Environment and Ecology useful questions for UPSC, CSE Exams –
1. In plants, ammonium is often converted to nitrate before it can be used by the plant. This process is known as–
(A) photosynthesis (B) denitrification (C) nitrogen fixation (D) nitrification (Ans : B)
2. The study of interaction between the living species and the environment is called–
(A) Biology (B) Anthology (C) Ecology (D) Zoology (Ans : D)
3. What is the source of energy the flows through the living world ?
(A) Photosynthesis (B) Chemical bond (C) Green plant (D) The sun (Ans : D)
4. Number of regional offices under Forest Conservation Act (1980 amended 1988) is–
(A) 28 (B) 24 (C) 12 (D) 6 (Ans : D)
5. Biomes intermediate in precipitation and temperature at lower elevations are commonly–
(A) coniferous forests (B) hot deserts (C) grasslands (D) tropical rain forests (Ans : C)
6. Which of the following does not apply to a population with a low effective population size?
(A) Genetic drift (B) Increased genetic diversity (C) Reduced heterozygosity (D) Increased homozygosity (Ans : B)
7. Type of agroforestry in which fodder plants are grown along with the crops, is called–
(A) Agri-silvipastoral (B) Agri-silvi-culture (C) Agri pastoral (D) None (Ans : C)
8. A large oak tree with its abundant leaves glimmering in the sun on an early fall morning represents–
(A) a heterotrophic producer (B) an autotrophic consumer
(C) a heterotrophic consumer (D) an autotrophic producer (Ans : D)
9. The graphical representation of an organism position as well as function at successive trophic levels is called–
(A) Food chain (B) Food web (C) Eceological pyramid (D) Biomagnifications (Ans : D)
10. If the decomposers become extinct, the most severally affected would be–
(A) cycling of minerals (B) damage to nitrogen fixation (C) biomagnification (D) carnivores will be starved (Ans : A)
11. The conventional natural source of energy which is most abundant is–
(A) Sunlight (B) Fossil fuels (C) Atomic energy (D) Biogas (Ans : B)
12. Which of the following is an example of a natural good from an ecosystem?
(A) pollination (B) eastern Pacific halibut (C) control of pest populations (D) carbon sequestration (Ans : B)
13. The sphere of living matter together with water, air and soil on the surface of earth is–
(A) lithosphere (B) biosphere (C) hydrosphere (D) atmosphere (Ans : B)
14. A raccoon spends its week eating raspberries, grain, eggs, and grasshoppers. Raccoons are therefore–
(A) carnivores (B) omnivores (C) herbivores (D) producers (Ans : B)
15. In which one of the following biomes would you expect decomposers to work most rapidly and efficiently?
(A) tundra (B) savanna (C) desert (D) tropical rain forest (Ans : D)
16. In which country maximum (about 90%) people live in the cities–
(A) India (B) Pakistan (C) U. S. A. (D) Netherland (Ans : D)
17. Nutrients essential for plant growth are returned to the soil by–
(A) decomposers (B) herbivores (C) producers (D) carnivores (Ans : A)
18. Which of the following ecosystem has the highest gross primary productivity ?
(A) Grassland (B) Coral reef (C) Mangroves (D) Tropical rain forest (Ans : D)
19. Between 1950 and 1980, an area the size of Denmark has been desertified in which country?
(A) China (B) Norway (C) Brazil (D) Bangladesh (Ans : A)
20. In the phosphorus cycle, phosphate, becomes available by weathering of rock first to–
(A) consumers (B) producers (C) decomposers (D) none of these above (Ans : B)
