Which term refers to the functional role of an organism in an ecosystem?

Which term refers to the functional role of an organism in an ecosystem?

• A. Habitat
• B. Niche
• C. Population
• D. Community

Answer: (B)

The main idea is the function an organism serves in its ecosystem—the niche. It covers how the organism gets energy and resources, how it interacts with other species, and its overall role in the community (like what it eats, how it avoids predators, how it helps with pollination, and where it fits in the food web). For instance, a bee’s niche includes collecting nectar and pollen and assisting plant reproduction, which influences energy flow and plant populations. Habitats describe the physical place where an organism lives, not its job in the ecosystem. A population is the number of individuals of a species in an area, and a community is all the different populations living together. So the term that best captures the functional role is niche.

The main idea is the function an organism serves in its ecosystem—the niche. It covers how the organism gets energy and resources, how it interacts with other species, and its overall role in the community (like what it eats, how it avoids predators, how it helps with pollination, and where it fits in the food web). For instance, a bee’s niche includes collecting nectar and pollen and assisting plant reproduction, which influences energy flow and plant populations. Habitats describe the physical place where an organism lives, not its job in the ecosystem. A population is the number of individuals of a species in an area, and a community is all the different populations living together. So the term that best captures the functional role is niche.