Pariksha SaathiGeneral Studies
Environment and Ecology: Practice Questions with Answers
237 practice questions on Environment and Ecology, with answers; most also have an explanation or a worked solution. Try each one before you open its answer.
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Q.201
The Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer, the framework treaty under which the Montreal Protocol was later agreed, was adopted in
- A 1979
- B 1985
- C 1987
- D 1992
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Correct answer: (B) 1985
The Vienna Convention of 1985 set up cooperation on ozone research and monitoring but contained no binding cuts. The Montreal Protocol of 1987 added binding phase-out schedules.
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Q.202
Kolleru Lake, a large freshwater wetland in Andhra Pradesh, lies between the deltas of which two rivers?
- A Krishna and Penner
- B Godavari and Krishna
- C Mahanadi and Godavari
- D Kaveri and Krishna
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Correct answer: (B) Godavari and Krishna
Kolleru lies between the Godavari and Krishna deltas and is fed by seasonal streams; it is a Ramsar site and an important wintering ground for migratory birds.
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Q.203
The prickly pear cactus, introduced into Australia, spread over millions of hectares of rangeland. It was finally brought under control by introducing
- A A herbicide sprayed from aircraft
- B Goats that grazed on the cactus
- C A fungus that rots the roots
- D A cactus-feeding moth from the cactus's native range
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Correct answer: (D) A cactus-feeding moth from the cactus's native range
Control came only after the moth Cactoblastis cactorum, a natural predator of the cactus from South America, was introduced. It is a classic example of biological control by a predator.
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Q.204
PM2.5, a key indicator of air pollution, refers to particulate matter with a diameter of
- A 2.5 millimetres or less
- B 25 micrometres or more
- C 2.5 nanometres or less
- D 2.5 micrometres or less
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Correct answer: (D) 2.5 micrometres or less
PM2.5 means fine particles 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter; they penetrate deep into the lungs and cause the greatest harm to health. PM10 covers particles up to 10 micrometres.
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Q.205
Gahirmatha beach in Odisha is famous as a mass nesting site (arribada) of
- A Olive Ridley turtles
- B Leatherback turtles
- C Saltwater crocodiles
- D Flamingos
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Correct answer: (A) Olive Ridley turtles
Huge numbers of Olive Ridley sea turtles come ashore together to nest at Gahirmatha, which lies in the Gahirmatha Marine Sanctuary next to Bhitarkanika; Rushikulya is another arribada site in Odisha.
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Q.206
While exploring the jungles of South America, which naturalist and geographer observed that species richness in a region increases with the explored area, but only up to a limit?
- A Charles Darwin
- B Ernst Haeckel
- C Alexander von Humboldt
- D Alfred Russel Wallace
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Correct answer: (C) Alexander von Humboldt
Alexander von Humboldt described this species-area relationship, which on a logarithmic scale is a straight line (log S = log C + Z log A); for small areas Z usually lies between 0.1 and 0.2.
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Q.207
Which of the following is NOT recognised as a biodiversity hotspot region in India?
- A Western Ghats
- B Himalaya
- C Indo-Burma
- D Eastern Ghats
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Correct answer: (D) Eastern Ghats
India has parts of four hotspots: the Himalaya, Indo-Burma (north-east), the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands). The Eastern Ghats are not a hotspot.
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Q.208
Flooded paddy fields and the digestion of food by cattle are major human-linked sources of which greenhouse gas?
- A Nitrous oxide
- B Methane
- C Ozone
- D Sulphur hexafluoride
Show answer
Correct answer: (B) Methane
Anaerobic bacteria in waterlogged paddy soils and in the stomachs of cattle and other ruminants produce methane. Methane traps far more heat per molecule than carbon dioxide, though it stays in the atmosphere for a shorter time.
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Q.209
Cattle egrets forage close to grazing cattle and catch the insects stirred up from the vegetation, while the cattle are neither benefited nor harmed. This interaction is an example of
- A Mutualism
- B Parasitism
- C Amensalism
- D Commensalism
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Correct answer: (D) Commensalism
In commensalism one species benefits while the other is unaffected; the egret gets easy prey and the cattle gain nothing. An orchid growing on a mango branch and barnacles on a whale are similar examples.
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Q.210
Under CITES, species threatened with extinction, in which international commercial trade is generally prohibited, are listed in
- A Appendix I
- B Appendix II
- C Appendix III
- D Appendix IV
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Correct answer: (A) Appendix I
Appendix I lists the most endangered species, such as tigers; Appendix II covers species whose trade must be controlled so that they do not become threatened; Appendix III lists species protected by at least one country that asks others for help. CITES has only three appendices.
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Q.211
The Narmada Bachao Andolan against the Sardar Sarovar dam was led by
- A Sunderlal Bahuguna
- B Chandi Prasad Bhatt
- C Medha Patkar
- D Pandurang Hegde
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Correct answer: (C) Medha Patkar
Medha Patkar led the Narmada Bachao Andolan from the mid-1980s for the rights of people displaced by dams on the Narmada. Bahuguna and Bhatt belong to Chipko, and Hegde to the Appiko movement of Karnataka.
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Q.212
The Bhopal gas tragedy of December 1984 was caused by the leak of
- A Chlorine
- B Phosgene
- C Methyl isocyanate
- D Ammonia
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Correct answer: (C) Methyl isocyanate
On the night of 2-3 December 1984, methyl isocyanate (MIC) leaked from the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, killing thousands. It is considered the world's worst industrial disaster.
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Q.213
Which of the following is a free-living, aerobic nitrogen-fixing bacterium found in soil?
- A Azotobacter
- B Rhizobium
- C Nitrosomonas
- D Nitrobacter
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Correct answer: (A) Azotobacter
Azotobacter fixes atmospheric nitrogen while living freely in the soil. Rhizobium fixes nitrogen in symbiosis inside legume root nodules, while Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are nitrifying, not nitrogen-fixing, bacteria.
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Q.214
The classic definition of sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations comes from the
- A Rio Declaration 1992
- B Brundtland Report (Our Common Future) 1987
- C Stockholm Declaration 1972
- D Kyoto Protocol 1997
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Correct answer: (B) Brundtland Report (Our Common Future) 1987
The World Commission on Environment and Development, chaired by Norway's Gro Harlem Brundtland, gave this definition in its 1987 report 'Our Common Future', which made sustainable development a global goal.
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Q.215
Arrange the following steps of decomposition of detritus in the correct sequence: 1. Humification 2. Fragmentation 3. Mineralisation 4. Leaching
- A 4, 2, 3, 1
- B 2, 1, 4, 3
- C 2, 4, 1, 3
- D 1, 2, 4, 3
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Correct answer: (C) 2, 4, 1, 3
Detritivores such as earthworms first break detritus into small pieces (fragmentation), water-soluble nutrients then seep into the soil (leaching), and after catabolism the humus formed (humification) is slowly mineralised to release inorganic nutrients.
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Q.216
The conversion of soil nitrates back into atmospheric nitrogen gas by bacteria such as Pseudomonas is called
- A Nitrification
- B Ammonification
- C Denitrification
- D Nitrogen fixation
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Correct answer: (C) Denitrification
Denitrification completes the nitrogen cycle by returning nitrogen to the atmosphere. Nitrogen fixation is the opposite process, and ammonification is the release of ammonia from dead organic matter.
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Q.217
Which greenhouse gas makes the largest contribution to human-caused global warming by total share?
- A Methane
- B Carbon dioxide
- C Nitrous oxide
- D CFCs
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Correct answer: (B) Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuels and deforestation accounts for roughly two-thirds of the human-caused greenhouse effect. Methane is more potent per molecule but is emitted in far smaller amounts.
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Q.218
Who coined the term 'ecology' (Oekologie) in 1866?
- A A.G. Tansley
- B Eugene Odum
- C Charles Elton
- D Ernst Haeckel
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Correct answer: (D) Ernst Haeckel
The German biologist Ernst Haeckel coined 'Oekologie' in 1866 from the Greek 'oikos' (house). Tansley gave 'ecosystem' and Elton gave the pyramid of numbers.
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Q.219
The central principle of the Ramsar Convention, under which member countries commit to maintaining the ecological character of all wetlands in their territory, is called
- A Polluter pays
- B Prior informed consent
- C Wise use
- D Common but differentiated responsibilities
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Correct answer: (C) Wise use
Ramsar parties commit to the 'wise use' of all their wetlands, to designating Wetlands of International Importance and to international cooperation. The other options are principles of environmental law, chemical trade rules and climate negotiations.
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Q.220
The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act was enacted in
- A 2002
- B 2010
- C 2006
- D 2013
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Correct answer: (C) 2006
The Forest Rights Act 2006 recognises the individual and community rights of forest-dwelling Scheduled Tribes and other traditional forest dwellers over forest land and resources, with the Gram Sabha as the key authority.
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Q.221
In cryopreservation, used for ex-situ conservation of gametes, embryos and seeds, the material is stored in liquid nitrogen at about
- A 0 °C
- B −18 °C
- C −80 °C
- D −196 °C
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Correct answer: (D) −196 °C
Liquid nitrogen boils at about −196 °C; at this temperature cell metabolism virtually stops, so gametes, embryos and seeds of threatened species stay viable for long periods.
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Q.222
Consider the following statements about ozone: 1. Ozone near the ground (in the troposphere) is a pollutant that harms human health and crops. 2. Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the Sun. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A 1 only
- B 2 only
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
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Correct answer: (C) Both 1 and 2
Ground-level ozone, formed from vehicle and industrial pollutants in sunlight, irritates the lungs and damages crops, so it is 'bad' ozone. Stratospheric ozone is 'good' ozone because it shields life from ultraviolet radiation.
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Q.223
The headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is located in
- A Geneva
- B Bonn
- C Nairobi
- D Vienna
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Correct answer: (C) Nairobi
UNEP is headquartered at Gigiri in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Geneva hosts the CITES secretariat.
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Q.224
India's National Air Quality Index places air quality in six categories. Which of the following is NOT one of them?
- A Hazardous
- B Satisfactory
- C Very Poor
- D Severe
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Correct answer: (A) Hazardous
The six categories of India's AQI are Good, Satisfactory, Moderate (moderately polluted), Poor, Very Poor and Severe, with Severe the worst. 'Hazardous' is a category of the United States AQI, not India's.
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Q.225
Which of the following was NOT an outcome of the 1992 Earth Summit at Rio de Janeiro?
- A Agenda 21
- B Rio Declaration on Environment and Development
- C Kyoto Protocol
- D Forest Principles
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Correct answer: (C) Kyoto Protocol
The Rio summit produced Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration and the Forest Principles, and opened the UNFCCC and the CBD for signature. The Kyoto Protocol was adopted later, in 1997, under the UNFCCC.
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Q.226
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established in 1988 jointly by
- A UNESCO and WHO
- B World Bank and UNDP
- C FAO and IUCN
- D WMO and UNEP
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Correct answer: (D) WMO and UNEP
The IPCC was created by the World Meteorological Organization and the UN Environment Programme to assess the science of climate change. It publishes periodic Assessment Reports and shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.
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Q.227
The Rotterdam Convention (1998) deals with
- A Prior informed consent procedure for trade in certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides
- B Dumping of wastes at sea
- C Conservation of Antarctic marine life
- D Regulation of whaling
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Correct answer: (A) Prior informed consent procedure for trade in certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides
Under the Rotterdam Convention, exporters of listed hazardous chemicals and pesticides must have the importing country's prior informed consent (PIC). It works alongside the Basel Convention on hazardous wastes and the Stockholm Convention on POPs.
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Q.228
The National Green Tribunal (NGT), a specialised body for speedy disposal of environmental cases, was established in
- A 2005
- B 2008
- C 2010
- D 2014
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Correct answer: (C) 2010
The NGT was set up under the National Green Tribunal Act 2010, with its principal bench at New Delhi. India became one of the few countries with a dedicated environmental court.
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Q.229
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) damage the ozone layer because ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere breaks them down to release
- A Fluorine atoms that combine permanently with oxygen
- B Carbon atoms that form carbon dioxide
- C Chlorine atoms that destroy ozone molecules in a chain reaction
- D Hydrogen atoms that form water vapour
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Correct answer: (C) Chlorine atoms that destroy ozone molecules in a chain reaction
Each chlorine atom acts as a catalyst: it breaks an ozone molecule, is set free again and goes on to destroy thousands more. This is why even small amounts of CFCs cause large ozone losses.
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Q.230
Chilika Lake in Odisha, one of India's first Ramsar sites, is
- A A freshwater lake
- B Asia's largest brackish water lagoon
- C A volcanic crater lake
- D An oxbow lake
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Correct answer: (B) Asia's largest brackish water lagoon
Chilika is a brackish water lagoon connected to the Bay of Bengal and is the largest such lagoon in Asia. It became a Ramsar site in 1981 along with Keoladeo and is famous for migratory birds and Irrawaddy dolphins.
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Q.231
In a lake undergoing eutrophication, fish often die after an algal bloom because
- A The algae release mercury into the water
- B The water temperature drops sharply
- C Bacteria decomposing the dead algae use up the dissolved oxygen
- D The salinity of the water rises
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Correct answer: (C) Bacteria decomposing the dead algae use up the dissolved oxygen
When the bloom dies, aerobic bacteria decompose the huge mass of dead algae and consume most of the dissolved oxygen, so fish suffocate. The BOD of the water rises sharply at this stage.
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Q.232
Which of the following temperate grasslands is correctly matched with its region?
- A Steppes – North America
- B Pampas – South America
- C Prairies – Australia
- D Veld – Central Asia
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Correct answer: (B) Pampas – South America
The Pampas lie mainly in Argentina and Uruguay. The Steppes are in Eurasia, the Prairies in North America, the Veld in South Africa and the Downs in Australia.
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Q.233
The secretariat of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is located in
- A Geneva
- B New York
- C Nairobi
- D Bonn
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Correct answer: (D) Bonn
The UNFCCC secretariat has been based in Bonn, Germany, since 1996 and supports the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). It was in Geneva before it moved to Bonn.
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Q.234
How many Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted by the United Nations in 2015 to be achieved by 2030?
- A 8
- B 12
- C 15
- D 17
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Correct answer: (D) 17
The 2030 Agenda adopted in September 2015 has 17 SDGs with 169 targets, replacing the 8 Millennium Development Goals (2000-2015). SDG 13 is Climate Action, SDG 14 Life below Water and SDG 15 Life on Land.
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Q.235
Consider the following statements: 1. Secondary succession starts in areas where natural communities have been destroyed, such as abandoned farmland or a burnt forest. 2. Secondary succession is slower than primary succession because soil has to be formed first. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A Only 1
- B Only 2
- C Both 1 and 2
- D Neither 1 nor 2
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Correct answer: (A) Only 1
Secondary succession takes place where soil already exists, so it is faster than primary succession, which must begin on bare rock or newly formed land with no soil. Statement 2 is therefore wrong.
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Q.236
A treeless biome with permanently frozen subsoil (permafrost), where vegetation consists mainly of mosses, lichens and dwarf shrubs, is the
- A Tundra
- B Taiga
- C Chaparral
- D Prairie
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Correct answer: (A) Tundra
The Arctic tundra has a very short growing season, and the permafrost prevents deep root growth, so only mosses, lichens, sedges and dwarf shrubs grow there.
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Q.237
The International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is observed on
- A 5 June
- B 22 March
- C 22 May
- D 16 September
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Correct answer: (D) 16 September
16 September marks the date in 1987 on which the Montreal Protocol was signed. 22 March is World Water Day and 22 May is the International Day for Biological Diversity.
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How these questions were made
Authored by an AI assistant (Claude) from its own general knowledge of stable, well-established facts (no live lookup) - not reviewed by a subject-matter expert; verify against an official source before relying on any fact.