Environmental Studies ยท 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 NOT a provisioning ecosystem service?

  1. Food

  2. Water

  3. Fuel

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

Biodiversity is a regulating ecosystem service, not a provisioning service.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances and maintain its structure and function?

  1. Resilience

  2. Stability

  3. Resistance

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

Resilience is the ability of an ecosystem to recover from disturbances and maintain its structure and function.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT an example of a provisioning ecosystem service?

  1. Food

  2. Water

  3. Fuel

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

Climate regulation is a regulating ecosystem service, not a provisioning service.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a keystone species in a forest ecosystem?

  1. Top predator

  2. Primary producer

  3. Decomposer

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

Top predators, such as wolves or lions, play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of an ecosystem by regulating prey populations and preventing overgrazing.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a keystone species in a forest ecosystem?

  1. Top predator

  2. Primary producer

  3. Decomposer

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

Top predators, such as wolves or lions, play a crucial role in maintaining the balance of an ecosystem by regulating prey populations and preventing overgrazing.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the study of invasive species and their impacts on ecosystems?

  1. Invasive species ecology

  2. Conservation biology

  3. Population ecology

  4. Community ecology
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Invasive species ecology is a field of study that focuses on the biology and ecology of invasive species, including their impacts on ecosystems and the development of management strategies.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT a regulating service provided by ecosystems?

  1. Climate regulation

  2. Water regulation

  3. Erosion regulation

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

Pollination is a provisioning service, not a regulating service.

Multiple choice

What is biodiversity?

  1. The variety of life on Earth, including the number of species, their genetic variation, and the ecosystems they inhabit.

  2. The total number of species on Earth.

  3. The number of different ecosystems on Earth.

  4. The amount of genetic variation within a species.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Biodiversity refers to the entire spectrum of life on Earth, encompassing the variety of species, the genetic diversity within each species, and the complex interactions between species and their environment.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT an example of an ecosystem service provided by biodiversity?

  1. Pollination of crops.

  2. Decomposition of organic matter.

  3. Production of oxygen.

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

Climate change is a global phenomenon primarily driven by human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels. While biodiversity can play a role in mitigating climate change through carbon sequestration and other processes, it is not considered a direct ecosystem service.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the interconnectedness of species in an ecosystem?

  1. Biodiversity.

  2. Food chain.

  3. Ecosystem services.

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

Symbiosis refers to the close and often long-term biological interactions between different species. These interactions can be mutually beneficial, harmful, or neutral, and they play a crucial role in maintaining the structure and function of ecosystems.

Multiple choice

How do coral reefs contribute to nutrient cycling?

  1. By absorbing nutrients from the water column

  2. By providing a habitat for organisms that recycle nutrients

  3. By releasing nutrients into the water column

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

Coral reefs contribute to nutrient cycling by absorbing nutrients from the water column. They utilize these nutrients for their own growth and metabolism, and also provide a habitat for a variety of organisms that play a role in nutrient cycling, such as algae, sponges, and fish.

Multiple choice

What is the term used to describe the variety of species found in a particular area or ecosystem?

  1. Species richness

  2. Species evenness

  3. Species diversity

  4. Species composition
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Species diversity encompasses both species richness (the number of species present) and species evenness (the relative abundance of each species).

Multiple choice

Which measure of species diversity takes into account both species richness and species evenness?

  1. Shannon-Wiener Index

  2. Simpson's Index

  3. Margalef's Index

  4. Menhinick's Index
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Shannon-Wiener Index incorporates both species richness and evenness, making it a widely used measure of species diversity that reflects the overall structure and composition of a community.

Multiple choice

Which type of species diversity refers to the variety of habitats and ecosystems within a region?

  1. Alpha diversity

  2. Beta diversity

  3. Gamma diversity

  4. Delta diversity
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Gamma diversity encompasses the species diversity across multiple habitats and ecosystems within a region or landscape.

Multiple choice

Which measure of species diversity focuses solely on the number of species present in a community?

  1. Shannon-Wiener Index

  2. Simpson's Index

  3. Margalef's Index

  4. Menhinick's Index
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Margalef's Index is a measure of species richness that simply counts the number of species in a community.