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Which one of the following terms describes not only the physical space occupied by an

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

Answer:

(b)

Core Books/NCERT

Explanation

The ecological niche is the ecological role and space that an organism fills in an ecosystem.The ecological niche involves both the place where an organism lives and the roles that an organism does in its habitat. For example, the ecological niche of a sunflower growing in the backyard includes absorbing light, water and nutrients (for photosynthesis), providing shelter and food for other organisms (e.g. bees, ants, etc.), and giving off oxygen into the atmosphere.