the advantage over another, even if only slightly so. The species with the advantage will go on in the long term. The weaker species will either become extinct or will move to occupy a different ecological niche.