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Q48·GS Paper 1 · Prelims 2013

Ecological niche definition

EnvironmentEcology and ecosystemsFactual singleEasyStatic

Question

Which one of the following terms describes not only the physical space occupied by an organism, but also its functional role in the community of organisms? (a) Ecotone (b) Ecological niche (c) Habitat (d) Home range

Options

a

Ecotone

b

Ecological niche

Answer
c

Habitat

d

Home range

Explanation

Ecological niche is a comprehensive concept that includes both the physical space (microhabitat) and the functional role of an organism within an ecosystem. It encompasses what an organism eats, where it lives, when it is active, and how it interacts with other organisms. Habitat (option c) refers only to the physical location where an organism lives. Ecotone (option a) is a transition zone between two different ecosystems. Home range (option d) is the area an animal travels within for feeding and other activities. Only ecological niche combines both spatial and functional aspects. > Niche = Habitat + Role (job/function) in ecosystem. Each species has unique niche.

Question details

Year

2013

Paper

GS Paper 1

Question

Q48

Subject

Environment

Sub-topic

Ecology and ecosystems

Type

Factual single

Difficulty

Easy

Nature

Static

Source hint

NCERT Biology - Ecology and Ecosystems

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