MCQ: The Living Organisms - Characteristics & Habitats - UPSC MCQ

Photosynthesis is the process where plants use sunlight to make their own food.

• In ecology, a habitat is the type of natural environment in which a particular species of organism lives.
• Every organism has certain habitat needs for the conditions in which it will thrive, but some are tolerant of wide variations while others are very specific in their requirements.
• A habitat is not necessarily a geographical area, it can be the interior of a stem, a rotten log, a rock or a clump of moss, and for a parasitic organism it is the body of its host.

Fins and gills help fish survive in water:

• Gills: Gills allow fish to extract oxygen from water, which is essential for their respiration. Water passes over the gills, and oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream.
• Fins: Fins provide stability, direction, and propulsion. They help fish swim efficiently, evade predators, and hunt for food.
• Lungs, strong legs, and claws are not adaptations for aquatic life.

The correct answer is B: Plants. Plants are biotic components of habitat because they are living organisms. Biotic components include all living things such as animals, bacteria, fungi, and plants.

• A pond is an aquatic habitat because it is a body of water where various aquatic plants and animals live.


• Forests, grasslands, and mountains are terrestrial habitats, not aquatic.


• Aquatic habitats are characterized by the presence of water, which supports a distinct set of organisms adapted to live in water.