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?
- Ecotone
- Ecological niche
- Habitat
- Home range
Explanation
Option (b) is correct
- Niche refers to the unique functional role and position of a species in its habitat or ecosystem.
- In nature, many species occupy the same habitat, but they perform different functions:
- habitat niche — where it lives,
- food niche — what it eats or decomposes and what species it competes with,
- reproductive niche — how and when it reproduces,
- physical and chemical niche — temperature, land shape, land slope, humidity and other requirements.
- Niche plays an essential role in the conservation of organisms. If we must conserve species in their native habitat, we should know their niche requirements.
Option (a) is incorrect
- Zone of transition between two ecosystems. E.g., grasslands, mangroves etc
Option (c) is incorrect
- The habitat of a species is like its ‘address’. In contrast, niche can be considered its “lifestyle and profession” (i.e., activities and responses specific to the species).
- A niche is unique for a species, while many species share the habitat. No two species in a habitat can have the same niche.
Option (d) is incorrect
- Home range can be defined as the area within which an animal normally lives and finds what it needs for survival. Basically, the home range is the area that an animal travels for its normal daily activities.
