What term describes the specialized ecological role, physical habitat space, and behavioral resource utilization of a specific organism within an ecosystem, famously distinguished from its 'habitat' by G. Evelyn Hutchinson?
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: A. Ecological niche
- Step 1: Ecologist Charles Elton described an organism's habitat as its 'address' and its niche as its 'profession'.
- Step 2: Hutchinson formalized the ecological niche as an n-dimensional hypervolume of environmental conditions and resources (temperature range, food size, moisture) within which a species can survive and reproduce (fundamental niche vs realized niche under competition).
Answer
Ecological niche
Why not the others: 'Ecotone' An ecotone is a transitional boundary zone between two adjacent ecosystems; 'Biotope' A biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals; 'Territory' A territory is a defended physical geographical area maintained by an animal against rivals of the same species.
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