0

Ecology

Description: GATE : Life Sciences: Ecology
Number of Questions: 20
Created by:
Tags: Ecology
Attempted 0/20 Correct 0 Score 0

____________ is/are the distinguished Environmental Engineer(s).

  1. Charles Elton

  2. Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier

  3. Robert A. Gearheart

  4. Clarke

  5. Tansley


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Robert A. Gearheart, Paul V. Roberts and  Abel Wolman are the names of distinguished Environmental Engineers.

Which of the following measures can be taken to reduce soil pollution caused by pesticides?

  1. Regulation must be applied to polluting industry.

  2. Mining industries should be strictly told to take extensive measurement.

  3. Dumping of non-biodegradable pollutants must be prevented by strong laws.

  4. Use of genetically modified crops must be encouraged to reduce the use of pesticides.

  5. Restrictions should be there on the process of urbanisation.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Use of pesticides and  biocides can be controlled by using better technology that does not pollute the soil. Use of genetically modified crops can reduce the use of fertilisers and pesticides, but it has serious impact on food chain and food web.

Which one of the following is a strategy to fight against Global warming?

  1. Regulation must be applied to polluting industry

  2. Reduction and prohibition of CFC and greenhouse gases

  3. Street formulation and enactment of antipollution laws

  4. Restriction on process of urbanisation

  5. Public awareness


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Reduction and prohibition of CFC and greenhouse gases is one of the strategies to deal with Global warming. Due to increase of emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ethane, methane, sulphur dioxide, CFC11(chlorofluoro carbon), CFC12, CFC113, and CFC114,  the amount of heat that could be radiated back into space at night is reduced considerably and as a result the temperature of earth is increased.

The main reason of acid rain is the increased concentration of

  1. CO

  2. CFC

  3. CO2

  4. O3

  5. SO2 and NO2


Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Actual reason is the emission of sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxide (NO2) from incomplete combustion of fossil fuel. When these polluted gases are released, they start to chemically react with water, oxygen and some other gases, which normally found in the atmosphere to produce sulphuric acid, ammonium nitrate and nitric acid. These acids then start to spread over large areas due to wind direction and  later fall back to earth’s surface as acid rain or any different form of precipitation.

Above which of the following sound intensities is considered as hazardous noise pollution?

  1. 110 db

  2. 60 db

  3. 80 db

  4. 75 db

  5. 50 db


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Noise pollution is unwanted noise that may interrupt the balance in our daily activities and affect animal life. It causes number of adverse effects on both human and animal life. Noise above 80 db is considered as hazardous noise pollution.

What is the principal reason for the thermal pollution in different water bodies?

  1. Decay in plants and animals in swamp deep ponds or lakes

  2. Wastes from petro-chemical industry

  3. Domestic sewage and animal waste

  4. Release of hot water from industry/power plant

  5. Agricultural run-off


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Thermal pollution refers to the change in normal temperature of water that degrades the quality of water. This change in temperature may be in upward or downward directions. The main reason behind this is our industry/power plant where water is used as cooling agent. After the water is used as cooling agent, it returned back to the environment at a higher temperature that has an adverse affects on ecosystem of water bodies.

Grass ------> Insects ------> Frog------>Birds The above food-chain belongs to which of the following ecosystem?

  1. Forest

  2. Pond biome

  3. Ocean biome

  4. Grassland

  5. Desert


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

This is a grassland food chain. In this food chain, grass represents 1st trophic level, insects represent 2nd trophic level, and frog represents 3rd trophic level whereas birds represents 4th trophic level.

Which of the following statements can define a steady state community?

  1. Groups of individuals for a particular purpose

  2. Community that is more concerned about quality than quantity

  3. Group of interacting species living in the same region

  4. Community where individuals have the same profession

  5. Community where individuals share the same interest


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Steady state community refers to a community that is more concerned about quality than quantity. We will try to have that kind of growth of our environment, which is more qualitative in terms of sustainable. Example of steady state community is a standard wetland where it continuously changing, developing or sometimes shrinking but alive never changes its overall aspect.

What is water cycle?

A biogeochemical cycle occurs by decomposition of vegetations and incorporation of minerals naturally in humus for future development of plants. Circulation of chemical elements such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and water, etc., through biological and physical world are called biogeochemical cycle.

  1. It is the movement of water within the atmosphere.

  2. It is a group of processes where water is moved between living systems.

  3. It is the movement of water through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

  4. It is the constant movement of water on, above and below the surface of the earth.

  5. It is the cycle by which water can be reused throughout the biosphere.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Water cycle is the constant movement of water on, above and below the surface of the earth. In the different places of water cycle, water can alter its states among liquid, vapours and ice. Here the water is moved from one reservoir to other like from river to ocean, or it may be from ocean to the atmosphere by some physical processes such as evaporation, condensation, precipitation, infiltration and subsurface flow. It exchanges heat energy resulting in alteration of temperature

Which of the following combinations constitutes Greenhouse gases?

  1. CO, SO2 and NO2

  2. CO2, CH4, N2O, C2H6, SO2, CFC11, CFC12 and CFC113

  3. Different hydrocarbons like CH4, C2H2 and C2H6

  4. H2SO4, (NH4)SO4, mist and vapours

  5. CO and nicotine


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Greenhouse gases constitute CO2, CH4, N2O, C2H6, SO2, CFC11, CFC12 andCFC113.  It is a major air pollutant  and the actual reason of global warming. Due to increase of emission of greenhouse gases, the amount of heat that could be radiated back into space at night is reduced considerably  and  as a result the temperature of the earth is increased.

What is primary treatment?

Water pollution can be defined as an undesirable change in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water that will be harmful to humans, animals or plant life and productivity. It is customary to consider the treatment of polluted water in three phases- Primary treatment, Secondary treatment and Tertiary or advanced treatment.

  1. The process in which the waste water is passed over stones or racks of plastic surface.

  2. The process where waste water is passed through a series of wire-meshes of decreasing size.

  3. Process that is carried out by a biological system where microorganisms decompose organic matter.

  4. The process in which waste water is mechanically stirred in a tank in presence of increased oxygen with help of electronic pump.

  5. The process in which different chemical components like phosphate, nitrogen, ammonia, poly-electrolytes, etc. are removed in treatment plants.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

In primary treatment, different suspended and floating pollutants of water like plastic, paper, solid substances, etc. are passed through a system of screening and degrading, grease and scum removal, sedimentation, sludge thickening. The waste water passed through a series of wire-meshes of decreasing size where suspended and floating solid are maintained in a large water body in stagnant condition where sedimentation and precipitation occur.

Match the two columns: column-I & column-II which represent name of the biomes and their respective unique flora & fauna. Column-I Column-II

  1. Basin A. Treeless, lichens, mosses, foxes, polar bear, shrew aves, snow owls, migratory birds, horse flies etc.
  2. Taiga B. Evergreen vegetations, resinous plants, eucalyptus, insects, reptiles, rats, rabbits, deer, chipmunks, etc.
  3. Vertical C. Different types of microscopic and macroscopic plants, varieties of invertebrates, & vertebrates.
  4. Chaparral D. Few shrub, pines, mosses, ferns, maples, elk, deer, grouse, squirrel, pumas, lynx, etc.
  5. Tundra E. Phytoplankton, photosynthetic form of microbes, algae, zooplanktons, tubiculous annelids, deep marine & bio-luminescent fishes
  1. 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - C, 4 - D, 5 - E

  2. 1 - B, 2 - E, 3 - D, 4 - C, 5 - A

  3. 1 - D, 2 - A, 3 - B, 4 - C, 5 - E

  4. 1 - E, 2 - C, 3 - A, 4 - D, 5 - B

  5. 1 - C, 2 - D, 3 - E, 4 - B, 5 - A


Correct Option: E
Explanation:

Basin biome have different parts like continental depth of shelf & slope, ocean floor & trench so it constitutes different types of microscopic & macroscopic plants, varieties of invertebrates, & vertebrates. Taiga biome have number of lakes, annual precipitation below 25 cm, avg temperature 600C (winter) & 200C (summer) & constitutes . Few shrub, pines, mosses, ferns, maples, elk, deer, grouse, squirrel, pumas, lynx, etc. Vertical biome light can extend up to 200 mt. so it constitutes phytoplankton in photosynthetic form of microbes, algae, zooplanktons, tubiculous annelids, deep marine and bio- luminescent fishes. Chaparral biome covers Pacific coast of North America, Chilie, S. Africa & S. Australia with moderate temperature & humid air which constitutes evergreen vegetations, resinous plants, eucalyptus, insects, reptiles, rats, rabbits, deer, chipmunks etc. Tundra biome covers Asia, Europe, North America, during winter avg temperature is -570C or even below constitutes treeless, lichens, mosses, foxes, polar bear, shrew aves, snow owls, migratory birds, horse flies, etc.

What is water trickling?

Water pollution can be defined as an undesirable change in the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of water that will be harmful to humans, animals or plant life and productivity. It is customary to consider the treatment of polluted water in three phases- Primary treatment, Secondary treatment and Tertiary or advanced treatment.

  1. In this method, the waste water is mechanically stirred in a tank in presence of increased oxygen with help of electronic pump.

  2. It is carried out by a biological system where microorganisms decompose organic matter.

  3. In this method, different chemical components like phosphate, nitrogen, ammonia, poly-electrolytes, etc. are removed in treatment plants.

  4. In this process, the waste water is passed over stones or racks of plastic surface.

  5. In this process, waste water is passed through a series of wire-meshes of decreasing size.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Trickling of water does the process of passing waste water over stones or racks of plastic surface by gravity that creates an aerated surface resemble the rapid in the natural stream. In presence of oxygen, bacteria degrade organic matter and role of detritus feeding invertebrates in such microbial digestive system is a great importance.

Match the following items given in two columns, column-I and column-II.
Column-I Column-II

  1. Detritus A. Water is available to the plants
  2. Edaphic B. Parts of dead animals and plants
  3. Ecotone C. Pertaining to soil
  4. Chresard D. A species that great impact on community despite small size
  5. Keystone E. Transformation territory between two communities
  1. 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - C, 4 - D, 5 - E

  2. 1 - B, 2 - C, 3 - E, 4 - A, 5 - D

  3. 1 - E, 2 - A, 3 - D, 4 - B, 5 - C

  4. 1 - D, 2 - E, 3 - A, 4 - C, 5 - B

  5. 1 - C, 2 - D, 3 - B, 4 - E, 5 - A


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Because detritus means debris or disintegrated substances, so here detritus matches with parts of dead animals and plants. Edaphic defines physical and chemical conditions of soil,  so here edaphic matches with pertaining to soil, ecotone is the transition region between two biome so here ecotone matches with transformation territory between two communities, Chresard defines water is available to the plants that is actually absorbed from soil, keystone is a species that constitutes a small proportion of total biomass within a community though they has great impact on the organization and survival of the community.

Which of the following statements best defines the term 'composting'?

In our everyday life, a huge amount of wastes are disposed from different household activities. In addition, there are agricultural wastes, industrial wastes, sewages, dead animals, etc. There are some other ways of disposing these wastes.

  1. The wastes are burned and reduced to small particles by rubbing on scattered surface in refractory-lined machinery.

  2. In this method, different processes are used like shredding, magnetic isolation of metals, air differentiation, etc.

  3. The disposal is distributed over the selected land in a thin layer and then bulldozer is used to make it compact.

  4. This method involves the preparation of wastes and decomposing the organic solid wastes by aerobic microorganisms.

  5. This is the combination of two sub processes; combustion and pyrolysis.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

This method involves the preparation of wastes and decomposing the organic solid wastes by aerobic microorganisms. Waste is prearranged in order to isolate the materials, which can ot be composted so that the degradation process can be done more efficiently. Then these wastes are deposited in machinery in order to produce humus by biological degradation, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. After 3 weeks, the end products are treated mixed with additives and then it is ready for marketing.

What is Landfill?

In our everyday life, a huge amount of wastes are disposed from different household activities. In addition, there are agricultural wastes, industrial wastes, sewages, dead animals, etc. There are some other ways of disposing these wastes.

  1. It involves the preparation of wastes and decomposing the organic solid wastes by aerobic microorganisms.

  2. It is the cheapest method of disposing waste, which requires a particular amount of land.

  3. This is the combination of two sub processes; combustion and pyrolysis.

  4. In this method, different processes are used like shredding, magnetic isolation of metals, air differentiation, etc.

  5. The wastes are burned and reduced to small particles by rubbing on scattered surface in refractory-lined machinery.


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Landfill is the cheapest method of disposing waste, which requires a particular amount of land. It needs 75% of total estimation of waste management. In this method, the disposal is distributed over the selected land in a thin layer and then bulldozer is used to make it compact. When 3m of waste has been spread out, then a clean layer of land is covered which then also compacted.

Match the following items given in two columns, column-I and column-II:
Column-I Column-II

  1. Ex-situ conservation A. Regions with high endemism and rich in level of species.
  2. Gene bank B. Threatened species are conserved in their natural habitat.
  3. Hot spot C. Collection of known wild and domestic species in zoological park, safari, wild life and botanical garden.
  4. In-situ conservation D. Threatened species are move on to special preservation from their natural habitat.
  5. Offsite collection E. An institute that keep group of feasible seeds, live developing plants, tissue cultivation and chilled germplasm having maximum genetic variability.
  1. 1 - A, 2 - B, 3 - C, 4 - D, 5 - E

  2. 1 - C, 2 - D, 3 - A, 4 - E, 5 - B

  3. 1 - D, 2 - E, 3 - A, 4 - B, 5 - C

  4. 1 - C, 2 - B, 3 - C, 4 - E, 5 - A

  5. 1 - D, 2 - D, 3 - A, 4 - E, 5 - B


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

In Ex-situ conservation, threatened species are actually move on to special preservation from their natural habitat. Gene bank is an institute that keep group of feasible seeds, live developing plants, tissue cultivation and chilled germplasm having maximum genetic variability. Hot spot is a region with high endemism and  rich in level of species. In-situ conservation threatened species are conserved in their natural habitat in order to conserve the entire ecosystem. Offsite collection is the collection of known wild and domestic species from zoological park, safari, wild life and  botanical garden.

Which of the following statements best defines the carbon cycle?

A biogeochemical cycle occurs by decomposition of vegetations and incorporation of minerals naturally in humus for future development of plants. Circulation of chemical elements such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and water, etc., through biological and physical world are called biogeochemical cycle.

  1. Movement of carbon through the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere.

  2. It is the movement of carbon within the atmosphere.

  3. It is the cycle by which carbon can be reused throughout the biosphere.

  4. It is a cycle where carbon is converted into different chemicals through biological and chemical processes.

  5. It is a group of processes where carbon is moved between minerals and living systems.


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Carbon cycle was invented by Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier, and later popularised by Humphry Davy. It is the most essential cycle where carbon is recycled and reused throughout the biosphere. Basically carbon is exchanged between hydrosphere and atmosphere.

Which of the following actually brings about the change in pH of water?

The water pollutants are as follows:
1. Suspended impurities like sand, mud, clay and organic matter.
2. Dissolve gasses like CO2, NH3, N2, H2S. 
3. Dissolve minerals like Ca2+, Na+ and Mg2+ salts. 
4. Dissolved chemicals, pesticides, domestic wastes, etc.
5. Micro-organisms of pathogenic or non-pathogenic nature like bacteria, virus, protozoa, etc.
6. Isotopes or radiologically activated substances.

  1. Landslide and earthquake

  2. Volcanic eruption, dead and decay in organic matter

  3. Decay in plants and animals in swamp deep ponds or lakes

  4. Domestic sewage

  5. Mining activities


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

Volcanic eruption, dead and decay in organic matter causes changes of pH in water and may be acidic. Presence of dissolved gasses beyond their normal concentration affect physical characteristics of water and is harmful for aquatic life.

Which of the following is the source of a pathogen, a major water pollutant?

The water pollutants are as follows:
1. Suspended impurities like sand, mud, clay and organic matter.
2. Dissolve gasses like CO2, NH3, N2, H2S. 
3. Dissolve minerals like Ca2+, Na+ and Mg2+ salts. 
4. Dissolved chemicals, pesticides, domestic wastes, etc.
5. Micro-organisms of pathogenic or non-pathogenic nature like bacteria, virus, protozoa, etc.
6. Isotopes or radiologically activated substances.

  1. Waste from agricultural run-off

  2. Waste from petro-chemical industry

  3. Domestic sewage and animal waste

  4. Cooling water from industrial and power generation plants

  5. Decay in plants and animals in swamp deep ponds or lakes.


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

Domestic sewage and animal waste are the sources (anthropogenic source) of pathogen class of water pollutants, which cause different water borne diseases like cholera, typhoid, hepatitis, etc.

- Hide questions