Environmental Studies · Geography

Natural Vegetation and Habitats

1,703 Questions

Study the characteristics of various biomes, including tropical rainforests, savannas, and thorn forests. Questions address ecological concepts like stratification, climate factors, and regional vegetation types such as littoral forests. This topic is commonly asked in geography and environmental science papers.

Forest biomes and typesSavanna and grassland habitatsTropical rainforest characteristicsEcological stratificationThreats to natural habitats

Natural Vegetation and Habitats Questions

Multiple choice

These days, very often we hear the term 'Biodiversity Hotspot'. Which of the following requirements does a place need to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot?

  1. It must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics.
  2. It has to have lost at least 50% of its primary vegetation.

Choose the correct option:

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 & 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

A biodiversity hotspot is a region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans.

The concept of biodiversity hotspots was coined by Norman Myers.
To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:
1) it must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics, and 2) it has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.

Multiple choice

The animals and plants that live and grow on land are called:

  1. aerial

  2. arboreal

  3. terrestrial

  4. desert

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

Terrestrial plants and animals are those who live on land.They show special feature that help them to adapt with their environment. Grasses, herbs, trees and most of the animals come under this category.

Multiple choice

Guttation occurs only in

  1. mangrove

  2. mesophytic herbs

  3. marshy plants

  4. hydrophytes

  5. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Guttation occurs only in mesophytic herbs. A mesophytic herb is a plant needing only a moderate amount of water.

Multiple choice

What are mangrove plants?

  1. Plants that grow on hilly areas

  2. Plants having roots above the soil

  3. Plants that float on water

  4. Plants that grow on land

  5. Plants that eat insects
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Plants having roots above the soil are called mangrove plants. Areas with lots of water and sticky soil are called marshy areas. The plants that grow there are called mangroves. Since the soil is soaked in water, the roots of mangroves are unable to take in air from the soil. So, they have breathing roots that arise from the soil. Example: Sundari trees of Sundarban.

Multiple choice

Which of the following forests do not have a distinct period of shedding leaves and therefore, do not ever look bare?

  1. Tropical deciduous

  2. Tropical evergreen

  3. Temperate evergreen

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

Tropical evergreen forests grow in regions with heavy rainfall throughout the year (over 200 cm) and have no dry season, so trees don't shed leaves simultaneously. They maintain green foliage year-round and never appear bare. Deciduous forests (both tropical and temperate) have distinct shedding periods.

Multiple choice

________ are the hotspots of biodiversity.

  1. Forests

  2. Wetlands

  3. Oceans

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

Forests are the hotspots of biodiversity. A measure of biodiversity of an area is the number of species found there.

Multiple choice

Conifers are generally found in

  1. deserts

  2. grasslands

  3. forests

  4. coastal areas

  5. mountainous/cold regions
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Conifers are generally found in mountainous or cold regions.

Multiple choice

Hydrophytes are found in what type of biomes?

  1. Grasslands

  2. Aquatic

  3. Forest

  4. Desert

  5. Tundra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Marshes, swamps, and bogs are all considered wetlands. Plant species adapted to the very moist and humid conditions are called hydrophytes. These include pond lilies, cattails, sedges, tamarack, and black spruce.

Multiple choice

Low population diversity, large population oscillations and extremely cold climate are characteristic features of which of the following biomes?

  1. Forest

  2. Desert

  3. Aquatic

  4. Tundra

  5. Grasslands
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Characterisitcs of Tundra are- extremely cold climate, low biotic diversity, simple vegetation structure, limitation of drainage, short season of growth and reproduction, energy and nutrients in the form of dead organic material and large population oscillations.

Multiple choice

The Western Ghats are one of the three biodiversity hotspots in India. Which of the following facts about them is/are true?

  1. This region has moist deciduous forests and rain forests.
  2. Black pepper and cardamom are native to this region.
  3. The lowest concentration of species in Western Ghats is believed to be in Agasthyamalai Hills in the extreme south.

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2 and 3

  3. 1 and 3

  4. Only 1
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Agasthyamalai Hills, located towards the extreme south of Western Ghats have the highest concentration of species in this entire region.

Multiple choice

To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot, which of the following conditions must a biogeographic region fulfil?

  1. It must contain at least 0.5% of vascular plant species as endemic.
  2. It must have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.

  1. Only 1

  2. Only 2

  3. Both 1 and 2

  4. Neither 1 nor 2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region with a significant reservoir of biodiversity that is under threat from humans. To qualify as a biodiversity hotspot on Myers 2000 edition of the hotspot map, a region must meet two strict criteria as stated in the question.