"Ecosystems, Biodiversity & Conservation" — Practice

Question 1

According to Lindeman's 10% law, approximately what percentage of energy transfers from one trophic level to the next?
(a) 10% (b) 50% (c) 90% (d) 100%

Accepted Answer

(a) 10%.

The remaining ~90% is lost as heat during respiration, which limits most food chains to 3-5 trophic levels and explains why apex predators are naturally few in number.

Question 2

Which ecological pyramid is always upright, with no exception in any ecosystem?
(a) pyramid of energy (b) pyramid of numbers (c) pyramid of biomass (d) all three are always upright

Accepted Answer

(a) pyramid of energy.

Because energy loss at each trophic transfer is guaranteed by thermodynamics, while pyramids of numbers and biomass can be inverted in specific ecosystems.

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT one of India's four biodiversity hotspots?
(a) the Gangetic Plains (b) the Himalaya (c) the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka (d) Sundaland

Accepted Answer

(a) the Gangetic Plains.

India's four biodiversity hotspots are the Himalaya, the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka, the Indo-Burma region, and Sundaland (Nicobar Islands) — the Gangetic Plains is not classified as one of these.

Question 4

In the IUCN Red List's threat hierarchy, which category indicates a HIGHER extinction risk than 'Vulnerable' but LOWER than 'Critically Endangered'?
(a) Endangered (b) Near Threatened (c) Least Concern (d) Extinct in the Wild

Accepted Answer

(a) Endangered.

The descending order of threat is: Extinct → Extinct in the Wild → Critically Endangered → Endangered → Vulnerable → Near Threatened → Least Concern.

Question 5

The Asiatic Lion's only wild habitat anywhere in the world is:
(a) Gir Forest, Gujarat (b) Kaziranga, Assam (c) Sundarbans, West Bengal (d) Bandipur, Karnataka

Accepted Answer

(a) Gir Forest, Gujarat.

This is a frequently tested standalone fact, distinguishing it from other Indian wildlife habitats like Kaziranga (rhinoceros) or Sundarbans (tiger).

Question 6

The Great Indian Bustard, a Critically Endangered species found chiefly in Rajasthan and Gujarat, is significantly threatened by:
(a) collisions with power transmission lines in its grassland habitat (b) marine plastic pollution (c) coral reef bleaching (d) glacial melting

Accepted Answer

(a) collisions with power transmission lines in its grassland habitat.

Habitat loss combined with this specific infrastructure-related threat has driven its Critically Endangered status.

Question 7

Which of the following distinguishes a National Park from a Wildlife Sanctuary in India?
(a) National Parks permit no human activity; Sanctuaries may permit some restricted activity (b) Sanctuaries offer stricter protection than National Parks (c) National Parks are established under a different Act than Sanctuaries (d) Sanctuaries cannot be upgraded to National Parks

Accepted Answer

(a) National Parks permit no human activity; Sanctuaries may permit some restricted activity.

Both are established under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and a Sanctuary can be upgraded to National Park status.

Question 8

In a Biosphere Reserve's three-zone structure, sustainable human use is explicitly permitted in the:
(a) transition zone (b) core zone (c) buffer zone only, with no use in transition (d) none of the zones permit any human use

Accepted Answer

(a) transition zone.

The core zone has strict protection like a National Park, the buffer zone permits limited activity, and the transition zone explicitly allows sustainable human use — a broader concept than pure wildlife protection.

Question 9

Project Tiger, India's flagship tiger conservation programme, was launched in which year?
(a) 1973 (b) 1992 (c) 1952 (d) 2002

Accepted Answer

(a) 1973.

Project Elephant, a similar flagship programme for elephant conservation, was launched later in 1992.

Question 10

A Tiger Reserve, notified under Project Tiger, has which zone structure?
(a) core (inviolate, National Park/Sanctuary) and buffer (limited human activity) zones (b) only a single undivided protected zone (c) core, buffer and transition zones like a Biosphere Reserve (d) no formal zone structure at all

Accepted Answer

(a) core (inviolate, National Park/Sanctuary) and buffer (limited human activity) zones.

This two-zone structure is distinct from a Biosphere Reserve's three-zone (core/buffer/transition) structure.

Question 11

The Ramsar Convention (1971) is an international treaty specifically focused on:
(a) wetland conservation (b) trade in endangered species (c) climate change mitigation (d) ozone layer protection

Accepted Answer

(a) wetland conservation.

This is distinct from CITES (international trade regulation) and the CBD (broader biodiversity conservation, sustainable use and benefit-sharing).

Question 12

CITES (1973) primarily regulates:
(a) international trade in endangered species and their derivatives through a permit/Appendix system (b) domestic hunting laws within a single country (c) wetland conservation (d) greenhouse gas emissions

Accepted Answer

(a) international trade in endangered species and their derivatives through a permit/Appendix system.

Appendix I species face the most restricted trade, generally banned except in exceptional circumstances.

Question 13

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), 1992, has which THREE main objectives?
(a) conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair/equitable benefit-sharing from genetic resources (b) trade regulation, wetland protection, and climate mitigation (c) species reintroduction, captive breeding, and zoo management (d) forest cover mapping, satellite monitoring, and afforestation

Accepted Answer

(a) conservation of biodiversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair/equitable benefit-sharing from genetic resources.

India implements CBD obligations domestically through the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, and the National Biodiversity Authority.

Question 14

Among the Ramsar Convention, CITES, and the CBD, which came first chronologically?
(a) Ramsar Convention, 1971 (b) CITES, 1973 (c) CBD, 1992 (d) All three were signed in the same year

Accepted Answer

(a) Ramsar Convention, 1971.

The chronological order is Ramsar (1971) → CITES (1973) → CBD (1992) — a frequently tested sequencing fact.

Question 15

Under CITES, species listed in which Appendix face the most restricted international trade, generally banned except in exceptional circumstances?
(a) Appendix I (b) Appendix II (c) Appendix III (d) all three Appendices have identical restriction levels

Accepted Answer

(a) Appendix I.

Appendix I represents the most severe trade restriction category, reserved for species facing the highest extinction risk from international trade.

Practice — "Ecosystems, Biodiversity & Conservation"

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