**Q^5.3. A group of biologists is studying the competitive relationships among strains of bacteria that exist in the guts of fish. The researchers have constructed a competitive dominance hierarchy diagram for a particular set of conditions (shown below). Under these conditions, which bacterial strain is the LEAST competitively dominant?** - **Strain G** - **Strain P** - **Strain T** - **Strain Z**
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Step 1
: Identify the least competitively dominant strain

In a competitive dominance hierarchy, the strain that is least competitively dominant is the one that is dominated by all other strains. In other words, it is at the bottom of the hierarchy. Looking at the given diagram, we can see that Strain T is at the bottom, as it is dominated by Strains G, P, and Z.

Step 2
: Explain the reasoning

Strain T is connected to all other strains by arrows pointing away from it, indicating that Strains G, P, and Z are all competitively dominant over Strain T. There are no arrows pointing towards Strain T from any other strain, which means that Strain T does not dominate any other strain. Therefore, Strain T is the least competitively dominant strain under the given conditions.

Final Answer

Strain T is the LEAST competitively dominant bacterial strain under the specified conditions.