Environmental Studies · Biology

Ecology and Biodiversity

1,739 Questions

Ecology and biodiversity are vital topics in environmental studies, covering ecosystem structures, species diversity, and environmental impacts. These concepts are frequently tested in competitive examinations for civil services and state selections. The questions cover carrying capacity, ecological succession, and conservation fundamentals.

Species richness measurementTypes of ecological diversityBiome distribution factorsCarrying capacity conceptEcosystem servicesEnvironmental Impact Assessment

Ecology and Biodiversity Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct order of components of any ecosystem?

  1. Consumers, producers, decomposers, abiotic environment

  2. Producers, abiotic environment, consumers, decomposers

  3. Producers, abiotic environment, decomposers, consumers

  4. Abiotic environment, producers, consumers, decomposers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The logical order begins with the abiotic environment (non-living foundation), followed by producers that create energy from it, then consumers that eat producers, and finally decomposers that break down all organisms to recycle nutrients back to the abiotic environment.

Multiple choice

Organisms in an area together interact with the non–living constituents of the environment, to form a/an

  1. ecosystem

  2. biome

  3. trophic level

  4. biotic factor
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

An ecosystem includes all living organisms (biotic factors) interacting with non-living components (abiotic factors) like water, soil, and air in a specific area. A biome is a larger geographic region, trophic level is a feeding position, and biotic factor refers only to living things.

Multiple choice

Ecological equivalents are taxonomically different organisms, which occupy

  1. various ecological niches performing various functions in various geographical regions

  2. the same ecological niches performing various functions in the similar geographical regions

  3. various ecological niches performing the same functions in similar geographical regions

  4. the same ecological niches performing various functions in various geographical regions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Ecological equivalents are taxonomically different organisms which occupy same ecological niches performing various functions in various geographical regions. For e.g. in Galapagos island flightless cormorants.

Multiple choice

Directions: Zoogeography is a branch of biogeography which is concerned with the geographical distribution (past and present) of animal species. Biogeography is the study of distribution of species and ecosystem in geographical regions and through the geological time. Biological communities and organisms differ in an extremely regular pattern along geographical gradients of elevation, altitude, isolation and habitat region.

Eulittoral zone provides which of the following sets of dominant habitat?

  1. Abyssal, sandy and rocky

  2. Benthic, deep sea and estuary

  3. Rocky, sandy and muddy shores

  4. Submerged rocks, rocks with loose stones and mud
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Eulittoral zone provides rocky, sandy and muddy shores type of habitat. It is a landward subdivision of littoral zone of a water body particularly benthic zone which falls between the fluctuation level limits.

Multiple choice

Directions: Species diversity is the potent number of several species which are represented in the collection of individuals (dataset). The potent number of species defines the number of equally-abundant species required to get the similar mean equivalent species abundance, as which is observed in dataset of interest. Species diversity is composed of 2 components-species richness (species count) and species evenness (measures how equal is the abundance of species).

Which of following may achieve protection and conservation of biodiversity?

  1. Game sanctuary

  2. Ecodevelopment

  3. Biosphere reserve

  4. National park
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Biosphere reserve is the region declared by its residents, authorized by the national committee and termed as UNESCO’s Men & Biosphere (MAB) program that establishes innovative ways to living and working in kinship with nature.

Multiple choice

Directions: Species diversity is the potent number of several species which are represented in the collection of individuals (dataset). The potent number of species defines the number of equally-abundant species required to get the similar mean equivalent of species abundance, as which is observed in dataset of interest. Species diversity is composed of 2 components-species richness (species count) and species evenness (measures how equal is the abundance of species).

In India, lion-tailed Macaque is observed only in

  1. Western Ghats

  2. Bandipur Biosphere Reserve

  3. Eastern Ghats

  4. Guindy National Park

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In India, lion-tailed Macaque or wanderoo is an ancient world monkey, it is observed only in Western Ghats of South India.

Multiple choice

Directions: Zoogeography is a branch of biogeography which is concerned with the geographical distribution (past and present) of animal species. Biogeography is the study of distribution of species and ecosystem in geographical regions and through the geological time. Biological communities and organisms differ in an extremely regular pattern along geographical gradients of elevation, altitude, isolation and habitat region.

Study the following pairs, and select the correctly matched pair(s).

  1. B and C

  2. A, B and C

  3. A and C

  4. A and B
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Bathyal zone    :     Archibenthic zone Littoral zone     :     Limnettic zone Oceanic zone   :     Sub-littoral zone Bathyal zone is the continental slope where the steep slide of seabed from continental shelf to abyssal zone. Littoral zone is the part of sea, river or lake which is close to the shore. Oceanic zone starts in the region off shore where water quantifies 200 meters deep or deeper.

Multiple choice

The place, people, things and nature that surround any living organism are called

  1. lithosphere

  2. surrounding

  3. environment

  4. biotic resources
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The correct answer is C because 'environment' is the comprehensive ecological term encompassing all external conditions (living and non-living) surrounding and affecting an organism - including place, people, things, and nature as mentioned in the question. Option A (lithosphere) refers only to the Earth's crust, B (surrounding) is grammatically awkward and not standard terminology, and D (biotic resources) includes only living things, missing the abiotic components that are also part of the environment.

Multiple choice

From the following, the most suitable composition of biosphere

  1. man's immediate surroundings

  2. plant and animal kingdoms

  3. land, water, air, plants and animals

  4. various domains of environment
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The biosphere encompasses all living organisms and their physical environment. Option C correctly includes the physical components (land, water, air) along with biological components (plants and animals), making it the most comprehensive representation. Options A and D are vague, while B only covers biological life.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the most correct option out of the following: Which of the following statements is true?

Extremophiles: Some environments are not good homes for most normal kinds of life. Places like that are called extreme environments. That doesn't mean that there isn't any life in extreme environments. Certain creatures can live and grow in extreme environments. Scientists have a special name for creatures that live in extreme environments. They are called extremophiles. The -phile in extremophile comes from a Greek word that means love. Extremophiles are creatures that love extreme environments. Most extremophiles are microbes. There are also a few types of larger creatures, like special types of shrimp and insects, which are also extremophiles. In the last few decades scientists have found extremophiles in places where they used to think life couldn't survive. Some extremophiles live in very hot or very cold environments. Others live in environments that have acids or radiation in them. When Earth was young, most environments on our planet were extreme compared to today. Environments on many other planets and moons within our Solar System and beyond are also extreme. Scientists hope that studying extremophiles will help us learn about early life on Earth and about evolution. They also hope we can learn about the chances for life on other planets by studying extremophiles. Scientists who study these sorts of things are called astrobiologists. Scientists use special names for extremophiles that live in different environments. Thermophiles live in hot places. Acidophiles can put up with strong acids. Xerophiles live in deserts and other dry places. Halophiles like it salty, while cryophiles (or psychrophiles) love the cold. Some creatures are extreme in more than one way. Microbes that live in acidic hot springs are both thermophiles and acidophiles. A few big big animals and plants also survive in really extreme environments. While they aren't exactly extremophiles, some of them do live in places that would kill most normal creatures. Camels can go for long periods without water in the dry deserts where they live. Emperor penguins somehow make it through cold Antarctic winters. Extreme plants, such as many types of cactus, also live in the heat and dryness of deserts. Strange tube worms grow in boiling hot water filled with strange chemicals near deep sea hydrothermal vents.

  1. Extremophiles are extreme only in one way.

  2. Environments on other planets are not extreme.

  3. There isn't any life in extreme environments.

  4. Study of extremophiles can help in finding any chances of life on other planets.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Scientists hope they can learn about the chances for life on other planets by studying extremophiles.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the most correct option out of the following: Which of the following does not mean survive?

Extremophiles: Some environments are not good homes for most normal kinds of life. Places like that are called extreme environments. That doesn't mean that there isn't any life in extreme environments. Certain creatures can live and grow in extreme environments. Scientists have a special name for creatures that live in extreme environments. They are called extremophiles. The -phile in extremophile comes from a Greek word that means love. Extremophiles are creatures that love extreme environments. Most extremophiles are microbes. There are also a few types of larger creatures, like special types of shrimp and insects, which are also extremophiles. In the last few decades scientists have found extremophiles in places where they used to think life couldn't survive. Some extremophiles live in very hot or very cold environments. Others live in environments that have acids or radiation in them. When Earth was young, most environments on our planet were extreme compared to today. Environments on many other planets and moons within our Solar System and beyond are also extreme. Scientists hope that studying extremophiles will help us learn about early life on Earth and about evolution. They also hope we can learn about the chances for life on other planets by studying extremophiles. Scientists who study these sorts of things are called astrobiologists. Scientists use special names for extremophiles that live in different environments. Thermophiles live in hot places. Acidophiles can put up with strong acids. Xerophiles live in deserts and other dry places. Halophiles like it salty, while cryophiles (or psychrophiles) love the cold. Some creatures are extreme in more than one way. Microbes that live in acidic hot springs are both thermophiles and acidophiles. A few big big animals and plants also survive in really extreme environments. While they aren't exactly extremophiles, some of them do live in places that would kill most normal creatures. Camels can go for long periods without water in the dry deserts where they live. Emperor penguins somehow make it through cold Antarctic winters. Extreme plants, such as many types of cactus, also live in the heat and dryness of deserts. Strange tube worms grow in boiling hot water filled with strange chemicals near deep sea hydrothermal vents.

  1. Subsist

  2. Tough it out

  3. Persevere

  4. Cease
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Because Survive and Cease are antonyms.

Multiple choice

Directions: Choose the most correct option out of the following: What do we call people who study extreme environments?

Extremophiles: Some environments are not good homes for most normal kinds of life. Places like that are called extreme environments. That doesn't mean that there isn't any life in extreme environments. Certain creatures can live and grow in extreme environments. Scientists have a special name for creatures that live in extreme environments. They are called extremophiles. The -phile in extremophile comes from a Greek word that means love. Extremophiles are creatures that love extreme environments. Most extremophiles are microbes. There are also a few types of larger creatures, like special types of shrimp and insects, which are also extremophiles. In the last few decades scientists have found extremophiles in places where they used to think life couldn't survive. Some extremophiles live in very hot or very cold environments. Others live in environments that have acids or radiation in them. When Earth was young, most environments on our planet were extreme compared to today. Environments on many other planets and moons within our Solar System and beyond are also extreme. Scientists hope that studying extremophiles will help us learn about early life on Earth and about evolution. They also hope we can learn about the chances for life on other planets by studying extremophiles. Scientists who study these sorts of things are called astrobiologists. Scientists use special names for extremophiles that live in different environments. Thermophiles live in hot places. Acidophiles can put up with strong acids. Xerophiles live in deserts and other dry places. Halophiles like it salty, while cryophiles (or psychrophiles) love the cold. Some creatures are extreme in more than one way. Microbes that live in acidic hot springs are both thermophiles and acidophiles. A few big big animals and plants also survive in really extreme environments. While they aren't exactly extremophiles, some of them do live in places that would kill most normal creatures. Camels can go for long periods without water in the dry deserts where they live. Emperor penguins somehow make it through cold Antarctic winters. Extreme plants, such as many types of cactus, also live in the heat and dryness of deserts. Strange tube worms grow in boiling hot water filled with strange chemicals near deep sea hydrothermal vents.

  1. Biologists

  2. Astrobiologists

  3. Scientists

  4. Astroscientists.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Scientists who study extreme environments are called astrobiologists.

Multiple choice

What are the two components of ecosystem?

  1. Flora & fauna

  2. Plants & animals

  3. Biotic & abiotic

  4. Trees & wild plants

  5. Producers & consumers
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

1) The two major components of ecosystem are biotic & abiotic factors. Abiotic components are light, temperature, moisture, salinity, PH, soil & biotic components are producers, consumers & decomposers.

Multiple choice

In ecology, the term “Carrying capacity” means:

  1. capability of carrying by a group of individual at a given space

  2. the size of population that can be sustained indefinitely on available environmental resources

  3. the power of tolerance

  4. ability to take action in favor of nature for survival

  5. the ability of carrying by an individual
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Carrying capacity is the size of population that can be sustained indefinitely or for long period on available environmental resources & services provided from that ecosystem. It is controlled by amount of available resources in the environment, size of population in that particular ecosystem & amount of resources each individual posseses.

Multiple choice

What is niche?

  1. It defines our physical surroundings like air, water bodies, soil and all the organisms such as plants, animals, human beings and micro-organisms like bacteria.

  2. It describes the relational place occupied by a species or a population in its ecosystem.

  3. It defines physical space occupied as well as functional role played by an organism in the community.

  4. It describes how an organism or population responds to the distribution of resources and competitors.

  5. It defines the physical environment or the place where an organism lives or is found.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The term niche describes the relational place occupied by a species or a population in its ecosystem.