Study of a single species and the environmental factors in its habitat is called
- A.Genecology
- B.Synecology
- C.Autecology
- D.Ethology
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is C, Autecology. Autecology studies one species, or one individual, in relation to the physical and biological conditions of the place where it lives.
Ecology is often split into two broad branches. Autecology, from the Greek "autos" meaning self, looks at how a single species copes with light, temperature, water, soil and other organisms, and how these shape its growth, life cycle and spread. Synecology, from "syn" meaning together, studies whole communities, the many species living in an area and their relations with one another and with the environment. A study of how a mango tree responds to rainfall is autecology; a study of an entire forest is synecology.
A is wrong because genecology studies genetic variation within a species in relation to its environment. B is wrong because synecology deals with groups of species. D is wrong because ethology is the study of animal behaviour.
Exam tip: auto = one species, syn = community; ethology = behaviour.
Practice Questions
View allFor acid rain, the pH of rain water should be less than
- A.7.0
- B.6.6
- C.5.6
- D.8.0
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Rain is called acid rain when its pH falls below 5.6. Even clean rain is slightly acidic, because carbon dioxide in the air dissolves in it and forms weak carbonic acid, which brings its pH down to about 5.6.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following statements with regard to ozone is not correct?
- A.Ozone is found mostly at 15-55 km in the atmosphere.
- B.Ozone is produced by gaseous chemical reactions.
- C.16th November is celebrated as the International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.
- D.Ozone is a form of oxygen in which three oxygen atoms are bounded together.
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The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed on 16 September, not 16 November. The date marks the signing of the Montreal Protocol on 16 September 1987, the treaty that phased out chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting substances.
Read the full explanation →Energy and nutrients flow from one trophic level to another in an ecosystem. Which one of the following statements correctly describes the direction of flow of energy and nutrients in an ecosystem ?
- A.Energy flow is cyclic and nutrient flow is unidirectional.
- B.Energy flow is unidirectional and nutrient flow is cyclic.
- C.Both energy and nutrient flow are unidirectional.
- D.Both energy and nutrient flow are cyclic.
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Energy passes one way from the Sun through the food chain and is lost as heat, while nutrients are used again and again.
Read the full explanation →UNESCO World Heritage site Nanda Devi National Park is located in which one of the following States ?
- A.Arunachal Pradesh
- B.Uttarakhand
- C.Himachal Pradesh
- D.Sikkim
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Nanda Devi National Park lies in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, around India's second-highest peak, Nanda Devi. The park is a vast glacial basin ringed by high peaks and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988 for its wild, untouched landscape.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is related to global dimming?
- A.Fall of atmospheric pressure due to increased particulates
- B.Rise of atmospheric pressure due to increased particulates
- C.Rise of temperature due to increased particulates
- D.Fall of temperature due to increased particulates
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Global dimming is the drop in sunlight reaching the ground, and the cooling that follows, caused by particles in the air.
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