Which of the following is a data format that is stored in a geodatabase?

A feature dataset is indeed a data format that is specifically designed for storing and managing related feature classes within a geodatabase. In a geodatabase, feature datasets serve as containers that hold features that share a common spatial reference, allowing users to effectively organize and manage spatial data. This organization enables advanced functionalities such as topology rules and spatial relationships, which are essential for complex spatial analyses.

On the other hand, shapefiles, while a popular format for storing vector data, are not inherently part of a geodatabase structure. They are standalone file sets that consist of multiple files (.shp, .shx, .dbf, etc.) rather than being integrated into a geodatabase architecture.

Feature services, commonly associated with web GIS applications, allow users to access and interact with GIS data over the internet, but they do not represent a data format stored in a geodatabase; instead, they provide a way to serve and share data.

Excel files, while capable of storing tabular data, do not have the spatial capability or structures that feature datasets have and are therefore not used as a primary format for storing spatial data in a geodatabase.

Overall, the unique structure and capabilities of feature datasets make them integral to working within