Q62 · UPPSC Prelims 2024 · Set A · General Studies

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Plants and animals that live on land are called:Select the correct answer from the code given below:

A Abiotic
B Aquatic habitants
C Terrestrial habitants
D Biotic

Correct answer: (c) Terrestrial habitants

Explanation

  1. A

    Abiotic

    (a) Abiotic. This option claims that land-dwelling plants and animals are abiotic components. However, abiotic refers to non-living physical and chemical elements in the environment, making this option incorrect.

  2. B

    Aquatic habitants

    (b) Aquatic habitants. This option claims that terrestrial organisms are aquatic. Aquatic habitants refer strictly to plants and animals that live in water bodies such as oceans, rivers, and lakes, which contradicts the premise.

  3. C

    Terrestrial habitants

    (c) Terrestrial habitants. This option correctly claims that plants and animals living on land are known as terrestrial organisms or habitants. This is the official key because terrestrial ecology specifically encompasses all flora and fauna thriving in land-based biomes across the Earth.

  4. D

    Biotic

    (d) Biotic. This option claims that land-dwelling organisms are simply biotic components. While plants and animals are indeed biotic factors, the specific term defining organisms living exclusively on land is terrestrial habitants, rendering this choice overly broad.

Summary. Official key is (c) Terrestrial habitants. The question asks for the ecological classification of plants and animals inhabiting land. Abiotic and biotic refer to non-living and living factors generally, while aquatic habitants specifically denote water-dwelling species. Therefore, terrestrial habitants is the accurate and most comprehensive term for land-based organisms.