Lizards that eat flies they catch on the ground and birds that catch and eat flies in the air are engaged in ______ competition.

1. a. exploitative
2. b. interference
3. c. intraspecific
4. d. interspecific
5. e. both a and d
6. f. both b and c

Introduction: The interactions among members of the different species are called interspecific interactions. These interactions include predation, herbivory, symbiosis (mutualism, commensalism and parasitism), interspecific competition, and facilitation. Many of the interspecific interactions can affect the survival and reproduction of the species that engage in them. Competition is a type of interspecific interaction in which both the species are harmed. They are mainly of two types—interspecific competition and intraspecific competition.

Reason for the correct answer:

A form of competition in which the species interact with each other indirectly for the same limiting resources in order to restrict the availability of resources to other organisms is called exploitative competition. In the given example, both the lizards and birds indirectly interact with each other for the same resource that is flies.

Interspecific competition is a type of competitive interaction that takes place between the species. The lizards and birds belong to different species. They both compete for the flies. Hence, it shows an interspecific competition.

Option e. is given as “both a and d”.

The exploitative and interspecific competitions are the main types of competition. Exploitative competition involves the interaction of the species indirectly for the same limiting resources and the interspecific competition can occur between the species. The given example shows both exploitative and interspecific competition.

Hence the correct answer is option e.

Reason for the incorrect answer:

Option a. is given as “exploitative”.

Exploitative competition is a form of competition in which the species interact with each other indirectly for the same limiting resources in order to restrict the availability of resources to other organisms. Lizards that eat flies they catch on the ground and birds that catch and eat flies in the air are examples for both exploitative and interspecific competition. But, in the option it is given only as exploitative.

Hence, option a. is incorrect.

Option b. is given as “interference”...