A species of oak tree grows in deciduous, hardwood forests. This species grows and germinates in close proximity to one another if sunlight and resources can support growing numbers. The trees are interdispersed between other hardwoods including birches and cherries. What type of distribution does this species of oak tree best represent

clustered distribution (clumped)

Explanation:

In ecology, species distribution refers to the way in which a biological taxon is spatially arranged in a particular geographic area. Species patterns of distribution are fundamental to analyze ecological systems. The main distribution patterns include 1-clustered (clumped) distribution, 2-uniformed distribution, and 3-randomized distribution. The clustered distribution is the most common type of dispersion pattern in nature and occurs when species tend to form small sets of three or more individuals clustered together. A clustered distribution may be due, for example, when resources (e.g., water) are not evenly distributed in the environment (unequal distribution of the resources). Moreover, a uniform distribution occurs organisms keep a uniform, constant, distance from each other (e.g., due to competition for limited resources), while a randomized distribution occurs when individuals are randomly distributed because resources are not limited.