Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms on Earth, encompassing different species of plants, animals, microorganisms, and the ecosystems they inhabit. It represents the totality of genes, species, and ecosystems in a given area.
Biodiversity MCQs with answers practice now
Levels of Biodiversity:
- Genetic Diversity: The variation of genes within a species. It allows organisms to adapt to changing environments and plays a crucial role in evolution.
- Species Diversity: The variety of different species present in a specific area. It measures the number of different organisms within a particular ecosystem.
- Ecosystem Diversity: The variety of ecosystems present on Earth. It includes diverse habitats, communities, and ecological processes within a landscape.
Importance of Biodiversity:
- Ecosystem Stability: Biodiversity ensures the resilience of ecosystems, making them less vulnerable to environmental changes.
- Economic Benefits: Many industries rely on biodiversity for resources like food, medicine, and raw materials.
- Cultural Significance: Biodiversity is integral to cultural practices, traditions, and spiritual beliefs of many indigenous communities.
- Ecological Services: It provides crucial services like pollination, air and water purification, soil fertility, and climate regulation.
Threats to Biodiversity:
- Habitat Destruction: Deforestation, urbanization, and land conversion for agriculture are major threats.
- Climate Change: Altering habitats, affecting migration patterns, and causing shifts in ecosystems.
- Pollution: Contaminants in air, water, and soil harm various species and disrupt ecosystems.
- Invasive Species: Non-native species can outcompete native species, disrupting the balance of ecosystems.
Conservation Efforts:
- Protected Areas: Establishment of national parks, reserves, and wildlife sanctuaries to safeguard habitats.
- Legislation and Policies: Implementing laws to regulate activities that harm biodiversity.
- Public Awareness: Education and outreach programs to raise awareness about biodiversity and its importance.
- Sustainable Practices: Promoting sustainable agriculture, fishing, and forestry to minimize impact on ecosystems.
Questions & Answers:
Why is biodiversity important for human life?
A: Biodiversity provides essential resources for human survival, such as food, medicine, and clean air and water. It also contributes to economic stability and cultural diversity.
How does biodiversity loss affect ecosystems?
A: Loss of biodiversity can disrupt ecosystem functioning, leading to reduced resilience against environmental changes, affecting nutrient cycling, pollination, and overall ecosystem stability.
What can individuals do to help conserve biodiversity?
A: Individuals can contribute by practicing sustainable habits, supporting conservation initiatives, reducing waste, and advocating for policies that protect ecosystems.
What role does biodiversity play in climate change mitigation?
A: Diverse ecosystems act as carbon sinks, absorbing and storing carbon dioxide, thus helping mitigate climate change impacts.
Biodiversity MCQs with answers
Q1. Biodiversity means –
(a) Diverse kinds of plants and vegetation.
(b) Diverse kinds of animals.
(c) Diverse kinds of plants and animals in a particular area.
(d) Diverse kinds of exotic plants and animals.
Q2. The most signifi cant aspect of biodiversity is:
(a) Food
(b) Drug
(c) Industrial Use
(d) Maintenance of ecosystem
Q3. The destruction of biodiversity is due to:
(a) The lack of natural habitats of the organism
(b) Environmental pollution
(c) Destruction of forests
(d) All the above
Q4. The main reason for the decrease in biodiversity is:
(a) Habitat pollution
(b) Introduction of exotic species
(c) Over exploitation
(d) Natural habitat destruction
Q5. Which of the following is NOT an example of in-situ conservation strategy?
(a) Biosphere reserve
(b) Botanical garden
(c) National Park
(d) Sacred groves
Q6. The World Biodiversity Day is observed
(a) March, 22
(b) May, 22
(c) June, 23
(d) April, 16
Q7. Which of the following is considered a ‘hot-spot’ of biodiversity in India?
(a) Aravalli hills
(b) Indo-Gangetic plain
(c) Eastern Ghats
(d) Western Ghats
Q8. India aims to achieve land degradation neutrality by the year:
(a) 2025
(b) 2030
(c) 2035
(d) 2040
Q9. “Red Data Book” is published by –
(a) USEPA
(b) IUCN
(c) WWF
(d) IG-BP
Q10. ‘Red Data Book’ contains data of
(a) Exotic species
(b) Endangered species
(c) Economically important species
(d) All plant and animal species
Q11.Which one of the following is an important strategy for the conservation of biodiversity?
(a) Biosphere Reserves
(b) Botanical Gardens
(c) National Parks
(d) Wild Life Sanctuaries
Q12. The maximum biodiversity is found in
(a) Tropical rainforest
(b) Temperate forest
(c) Coniferous forest
(d) Arctic forest
Q13. In which of the following types of forests maximum plant diversity is found?
(a) Tropical moist deciduous forests
(b) Sub-tropical mountain forests
(c) Temperate moist forests
(d) Tropical evergreen forests
Q14. ‘Silent Valley’ is located in
(a) Uttarakhand
(b) Kerala
(c) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Jammu & Kashmir
Q15. ‘Valley of Flowers’ is situated in
(a) Kerala
(b) Jammu & Kashmir
(c) Uttarakhand
(d) Himachal Pradesh
Q16. The Ramsar Convention was associated with the conservation of
(a) Bio-fuels
(b) Forests
(c) Wetlands
(d) Drylands
Q17. Wetland day is observed on
(a) 2nd February
(b) 2nd April
(c) 2nd May
(d) 2nd March
Q18. Cartagena protocol is related to:
(a) Bio-safety agreement
(b) Pollution
(c) Ozone depletion
(d) Climate Change
Q19. Which one of the following is the most effective factor of coral bleaching?
(a) Marine pollution
(b) Increase of salinity of seas
(c) Rise in normal temperature of sea-water (d) the outbreak of diseases and epidemics
Q20. Which of the following have coral reefs?
1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. Gulf of Kachchh
3. Gulf of Mannar
4. Sunderbans
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1, 2 and 3 only
(b) 2 and 4 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4
Q21. The decade 2011-20 has been designated by the U.N.O. as the decade of (a) Natural disaster decade
(b) Biodiversity decade
(c) Climate-change decade
(d) Environment decade
Q22.In which year ‘Biodiversity Act’ was passed in India?
(a) 2000
(b) 2002
(c) 2010
(d) 2017
Q23. Biodiversity changes occur:
(a) Increases towards the equator (b) Decreases towards the equator (c) Remains unchanged throughout the Earth
(d) Increases towards the poles
Q24. The rapid rate of decline in the vulture population in India is mainly due to:
(a) Overuse of Diclofenac drug
(b) Low death rate of animals
(c) High death rate of animals
(d) Cleanliness
Q25.As an ecosystem, wetlands are useful for which of the following?
(a) For nutrient-recovery and cycling
(b) For releasing heavy metals through absorption by plants.
(c) In reducing siltation of rivers by retaining sediments
(d) All the above
Q26. The author of ‘Tomorrow’s Biodiversity’ is
(a) Vandana Shiva
(b) V.K. Sharma
(c) M.S. Swaminathan
(d) Medha Patekar
Q27. What does the term “endemic species” refer to?
a) Species that are at risk of extinction
b) Species that migrate seasonally
c) Species that are native to a specific area and found nowhere else
d) Species that have a wide global distribution
Q28. Which of the following is NOT a level of biodiversity?
a) Genetic diversity
b) Species diversity
c) Ecosystem diversity
d) Population diversity
Q29. Which biome is characterized by low temperatures, permafrost, and limited vegetation?
a) Grassland
b) Tundra
c) Rainforest
d) Desert
Q30. What does the term “keystone species” refer to in an ecosystem?
a) Species that are extremely rare and endangered
b) Species that are at the top of the food chain
c) Species that have a disproportionately large impact on their environment
d) Species that are found only in forests
Q31. Which factor contributes most significantly to the current rapid decline in biodiversity?
a) Natural disasters
b) Climate change
c) Hunting and poaching
d) Overpopulation of certain species
Q32. What is the main purpose of biodiversity hotspots?
a) Areas with the highest number of invasive species
b) Regions with the highest species diversity and high threat of habitat loss
c) Areas with the lowest biodiversity
d) Places where new species are most likely to evolve
Q33. What is the term for the complete disappearance of a species from Earth?
a) Extinction
b) Extermination
c) Elimination
d) Eradication
Q34. What is the term for the variety of genes within a species?
a) Ecosystem diversity
b) Genetic diversity
c) Species diversity
d) Ecological diversity
Q35. How does biodiversity contribute to ecosystem resilience?
a) By reducing species interactions
b) By decreasing habitat variability
c) By increasing ecosystem stability
d) By limiting species adaptations
Q36. Which of the following is an example of an indirect value provided by biodiversity?
a) Timber production
b) Climate regulation
c) Medicinal resources
d) Soil fertility
Q37. What is the term for the process of the movement and exchange of genes between populations of the same species?
a) Gene drift
b) Genetic differentiation
c) Gene flow
d) Genetic bottlenecking
Q38. Which ecological concept refers to the variety of niches, trophic levels, and ecological processes within an ecosystem?
a) Ecological succession
b) Ecological equilibrium
c) Ecological diversity
d) Ecological niche
Q39. Which factor contributes significantly to the phenomenon of habitat fragmentation?
a) Overpopulation of species
b) Climate change
c) Deforestation
d) Decreased biodiversity
Q40. What is the term for the process where species, due to environmental changes, gradually lose their adaptations?
a) Extinction
b) Natural selection
c) Speciation
d) Evolutionary reversal
What is biodiversity and why is it important?
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life forms, including species, genes, and ecosystems, within a specific area. It’s crucial for ecosystem stability, providing essential resources like food, medicine, and contributing to ecological balance and resilience
How does biodiversity loss affect humans?
Loss of biodiversity can have severe consequences for humans, impacting food security, diminishing access to clean water, reducing the effectiveness of medicines derived from natural sources, and increasing vulnerability to natural disasters due to weakened ecosystems.
What are the main causes of biodiversity loss?
Human activities like deforestation, habitat destruction, pollution, climate change, over-exploitation of resources, introduction of invasive species, and unsustainable agricultural practices are the primary causes of biodiversity loss.
Can biodiversity loss be reversed?
While some impacts can be mitigated through conservation efforts, restoring biodiversity to its original state can be challenging once lost. Efforts focus on conservation, habitat restoration, reforestation, and sustainable resource management to slow down and potentially reverse biodiversity decline.
How can individuals contribute to biodiversity conservation?
Individuals can make a difference through small actions like supporting sustainable products, reducing waste, advocating for conservation policies, participating in local conservation initiatives, and educating others about the importance of biodiversity.