Squirrels and chipmunks compete for the same food source. what is most likely to happen to the degree of competition between these two species if their food became scarce? decrease increase stay the same disappear

Increase

According to the competitive exclusion principle, when two or more species in an ecosystem are competing for the same resource. The one which has undergone favorable adaptation and more competing will be likely to derive those resource than the one which has not undergone adaptation or less adaptive to the environment and less competing. Squirrels and chipmunks compete for the same food source and this food source became scare one of the two species is likely to disappear according to the competitive exclusion principle because the degree of competition between two species will increase.

Increase

Explanation:

Two species who depend on the same food, gets negatively impacted by the presence of each other. Both the species have limited food supply for survival. In case if the food becomes further scarce, the competition between the two species shall rise tremendously in lieu to the limitation of essentials for survival. Thus, Resources on which individuals depends must be in sufficient amount