Question

Assertion: ecological equivalents possess similar types of adaptations
Reason: ecological niche is the total interaction of a species with environment
A.Both assertion and reason are true but the reason is not a correct explanation of the assertion.
B.Both assertion and reason are true but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion
C.Assertion is true but the reason is false
D.Reason is true but the assertion is false
E.Both the assertion and reason are false

Answer 1

Organisms that are not related to each other but having resemblance and similar habitats is called ecological equivalents. Ecological equivalents are the result of convergent evolution.Convergent evolution happens when different organisms develop the same traits.

Complete answer:
Ecological equivalents are the result of convergent evolution.Convergent evolution happens when different organisms develop the same traits. This mainly happens because these organisms live in the environment and have to compete in the same situations and predators etc. In ecological equivalents the organisms will occupy same ecological niches in different locations geographically even though species wise they are entirely different. An example of ecological equivalents would be kangaroos and antelopes . Both of them are herbivores and share a similar function irrespective of their geographical location.Here they share ecological equivalents on the basis of feeding. Another example of ecological equivalents where 2 organisms resembling each other due to their habitat is sharks and dolphins. Sharks are fishes and dolphins are mammals but they superficially resemble each other as they’re marine animals. So in all of these we see ecological equivalents possessing similar adaptations due to convergent evolution.

Ecological niche is the total interaction of a species with the environment. Niche ,when compared to habitat is a more broad aspect where it includes functionality like eating preferences, habitat etc. That is, habitat is a place where eth organisms live for example habitat of a house sparrow is tree or a warehouse etc. But when it comes to niche it includes the total interaction such as feeding on insects,making nests etc.But as ecological niche is the interaction of an organism with the environment it doesn’t become the reason for ecological equivalents.
Option A) Both assertion and reason are true but reason is not the correct explanation for assertion.Therefore this is an incorrect option
Option B) Both assertion and reason are true but the reason is not the correct explanation of the assertion. Therefore this is the correct option
Option C) Both assertion and reason are true .Therefore this is an incorrect option
Option D) Both assertion and reason are true .Therefore this is an incorrect option
Option E) Both assertion and reason are true .Therefore this is an incorrect option.
Hence, the correct answer is option (B)

Note: The difference between convergent and divergent evolution is that in convergent evolution different species with different ancestors develop similar characteristics whereas in divergent evolution species with the same ancestor will diverge from it and develop different characteristics.