Ecology Basics — Set 1
Geography · पारिस्थितिकी की मूल बातें · Questions 1–10 of 50
Who coined the term 'Ecology' for the first time in 1866?
Correct Answer: B. Ernst Haeckel
The term 'Ecology' was first coined by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel. He defined it as the study of the relationship of organisms with their environment. The word is derived from the Greek words 'Oikos' meaning house and 'Logos' meaning study.
What is the basic functional unit of the biosphere consisting of biotic and abiotic components?
Correct Answer: B. Ecosystem
An ecosystem is the functional unit of nature where living organisms interact among themselves and with the surrounding physical environment. It includes both biotic factors like plants and animals and abiotic factors like soil and water. A.G. Tansley coined this specific term in 1935.
Which of the following is an example of an 'Abiotic' component of an ecosystem?
Correct Answer: B. Temperature
Temperature is an abiotic or non-living physical factor that significantly influences the distribution of organisms. Biotic components, on the other hand, include all living organisms such as producers and decomposers. Other abiotic factors include sunlight, water, and soil pH.
Organisms that can produce their own food from inorganic raw materials are called?
Correct Answer: C. Autotrophs
Autotrophs are primary producers that synthesize their own food using light or chemical energy. Green plants and certain algae are the most common examples of autotrophs in terrestrial and aquatic systems. They form the base of every food chain.
The transition zone between two distinct ecosystems is known as?
Correct Answer: D. Ecotone
An ecotone is a zone of junction or transition between two or more diverse ecosystems. Examples include mangroves, which represent an ecotone between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. It often contains species from both adjacent communities and some unique ones.
In an ecological pyramid, which level always occupies the base?
Correct Answer: C. Producers
Producers occupy the first trophic level at the base of any ecological pyramid. They convert solar energy into chemical energy, making it available for the rest of the community. Successive levels consist of primary, secondary, and tertiary consumers.
Which law states that only about 10% of the energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next?
Correct Answer: B. Lindeman's Law
Lindeman's 10 percent law explains the efficiency of energy transfer in an ecosystem. It states that during the transfer of energy, 90% is lost as heat or used in metabolic processes. This energy loss limits the number of trophic levels in a food chain.
What is the sequence of eat-and-be-eaten in an ecosystem called?
Correct Answer: B. Food Chain
A food chain is a linear sequence of organisms through which nutrients and energy pass. It starts with a producer and ends with a top predator or decomposer. In nature, several interconnected food chains form a more complex food web.
The process by which an ecosystem changes over time until a stable community is reached is called?
Correct Answer: C. Ecological Succession
Ecological succession is the orderly and predictable change in the species composition of a given area. It begins with pioneer species and leads to a stable 'climax community'. This process can be primary, occurring on bare rock, or secondary, following a disturbance.
Which type of ecological pyramid is always upright and can never be inverted?
Correct Answer: C. Pyramid of Energy
The pyramid of energy is always upright because energy is lost as heat at each step of the food chain. It reflects the total amount of energy used by organisms at each trophic level per unit area. This follows the second law of thermodynamics.