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Biology
Posted 7 months ago

What was Hutchinson's explanation for the "paradox of the plankton"?
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Answer from Sia
Posted 7 months ago
Sure, let's address the question about Hutchinson's explanation for the "paradox of the plankton."

Answer
Hutchinson's explanation for the "paradox of the plankton"
Solution
a
Environmental variability: Hutchinson proposed that the paradox of the plankton can be explained by the constantly changing environmental conditions in aquatic ecosystems. These changes prevent any single species from dominating the community
b
Niche differentiation: He suggested that the coexistence of multiple plankton species is possible because they occupy slightly different ecological niches, allowing them to exploit different resources or conditions
c
Non-equilibrium conditions: Hutchinson argued that plankton communities are often in a state of non-equilibrium due to factors such as seasonal changes, predation, and nutrient fluctuations, which prevent competitive exclusion
Key Concept
Environmental variability and niche differentiation
Explanation
Hutchinson's explanation for the "paradox of the plankton" revolves around the idea that constantly changing environmental conditions and slight differences in ecological niches allow multiple plankton species to coexist without any single species outcompeting the others.

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