RAS question
The term 'ecosystem' was coined by:
Correct answer: (A) Arthur Tansley.
Sir Arthur Tansley coined the term "ecosystem" in 1935 for the interactive system formed by living organisms and their physical environment.
Explanation
Sir Arthur Tansley is the scientist associated with the term "ecosystem", coined in 1935. e-PG Pathshala, Principles of Ecology: Ecosystem Processes-II; Part-I attributes the term to A.G. Tansley in 1935 and defines an ecosystem as the integration of living organisms in a given area with the physical factors of the environment. Arthur Tansley is therefore the precise answer because the term originated with him, while later ecosystem ecology developed through other scholars. The idea also captures the core meaning of the term: organisms are not studied in isolation, but as part of a dynamic system shaped by their surroundings, energy flow, trophic structure, biotic diversity and material cycles.
Why the other options are wrong
- (B) Eugene Odum is linked with the later development of ecosystem ecology, but he did not coin the term "ecosystem".
- (C) Ernst Haeckel is associated with coining the term "ecology", which is a related but different term from "ecosystem".
- (D) Charles Elton is known for food-chain concepts, whereas Sir Arthur Tansley coined the term "ecosystem" in 1935.
Concept
The origin and meaning of the term "ecosystem" are standard Environment and Ecology foundation points. Such founder-term associations recur in RAS because they check whether the candidate knows both the concept and its disciplinary history.