In the late 1960s, robert paine conducted landmark studies on diversity in the rocky intertidal zone, comparing the species diversity in control plots with diversity in experimental plots from which he removed the top predator, sea stars. after 5 years, 15 species of intertidal invertebrates lived in the control plots, while the experimental plots were dominated by only two species, one mussel and one barnacle. the process most likely responsible for the loss of species diversity in the experimental plots was: predation. mutualism. resource partitioning. parasitism. competitive exclusion.

i think it’s c but i might be wrong. if i am let me know! have a good rest of your day as well!

step 1: nitrogen fixation- conversion of atmospheric no₂ into forms useful to plants by lightning, bacteria, and cyanobacteria.

step 2: nitrification-process of converting ammonia to nitrite or nitrate.

step 3: assimilation-plant roots absorb new form of nitrogen.

step 4: ammonification-conversion of organic nitrogen to ammonia by bacteria involved in decomposition.

step 5: denitrification-bacteria turns the decomposed matter back into n₂o, which is released into atmosphere; repeat cycle.

some fungi obtain their nutrients from a living host (plant or animal) and are called most biotrophic fungi have fairly narrow host ranges—they are specialized on a limited called rhizomorphs that allow the fungus to grow from one tree to another. ascospores are formed inside a sac-like structure called an ascus. so your answer is a