Vertical distribution of different species occupying different levels is called as -
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Stratification
Option (1) Production — Incorrect. Primary production is the amount of biomass or organic matter produced per unit area over a time period by plants during photosynthesis. It measures how much is made, not where the species live.
Option (2) Niche — Incorrect. A niche is the unique functional role of one species in its habitat: the range of conditions it can bear, the resources it uses and its role in the ecosystem. It is not the layering of many species.
Option (3) Trophic level — Incorrect. A trophic level is the place of an organism in a food chain based on how it gets food: producer, primary consumer, secondary consumer and so on. It is about feeding, not about height.
Option (4) Stratification — Correct. It is the arrangement of species in vertical layers. Stratification and species composition are the two main features of the physical structure of an ecosystem.
Note: A similar question was also asked in CUET (UG) 2026 on 21-05-2026 (Slot 2), on 21-05-2026 (Slot 1) and on 18-05-2026 (Slot 1), in CUET (UG) 2023 on 02-07-2023 (Slot 3), and in CUET (UG) 2022 on 23-08-2022 (Slot 3).
NCERT Extract:
Ecosystem – Structure and Function – …
