Geography · Environmental Studies

Oceanography and Hydrology

1,743 Questions

Find relevant questions on oceanography and hydrology that address aquatic ecosystems and physical geography. The topics include coastal landforms, coral reefs, ocean salinity, and tidal patterns. These concepts frequently appear in civil services and state level administrative examinations.

Coral reef structuresCoastal landformsOcean salinity patternsGlacial retreat impactsMangrove ecosystems

Oceanography and Hydrology Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following corals is used as an important environmental indicator in the study of long term climate change?

  1. Blue coral

  2. Elkhorn coral

  3. Black corals

  4. Bamboo coral

  5. Organ pipe coral
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Bamboo coral  is a commonly recognised inhabitant of the deep sea, due to the clearly articulated skeletons of the species. These organisms may be an important environmental indicator in the study of long term climate change, as some specimens of bamboo coral have been discovered that are 4,000 years old.

Multiple choice

Pyramid of energy, in aquatic ecosystem is

  1. always upright

  2. always inverted

  3. bell shaped

  4. None of these

  5. -
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Pyramid of energy, is always upright in any of the ecosystem, as the highest energy lies in the lowest trophic level which contains plants and trees.

Multiple choice

What is the chief limitation in gaining energy from oceans?

  1. It is effective in coastal areas only.

  2. It lacks technological advancements to explore.

  3. It results in very high costs.

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

It is a costly project as it requires land, equipment and high investment for maintenance. The energy potential from the sea (tidal energy, wave energy and ocean thermal energy) is large, but efficient commercial exploitation is difficult. Tidal energy is not likely to be a potential source of energy in the future because there are very few sites around the world which are suitable for building tidal dams.

Multiple choice

Chlamydomonas occurs in

  1. freshwater

  2. ponds and lakes

  3. rivers

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

Chlamydomonas is a genus of green algae consisting of unicellular flagellates found in stagnant water and in damp soil in freshwater.

Multiple choice

The winds blowing from sea towards the coastal areas are called

  1. ocean currents

  2. land breeze

  3. coastal winds

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

Sea breeze is the wind that flows/blows from sea towards the coastal areas as it is a gentle wind that develops over water bodies near land to differences in air pressure created by their different heat capacity.

Multiple choice

In the context of ecosystem productivity, marine upwelling zones are important as they increase the marine productivity by bringing the

  1. decomposer microorganisms to the surface.
  2. nutrients to the surface.
  3. Bottom-dwelling organisms to the surface.

Which of the statements given above is/correct?

  1. 1 and 2

  2. 2 only

  3. 2 and 3

  4. 3 only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Upwelling is an oceanographic phenomenon that involves wind-driven motion of dense, cooler, and usually nutrient-rich water towards the ocean surface, replacing the warmer, usually nutrient-depleted surface water. The increased availability in upwelling regions results in high levels of primary productivity and thus fishery production. Approximately 25% of the total global marine fish catches come from five upwellings that occupy only 5% of the total ocean area. Upwellings that are driven by coastal currents or diverging open ocean have the greatest impact on nutrient-enriched waters and global fishery yields.

Multiple choice

There is a concern over the increase in harmful algal booms in the sea waters of India. What could be the causative factors for this phenomenon?

  1. Discharge of nutrients from the estauraries.
  2. Run-off from the land rung the monsoon.
  3. Upwelling in the seas.

Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

  1. 1 only

  2. 1 and 2 only

  3. 2 and 3 only

  4. 1, 2 and 3
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Algae require warmth, sunlight, and nutrients to grow and reproduce, so they live in the upper 60 to 90 meters (200 to 300 feet) of ocean water. An increase in nutrients also may be caused by activities of humans, such as runoff from animal farms or fertilized croplands and lawns, or atmospheric deposition of sulfur and nitrogen compounds or oxides derived from the burning of fossil fuel. These nutrients lead to blooms in coastal waters to a greater extent than in the open ocean. Upwellings bring nutrient-rich waters to the top. This increase in nutrients can trigger algae blooms.

Multiple choice

Which is correct meaning of the word ‘receptacle’ at (21)?

Directions: Read the paragraph and answer the questions.

One might think of an ocean as a bottomless sink but its capacity as (21) receptacle for wastes is limited. Oceanic pollution is caused by ship generated discharges of oil and petroleum products, noxious liquids, packaged dangerous goods, garbage etc.

The fate of the pollutant is determined by oceanic currents and the (22) turbulence of the sea. Migrating birds caught in the oil slicks --------23--------their power of flight. Employment of detergents to clean the oil slicks ---------24-----to be harmful to marine life. Paper wastes and cellulose are non- biodegradable in the oceans and their presence affects light penetration as a result of which marine phytocomposition takes place.

  1. a container

  2. space to hold something

  3. object to deliver

  4. structure to receive secretion
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The meaning in context is the space in the ocean which contains/holds the wastes.

Multiple choice

Which of the following pairs is not correctly matched?

  1. Rain water - Purest form of water

  2. River water - Largest source of water on Earth

  3. Lakes - A large area of water surrounded by lands

  4. Seawater - Source of common salt
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Oceans are the largest source of surface water, comprising approximately 97 percent of Earth's surface water.

Multiple choice

Which of the following statements is/are correct?

a. Only 2.5% of world's total volume of water is freshwater. b. India has about 6.5% of world's total volume of freshwater resources. c. 96.5% of the total volume of Earth’s water exists as oceans.

  1. a and c

  2. only a

  3. a, b and c

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

India has about 4% of world's total volume of freshwater resources. Only 2.5% of world's total volume of water is freshwater. 96.5% of the total volume of Earth’s water exists as oceans.