UPSC Prelims 2013 · Question 98 of 99
UPSC Prelims 2013 question on Ecological Niche
- ExamUPSC CSE
- Year2013
- PaperGeneral Studies Paper I
- SubjectEnvironment and Ecology
- TopicEcology and Ecosystem
- DifficultyEasy
- TypeDirect
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?
Show answer
Answer: B. Ecological niche
Verdict
Correct Answer: Ecological niche
Analysis
According to the official UPSC Answer Key for Prelims 2013 General Studies Paper, the correct option is “Ecological niche”.
An ecological niche describes not only where a species lives, but also its functional role, resource use and interactions within an ecosystem.
1. Ecological niche — Correct
Ecological niche means the role or “job” of a species in an ecosystem.
It includes its habitat, food habits, resource use, interactions with other organisms and environmental tolerance.
This is the correct term because it covers both place and function.
2. Habitat — Incorrect
Habitat means the physical place where an organism lives.
It is like the “address” of the species.
It does not fully explain the species’ role, feeding behaviour or interactions.
3. Ecotone — Incorrect
Ecotone is a transition zone between two ecosystems.
For example, the boundary between a forest and grassland.
It is not the term for the functional role of a species.
4. Home Range — Incorrect
Home range is the area over which an animal moves for feeding, mating and other daily activities.
It refers to geographical movement, not the ecological role of a species.
Extra UPSC info
* Habitat is the “address” of a species, while niche is its “profession”.
* Competitive Exclusion Principle says two species with identical niches cannot coexist indefinitely.
* Niche partitioning helps similar species reduce competition by using resources differently.
* A niche includes spatial, trophic, reproductive and environmental tolerance aspects.
* Ecotone often shows edge effect, where species diversity may be higher at ecosystem boundaries.
How to crack it
Ecological niche is the correct term because it describes both the place and functional role of a species in an ecosystem.
More questions on Ecology and Ecosystem
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