Question

Population ecology is an important area because it links _____A____, _____B_____ and ____C____.

• A. A-genetics, B-evolution, C-ecology
• B. A-physiology, B-evolution, C-ecology
• C. A-population genetics, B-evolution, C-ecology
• D. A-population genetics, B-evolution, C-morphology

Answer 1

The correct option is C A-population genetics, B-evolution, C-ecology

Population ecology is the study of how both the abiotic (non-living) and biotic (living) ecological factors influence the various aspects of a population. It helps us to examine how and why populations change over time.

Different organisms adapt to their changing environment, these adaptations allow the organisms to survive and reproduce in their habitat.

Adaptation is any morphological (structural changes that enable better survival), physiological (a metabolic or physiological adjustment within the organism in response to changes in the environment resulting in the improved ability of that organism) or behavioural attributes of an organism that enables it to survive and reproduce in its habitat. These adaptations evolve over a long evolutionary time and get genetically fixed in the organism.

Hence, various ecological factors (ecological aspect) cause organisms in a population to adapt and acquire traits that allow them to survive better. These favourable traits are selected by natural selection and get genetically fixed and are passed on to the successive generations (evolutionary aspect) at a population level rather than at organism level (aspect of population genetics).

Hence, population ecology forms an important branch of ecology which links ecology, population genetics and evolution.