NEETZoologyOrganisms and Populations
Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): In a broad ecological context, herbivores like a sparrow eating seeds are considered predators. Reason (R): The interaction between a sparrow and a seed is detrimental to the seed and beneficial to the sparrow, represented by (+, -) signs. In the light of the above statements, choose the correct an
Options
- ABoth (A) and (R) are true but (R) is not the correct explanation of (A).
- B(A) is true but (R) is false.
- C(A) is false but (R) is true.
- DBoth (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Correct answer
D. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
Step-by-step solution
Assertion (A) is true: NCERT explicitly states that in a broad ecological context, all herbivores are predators. A sparrow eating seeds is ecologically no different from a tiger eating a deer. Reason (R) is true: The sparrow benefits by gaining nutrition (+), while the seed is consumed and destroyed (-). Reason (R) correctly explains Assertion (A): The fundamental basis for grouping herbivores and carnivores together as predators is that they both share the same (+, -) population interaction dynamic, where one spec