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 zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Term ecosystem was given by

  1. Odum

  2. Koestler

  3. Tansley

  4. Mobius and Forbes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The ecosystem is a segment of biosphere consisting of a community of living beings and the abiotic or physical environment, both interacting and exchanging materials between them. The word ecosystem was first coined by Tansley in 1935.

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Ecosystem is a self-sustaining unit because it consists of

  1. Plants and animals only

  2. Physical environment only

  3. Microbes only

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Under natural conditions, all living organisms in an ecosystem are interacting, co-habitating and interdependent. This enables the self-sustenance in an ecosystem. A change in any of these results in collapse of the ecosystem. Thus the correct answer is option D.

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Which of the following represents the proper ecological hierarchy?

  1. Population --> community --> ecosystem --> biosphere

  2. Ecosystem --> community --> population --> biosphere

  3. Population --> ecosystem --> community --> biosphere

  4. Biosphere --> ecosystem --> population --> community

  5. Community --> population --> biosphere --> ecosystem
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
An ecosystem is all the living things in an area interacting with all of the abiotic parts of the environment.
A population is a summation of all the organisms of the same group or species, which live in a particular geographical area, and have the capability of interbreeding.
The community is an interacting group of various species in a common location. 
The biosphere is an irregularly shaped, relatively thin zone in which life is concentrated on or near the Earth's surface and throughout its waters. Thus, the correct answer is option A.
Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

A unit of land delimited by natural boundary and having patches of different biotic communities is known as

  1. Ecosystem

  2. Landscape

  3. Biome

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

An ecosystem is defined as a part of the biosphere which consists of many biological communities. A biome is a much larger unit in the heirarchy where many ecosystems are found. 
A landscape is a patch that consists of different biotic communities and it does not have a fixed natural boundary So the correct answer is a 'Landscape'. 

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Plant species with wide range of distribution evolves into local populations called 

  1. Ecosystem

  2. Population

  3. Ecotype

  4. Ephemeral

  5. Biome
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

An ecotype is a population (or subspecies or race) that is adapted to local environmental conditions. The implication is that those individuals which were best adapted to the prevailing conditions left the most offspring. Moreover, those more successful individuals carry genes that are partly responsible for their success in that environment. Thus, the adaptations of these ecotypes are based on the interactions of their own special sets of genes with their own environment.


So, the correct answer is 'Ecotype'.

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Great Barrier Reef along east coast of Australia is a

  1. Population

  2. Community

  3. Biome

  4. Ecosystem
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
Great Barrier Reef along east coast of Australia is categorized as an ecosystem. An ecosystem is made up biotic and abiotic components. Biotic components include plants, animals, microorganisms. Abiotic components include air, water, temperature, soil. Population is the number of organisms of same species in an area. Community is the group of populations of different species in an area. Biome is a community of plants and animals having common characteristics sharing a common place.
Thus, the correct answer is 'Ecosystem.'
Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Ari ecosystem is not a

  1. Open system

  2. Closed system

  3. Variable system

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

An open system is defined as a system wherein there is free exchange of both matter and energy with the surroundings. The system has interaction with the external environment. A close system is defined as a system where there is no exchange of either matter or energy with the surroundings. All the ecosystems on Earth are called as open systems. Earth is an open system for energy. 

Thus, the correct answer is 'Closed system.'

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Edge effect is observed in case of 

  1. Ecotone

  2. Ecozone

  3. Biotype

  4. Ecosphere
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
The edge effect is caused by a distinct edge or boundary between two ecosystems such as between forrest and grasslands or land and water. These areas where the edge effect is observed are called ecotones. Ecotones are where increased biodiversity is observed.

So, the correct answer is 'A'.
Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

An incomplete ecosystem is

  1. Grassland

  2. River

  3. Wetland

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

An incomplete ecosystem is cave. Its habitat is not suitable for primary productivity. It lacks sunlight and primary plant productivity. The animals and plants are present only at the entrance of cave as limited sunlight reaches at the entrance.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Cave.'

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Which is a man made ecosystem?

  1. Herbarium

  2. Tissue culture

  3. Forest

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

An ecosystem consists of biotic and abiotic components. Biotic components or living things include animals, plants, microorganisms. Abiotic components or nonliving things include air, soil, temperature. It is of two types, natural ecosystem and artificial or man made ecosystem. Examples of natural ecosystem include forest, aquatic ecosystem. Examples of man made ecosystem includes aquarium, zoo, botanical garden. In man made ecosystem, the plants and animals grow or survive outside their natural habitat in an artificial environment.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Aquarium.'

Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Combined ecosystem forms ______.

  1. Biosphere

  2. Genus

  3. Biomes

  4. Species
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
  • A biome is a group of ecosystems with similar climates and organisms.
  • There are five major biomes in the world. They are the forest, desert, grassland, aquatic and altitudinal biomes.
  • Hence Combined ecosystem forms Biomes.
  • So, the correct answer is 'Biomes'.
Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

Suggest one word for each of the following statements/ definitions.
(a) The physical and biological world where we live in.
(b) Each level of food chain where transfer of energy takes place.
(c) The physical factors like temperature, rainfall, wind and soil of an ecosystem.
(d) Organisms which depend on the producers either directly or indirectly for food.

  1. (a) Trophic level, (b) Environment/biosphere, (c) Abiotic factors, (d) Consumers/heterotrophs

  2. (a) Environment/biosphere, (b) Trophic level, (c) Abiotic factors, (d) Consumers/heterotrophs

  3. (a) Environment/biosphere, (b) Abiotic factors (c) Trophic level, (d) Consumers/heterotrophs

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
  • The physical and biological world where we live in - Environment/biosphere
  • Each level of food chain where transfer of energy takes place - Trophic level
  • The physical factors like temperature, rainfall, wind and soil of an ecosystem - Abiotic factors
  • Organisms which depend on the producers either directly or indirectly for food - Consumers/heterotrophs
Therefore, the correct answer is option B.
Multiple choice zoology meaning of life level of biological organization in animals introduction to tissues basics of ecology

All plants, animals and other organisms that make up a distinct natural community in any climatic region is known as the

  1. Biome

  2. Biounit

  3. Biomagnification

  4. Biological ecosystem
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A biome  is a community of plants and animals that have common characteristics for the environment they exist in. They can be found over a range of continents. Biomes are distinct biological communities that have formed in response to a shared physical climate. "Biome" is a broader term than "habitat"; any biome can comprise a variety of habitats. hile a biome can cover large areas, a microbiome is a mix of organisms that coexist in a defined space on a much smaller scale. For example, the human microbiome is the collection of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that are present on or in a human body. A 'biota' is the total collection of organisms of a geographic region or a time period, from local geographic scales and instantaneous temporal scales all the way up to whole-planet and whole-time scale spatiotemporal scales. The biotas of the Earth make up the biosphere.

So the correct option is 'biome'.