Practice question

“Unstable coexistence” for what happens when α12 = 1 and α21 = 1, and k1 = k2. This relationship follows from the ecological mechanism represented by the terms in the item, not merely from an association between their names. Coexistence requires stabilizing differences that make each species limit itself more strongly than it limits its competitor, or an equalizing process that keeps fitness differences small. Without such mechanisms, persistent competitive asymmetry tends toward exclusion. The remaining alternatives—“Mutualism”, “Stable coexistence”, “Species 1 wins”—refer to different states, processes, or scales and therefore do not express the same causal relationship. Evidence should connect encounter rates or resource use to survival, growth, or reproduction. The ecological label follows that causal effect rather than superficial proximity between organisms. Linking the wording to measurable consequences for fitness, abundance, or flux gives the conclusion its scientific meaning and prevents a purely mnemonic interpretation.