CHAPTER 13

ORGANISMS AND POPULATIONS

MULTIPLE-CHOICE QUESTIONS
1 Autecology is the:
a. Relation of heterogenous populations to its environment
b. Relation of an individual to its environment
c. Relation of a community to its environment
d. Relation of a biome to its environment
2 Ecotone is:
a. A polluted area
b. The bottom of a lake
c. A zone of transition between two communities
d. A zone of developing community
3 Biosphere is:
a. a component in the ecosystem
b. composed of the plants present in the soll
c. life in the outer space
d. composed of all living organisms present on earth which interact with the physical environment
4 Ecological niche is:
a. the surface area of the ocean
b. an ecologically adapted zone
c. the physical position and functional role of a species within the community
d. formed of all plants and animals living at the bottom of a lake
5 According to Allen's Rule, the mammals from colder climates have:
a. shorter ears and longer limbs
b. longer ears and shorter limbs
c. longer ears and longer limbs
d. shorter ears and shorter limbs
6 Salt concentration (Salinity) of the sea measured in parts per thousand is:
a. 10−15
b. 30−70
c. 0−5
d. 30−35
7 Formation of tropical forests needs mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation as:
a. 18−25∘ C and 150−400 cm
b. 5−15∘ C and 50−100 cm
c. 30−50∘ C and 100−150 cm
d. 5−15∘ C and 100−200 cm
8 Which of the following forest plants controls the light conditions at the ground?
a. Lianas and climbers
b. Shrubs
c. Tall trees
d. Herbs
9 What will happen to a well growing herbaceous plant in the forest if it is transplanted outside the forest in a
park?
a. It will grow normally
b. It will grow well because it is planted in the same locality
 c. It may not survive because of change in its micro climate
d. It grows very well because the plant gets more sunlight
10 If a population of 50 Paramoectum present in a pool increases to 150 after an hour, what would be the
growth rate of population?
a. 50 per hour
b. 200 per hour
c. 5 per hour
d. 100 per hour
11 What would be the per cent growth or birth rate per individual per hour for the same population
mentioned in the previous question (Guestion 10)?
a. 100
b. 200
c. 50
d. 150
12 A population has more young individuals compared to the older individuals. What would be the status of
the population after some years?
a. It will decline
b. It will stabilise
c. It will increase
d. It will first decline and then stabilise
13 What parameters are used for tiger census in our country's national parks and sanctuarles?
a. Pug marks only
b. Pug marks and faecal pellets
c. Faecal pellets only
d. Actual head counts
14 Which of the following would necessarily decrease the density of a population in a given habitat?
a. Natality > mortality
b. Immigration > emigration
c. Mortality and emigration
d. Natality and immigration
15 A protozoan reproduces by binary fission. What will be the number of protozoans in its population after six
generations?
a. 128
b. 24
c. 64
d. 32
16 In 2005 , for each of the 14 million people present in a country, 0.028 were born and 0.008 died during the
year. Using exponential equation, the number of people present in 2015 is predicted as:
a. 25 millions
b. 17 millions
c. 20 millions
d. 18 millions
17 Amensalism is an association between two species where:
a. one species is harmed and other is benefitted
b. one species is harmed and other is unaffected
c. one species is benefitted and other is unaffected
d. both the species are harmed.
18 Lichens are association of:
a. bacteria and fungus
b. alga and bactertum
c. fungus and alga
d. fungus and virus
19 Which of the following is a partial root parasite?
a. Sandal wood
b. Mistletoe
 c. Orobanche
d. Ganoderma
20 Which one of the following organisms reproduces sexually only once in its life time?
a. Banana
b. Mango
c. Tomato
d. Eucalyptus

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1 Species that can tolerate narrow range of temperature are called

2 What are Eurythermic species?
3 Species that can tolerate wide range of salinity are called .
4 Define stenohaline species.
5 What is the interaction between two species called?
6 What is commensalism?
7 Name the association in which one species produces poisonous substance or a change in environmental
conditions that is harmful to another species.
8 What is Mycorrhiza?
9 Emergent land plants that can tolerate the salinitles of the sea are called.
10 Why do high altitude areas have brighter sunlight and lower temperatures as compared to the plains?
11 What is homeostasis?
12 Define aestivation.
13 What is diapause and its significance?
14 What would be the growth rate pattern, when the resources are unlimited?
15 What are the organisms that feed on plant sap and other plant parts called?
16 What is high altitude sickness? Write its symptoms.
17 Give a suitable example for commensalism.
18 Define ectoparasite and endoparasite and give suitable examples.
19 What is brood parasitism? Explain with the help of an example.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1 Why are coral reefs not found in the regions from west Bengal to Andhra Pradesh but are found in Tamil
Nadu and on the east coast of India?
2 If a fresh water fish is placed in an aquarlum containing sea water, will the fish be able to survive? Explain
giving reasons.
3 Why do all the fresh water organtsms have contractile vacuoles whereas majority of marine organisms lack
them?
4 Define heliophytes and sciophytes. Name a plant from your locality that is either heliophyte or sciophyte.
5 Why do submerged plants receive weaker illumination than exposed floating plants in a lake?
6 In a sea shore, the benthic animals live in sandy, muddy and rocky substrata and accordingly developed the
following adaptations.
a. Burrowing
b. Building cubes
c. Holdfasts / peduncle
Find the suitable substratum against each adaptation.
7 Categorise the following plants into hydrophytes, halophytes, mesophytes and xerophytes. Give reasons for
your answers.
a. Salvinta
b. Opuntla
 c. Rhizophora
d. Mangtfera
8 In a pond, we see plants which are free-floating; rooted-submerged; rooted emergent; rooted with floating
leaves. Write the type of plants against each of them.
Plant Name Type
a. Hydrtlla ______________
b. Typha ______________
c. Nymphaea ______________
d. Lemna ________________
e. Valltsnarta ________________

9 The density of a population in a habitat per unit area is measured in different units. Write the unit of
measurement against the following:
a. Bacteria
b. Banyan
c. Deer
d. Fish
10

a. Label the three tiers 1, 2, 3 given in the above age pyramid.

b. What type of population growth is represented by the above age pyramid?
11 In an association of two animal species, one is a termite which feeds on wood and the other is a protozoan
Trichonympha present in the gut of the termite. What type of assoclation they establish?
12 Lianas are vascular plants rooted in the ground and maintain erectness of their stem by making use of
other trees for support. They do not maintain direct relation with those trees. Discuss the type of
association the lianas have with the trees.
13 Give the scientific names of any two microorganisms inhabiting the human intestine.
14 What is a tree line?
15 Define 'zero population growth rate'. Draw a age pyramid for the same.
16 List any four characters that are employed in human population census.
17 Give one example for each of the following types.
a) Migratory animal
b) Camouflaged animal
c) Predator animal
d) Biological control agent
e) Phytophagous antmal
f) Chemical defense agent

18 Fill in the blanks

Species A Specles B Type of Interaction Example
+ - ___________ _________
+ + _________ _________
+ _________ Commensalism _________

19 Observe the set of 4 figures A, B, C and D and, answer the following questions
 i. Which one of the figures shows mutualism?
ii. What kind of association is shown in D?
iii. Name the organisms and the association in C.
iv. What role is the insect performing in B?

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Comment on the following figures: 1, 2 and 3:

A, B, C. D, G, P, Q, R, S are species
2 An individual and a population has certain characteristics. Name these attributes with definitions.
3 The following diagrams are the age pyramids of different populations. Comment on the status of these
populations.

4 Comment on the growth curve given below.

5 A population of Paramoectum caudatum was grown in a culture medium. After 5 days the culture medium
became overcrowed with Paramoetum and had depleted nutrients. What will happen to the population and
what type of growth curve will the population attain? Draw the growth curve.
6 Discuss the various types of positive interactions between species.
7 In an aquarium two herbivorous species of fish are living together and feeding on phytoplanktons. As per
the Gause's Princlple, one of the species is to be eliminated in due course of time, but both are surviving
well in the aquarium. Give possible reasons.
8 While living in and on the host species, the animal parasite has evolved certain adaptations. Describe these
adaptations with examples.
9 Do you agree that regional and local variations exist within each biome? Substantlate your answer with
suitable example.
10 Which element is responsible for causing soil salinity? At what concentration does the soll become saline?
11 Does light factor affect the distribution of organisms? Write a brief note giving suitable examples of either
plants or animals.
12 Give one example for each of the following:
i.Eurythermal plant species ____________________
ii. A hot water spring organism ____________________
iii An organism seen in deep ocean trenches ____________________
iv. An organism seen in compost pit ____________________
v. A parasitic angiosperm ____________________
vi. A stenothermal plant species ____________________
vii. Soll organism ____________________
viii. A benthic animal ____________________
ix. Antifreeze compound seen in antarctic fish ____________________
x. An organism which can conform ____________________
 Answer and Solutions

Answers and Hints

1. b
2. c
3. d
4. c
5. d
6. d
7. a
8. c
9. c
10. d
11. b
12. c
13. b
14. c
15. c
16. b
17. b
18. c
19. a
20. a

VERY SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. Stenothermal Organisms
Temperature, a major abiotic factor affects the metabolism, activity and so many other physiological
functions of the organism.
On the basis of temperature tolerance, organism can be classified as eurythermal and stenothermal.
(i) Eurythermal organisms can tolerate and thrive in a wide range of temperatures.
(ii) Stenothermal organisms tolerate only a narrow range of temperatures
2. Species that tolerate wide range of temperature are called Eurythermic species.
3. Species that can tolerate wide range of salinity are called euryhaline.
4. Species that tolerate narrow range of salinity are called stenohaline speices.
5. Interaction between two species is called interspecific interaction. These could be beneficial, detrimental or
neutral to one of the species or both.
6. Commensalism is an interaction where one species is benefitted and the other is unaffected. e.g., an orchid
growing as an epiphyte on a mango branch.
7. Parasitism is the association in which one species produces poisonous substance or a change in environmental
conditions that is harmful to another species. Examples are protozoans such as Amoeba and Plasmodium vivax
that lives in human body and cause diseases.
8. Mycorhiza is a symbiotic association between a fungus and the roots of higher plants.
9. Halophytes emergent land plants that can tolerate the salinities of sea and are even able to maintain their water
supply from the same are called as halophytes.
10. High altitude areas have brighter sunlight because at high altitude there is a very low concentration of dust
particles and atmospheric gases which absorbs the sunlight. There is a low atmospheric pressure at high
altitudes. Lower atmospheric pressure results in lower temperatures at high altitudes.
11. Homeostasis is the tendency of the organism to maintain a constant internal environment despite varying
external environmental conditions like temperature.
12. Aestivation is a behavioural adaptation to avoid extreme heat and dessication in summer season. In which the
organism slows down its metabolic activities. It is also known as summer sleep.
13. Diapause is a state of suspended development in response to unfavourable conditions. It is seen in animal
species such as insects, zooplanktons etc. Diapause is important to overcome unfavourable conditions such
as unavailability of food, extreme temperature, drought, water stress etc.
14. In case of unlimited resources, the pattern of growth rate is exponential.
15. The organism that feed on plant sap and other parts of plants are termed as phytophagous.
16. High altitude sickness is experienced by the people going to high altitudes, where oxygen concentrations
are low and the body system reacts by developing the symptoms like nausea, headache and heart
palpitations
17. An interaction between blue whale and the barancle growing on its back is an example of commensalism
(interspecific relation) between them.
18. Ectoparasites are parasites that explore the external surface of the host like for example mites that parasite
the skin. Endoparasites are parasites that live within the body of the host like the taenias.
19. •Brood parasitism in birds is a fascinating example of parasitism.
• In this parasitism, the parasitic bird lays its eggs in " the nest of its host and let the host incubate them.
• During the course of evolution, the eggs of the parasitic bird have evolved to resemble the host.s egg in
size and colour to reduce the chances of the host bird detecting the foreign eggs and ejecting them from the
nest.

SHORT ANSWER TYPE QUESTIONS

1. High salinity, optimal temperature and less siltation are essential to colonise corals. If siltation and
freshwater inflow are very high, the corals don't colonise. In contrast, when the siltation and freshwater
inflow by the rivers are very less, the coral do colonise.
2. The sea water is saline having more concentration of salts and acts as hypertonic solution for the fresh
water. So fresh water fish cannot survive in sea water as it causes the plasmolysis of the cells of the fish and
ultimately the fish will die.
3. Contractile vacuole helps in osmoregulation. Bacause of the cellular environment of a freshwater organism
being hypertonic, the water diffuses inside the cell constantly and gets collected in the contractile vacuole,
which squeezes the extra water out of the cell periodically.
Thus, keeping the internal environment constant. While in case of marine organisms, this does not occur
due to high salinity, therefore no need of contractile vacuole.
4. Heliophytes are those plants whch grow in strong light so are commonly called sun plants e.g., sunflower ,
while sciophytes are those plants which prefers to grow in lower light intensities e.g., money plant , fir etc.
5. Submerged plants receive weaker illumination than exposed floating plants in a lake because all colours of
the visible components of the spectrum of light do not enter or penetrate in the depths of water.
6. (a) Substratum for burrowing:
Burrowing is an adaptation shown by animals such as Nereis, tubeworms etc. They are good swimmers.
They are found in sandy substratum.
Final answer
Sandy substratum
(b) Substratum for building cubes:
Animals such as zooplanktons live by building cubes or cube-like aggregates in muddy substratum.
These small cubes help animals in passive feeding.
Final answer
Muddy substratum
(c) Substratum for holdfasts/peduncle:
Holdfast and peduncle are the organs possessed by sea animals for attachment, present in organisms such
as sponges These help them to remain attached to the rocks during the water flow.
 Final answer
Rocky substratum
7. (a) Salvinia is a hydrophyte, It grows on the surface of water.
(b) Opuntia is. a xerophyte, grows in xeric (dry) areas .
(c) Rhizophora is a Halophyte which tolerate the salinities of the sea.
(d) Mangifera is a mesophyte, grows in habitats where water is neither scarce nor not abundant.
8.
Plant Name Type
a. Hydrtlla Submerged
b. Typha Root emergent
c. Nymphaea Rooted with floating leaves
d. Lemna Free floating
e. Valltsnarta Root Submerged
9. The density of population per unit area is measured in following units
(a) The density of a bacterial in a habitat per unit area is measured in volume/ number unit.
(b) Biomass/area/ region is measuring unit for density of population of banyan. (c) Nunber/area is
measuring unit for the density of population of deer. (d) Weight/area is measuring unit for density of
population of fish.
10. a. 1. represents Pre-reproductive age group 2. represents Reproductive age group 3. represents Post-
reproductive age group
b. Expanding population.
11. The termite provides shelter and space for the protozoan Trichonympha to live. The Protozoa present in
gut digeste the wood, which termite feeds upon, In the absence of Trichonympha the termite is unable to
digest wood and hence dies. Thus, the association of two given animal species represent mutualism.
12. The type of association, the lianas have with the trees is commensalism because the plant gets the support
of the tree without affecting harming or providing any benefit to the tree.
13. Microorganisms found in human intestine:
The human intestine has its own microbiota. It inhabits many microorganisms. Two microorganisms
inhabiting the human intestine are as follows:
1. Escherichia coli
2. Lactobacillus
Escherichia coli:
Escherichia coli is a bacteria that inhabits the large intestine and helps in the production of Vitamin K
which is absorbed by us.
Lactobacillus:
Lactobacillus is a bacteria inhabiting the small intestine which increases the absorption of essential
nutrients and also checks the growth of harmful bacteria.
Final answer: Escherichia coli; Lactobacillus
14. Tree line is the edge of the habitat where trees are capable of growing. Due to environmental conditions
such as cold temperature, high altitude or lack of moisture the trees are not found beyond this line and if
found show stunted growth or form low dense matted bushes.
15. When the pre-reproductive age group individuals are comparatively fewer and both reproductive and post-
reproductive stages are almost in equal stage, i.e., at same level . It is zero population growth rate.
An inverted bell shaped age pyramid is obtained for zero population growth rate
16. A population has the following characterstics that are employed in human population census. Natality and
mortality, Sex ratio ,Population density, Age distribution
17. (a) Migratory animal-American buffalo and dolphin.
(b) Camouflaged animal-Grasshopper and chameleon.
(c) Predatoranimal-Lion.
(d) Biological control agent-Myxoma virus to kill European rabbit and Gambusia fish to check growth of
mosquito larvae.
(e) Phytophagous animal-Insects (beetle, butterfly, etc.).
(f) Chemical defense agent-Cardiac glycosides.
18.

Species Species Type of Example

A B Interaction
+¿ −¿ Predation Phytophagous animal and
plants.
+¿ +¿ Protocoperation Oxpecker and black rhino
+¿ −¿ Comensalism Sea anemone and Hermit
crab
19.I. Figure A show a pollinator (bee) on a flower. The association between pollinator insect and plant is
termed as mutulalism.
II. Predation.
III. Egrets and grazing cattle is good example of commensalism.
IV. Scavenging- The insect is playing the role of an scavenger

LONG ANSWER QUESTIONS

1. Figure I It is a single population and all individuals are of the same species, i.e., a individuals interact
among themselves and their environment intraspecific interaction.
Figure II It is a community and it contains three populations of species A, B and C. They interact with each
other and their environment and is called interspecific interaction.
Figure III It is a biome. It contains three communities of which one is in climax and other two are in
different stages of development. All three communities are in the same environment and they interact with
each other and their environment

2. A population has certain attributes that an individual organism does not. An individual may have births and
deaths, but a population has birth rates and death rates. In a population these rates refer to per capita
births and deaths, respectively. The rates, hence, expressed as change in numbers (increase or decrease)
with respect to members of the population. • Another attribute characteristic of a population is sex ratio.
 An individual is either a male or a female but a population has a sex ratio (e.g., 60 per cent of the population
are females and 40 per cent males). • A population at any given time is composed of individuals of different
ages. If the age distribution (per cent individuals of a given age or age group) is plotted for the population,
the resulting structure is called an age pyramid. For human population, the age pyramids generally show
age distribution of males and females in a combined diagram. The shape of the pyramids reflects the
growth status of the population
(a) whether it is growing,
(b) stable or
(c) declining.

3. Figure A It is a ‘pyramid’ shaped age pyramid. In this figure, the base, i.e., pre-reproductive stage is very
large as compared with the reproductive and post-reproductive stages of the population. This type of age
structure indicate that the population would increase rapidly.
Figure B It is an ‘inverted bell’ shaped pyramid. In this figure, the pre-reproductive and reproductive
stages are same. This type of age structure indicates that the population is stable.
Figure C It is ‘urn’ shaped pyramid. In this figure, the pre-reproductive and reproductive stages are less
than the post-reproductive stages of this population. In this population more older people are present. This
type of age structure indicates that the population definitely is declining.
4. The growth curve shown above is logistic growth curve or S-shaped curve.
Logistic growth curve is considered more realistic because unlimited resources are not available in an ecosystem
or in a habitat, where
K–stands for carrying capacity.
N–indicates population density, which is the number of species of a population per unit area.
r–is for intrinsic rate of natural increase.

5. Initially, after a lag phase, the population will grow in an exponential manner as the nutrients and space
will be abundant.
When the food sources get depleted, the population density starts decreasing and ends in an asymptote
phase, then the population density reaches the carrying capacity (maximum number of individuals of a
population or species that a given environment can sustain indefinitely).
The population shows a pattern of logistic growth giving an S-shaped curve.
Where K = carrying capacity
N= population density at time ‘t’
r = Intrinsic rate of natural increase
6. Positive interaction
The type of interspecific interaction in which either or both the species is benefitted and none of them is
affected is termed as positive interaction. It can be of two types:
1. Mutualism
2. Commensalism
Mutualism
Mutualism is a relationship between two species in which both the species are benefitted. They can not
survive without each other.
Lichens are a mutual association between algae or cyanobacteria (mycobiont) and fungi (phycobiont). The
algae provides food to the fungi while the fungi provides shelter to the algae.
Commensalism
Commensalism is an interspecific interaction where one member of the association is benefited while the
other member remains unaffected.
An orchid growing on the bark of a mango tree is an example of commensalism where the orchid is
benefited as it gets physical support from the tree without harming or benefiting the tree.
7. Each species has a specific position or functional role within the community called niche. According to the
Gausses principle no two species can live in the same niche. In this case two herbivorous species are living
in the same niche and feeding on phytoplanktons. It may be because of the availability of sufficient
phytoplanktons/and or less number of individuals of the fish species. of the two species might
have occurred. And though neither of the species have been eliminated niche overlapping may effect the
growth and development of individuals of the species.
8. Parasites have evolved special adaptations such as
(i) The loss of unnecessary sense organs as in lice, mites and fleas don't have wings.
(ii) Presence of adhesive organs or suckers to cling on to the host-in tapeworms and leeches.
(iii) Loss of digestive system i e . ., tapeworm.
(iv) High reproductive capacity i e . ., roundworm produces large progeny.
9. Yes, regional and local variations exist within each biome. Regional and local variations within each biome
lead to the formation of a wide variety of habitats. On planet Earth, life exists not just in a few favourable
habitats but even in extreme and harsh habitats-^scorching Rajasthan desert, perpetually rain-soaked
Meghalaya forests, deep ocean trenches, torrential streams, permafrost polar regions, high mountain tops,
boiling thermal springs, and stinking compost pits, to name a few. Even our intestine is a unique habitat for
hundreds of species of microbes.
10. Soil salinity is the salt content in soil, which is caused by improper irrigation. The process of increasing salt
content is termed as salinisation.
Causes of Soil Salinity The high salt concentration of soil is caused by improper irrigation method from a
salt laden water table. When salt concentration in soil is increased, than it get accumulated due to
evaporation.
 Human activities like fertilising crop is also responsible for salinity of soil. As fertiliser contain potassium,
which can form a naturally occuring salt-sylvite. Salinity of soil degrades soil and vegetation. Normally the
pH value of soil comprises between 2.2-9.7, while above which the soil is degrading by salt content.
11. Plants require sunlight for photosynthesis. Therefore, light is an important factor that affects the
distribution of plants. E.g.,
(i) Many species of small plants (herbs and shrubs) growing in forests are adapted to photosynthesise
optimally under very low light conditions so they will be seen distributed in shady areas under tall,
canopied trees.
(ii) Many plants in the shade will grow vertically to gain access to light These plants will appear to have
smaller leafs and smaller than others of the same species of the same age found in conditions with better
sunlight.
(iii) Large sized trees will be present in areas that get abundant sunlight.
(iv) Plants dependent on sunlight to meet their photoperiodic requirements for flowering, will try to be
distributed in area, where this requirement is being met for their reproductive success.
12. I. Mango, Acacia
II. Archaebacteria
III. Jelly fishes

IV. Earthworm

V. Cuscuta

VI. Cocos nucifera

VII. Bacteria

VIII. Octopus

IX. Salt content (osmotic regulation)

X. All plant and fish like large mouth bass (temperature conformer)