Refer to the Figure

Multiple Choice

Refer to the figure.
Suppose you are studying succession patterns in two species, species A and species B, both small aquatic organisms that colonize bare surfaces underwater. You replicated Sutherland's experiments in this new system by placing bare tiles underwater in predator-protected areas and areas with predators. You collect data on the percent of cover for each species, as shown in the figure.
- Based on the data, what would you expect that a newly colonized area in a natural pond would look like?

A) Species A would dominate species B, although species B would still occupy some space.
B) Species A and B would coexist at about equal proportions.
C) Species B would dominate species A, although species A would still occupy some space.
D) The predators in the natural ponds would cause both species A and species B populations to decrease significantly.