1. Match the following.
List - I List - II
I) Functional unit of A) Entire biosphere Nature
II) Global ecosystem B) Crop field
III) Man made C) ecosystem ecosystem
IV) Recycling of D) Catabolism minerals
V) Flow of energy E) Decomposers
F) Unidirectional
I II III IV V I II III IV V
1) B A C E F 2) C A B E F
3) A B D F E 4) C A D F B
2. Inorganic materials converted to organic by
1) Autotrophs 2) Consumers 3) Decomposers 4) Predators
3. Light and oxygen become limiting factors in
1) Liminetic zone 2) Littoral zone 3) Profundal zone 4) Euphotic zone
4. Submerged plants include
1) Chara and water lily 2) Trapa and Nelumbo
3) Potamogeton and Hydrilla 4) Hydrilla and Typha
5. Available biomass for consumption by heterotrophs is
1) GPP 2) NPP 3) GSP 4) NSP
6. Assertion (A): Primary productivity varies in different ecosystems.
Reason (R): Primary productivity depends on plant species, environmental factors and availability of nutrients.
1) A, R are correct, R is correct explanation to A
2) A, R are correct, R is not the correct explanation to A
3) A is correct, R is wrong
4) Both A, R are wrong
7. Annual NPP of whole biosphere is
1) 170 billion tonnes dry wt. of organic matter
2) 170 billion tonnes wet wt. of organic matter
3) 115 billion tonnes dry wt. of organic matter
4) 115 billion tonnes wet wt. of organic matter
8. Raw material for decomposers is
1) Humus 2) Detritus
3) Dead plants and living animals 4) Soil
9. Humus is dark coloured amorphous substance accumulated. Which is true of it?
1) Highly favourable to microbial activity
2) Undergoes decomposition at very fast rate
3) Reservoir of nutrients
4) Not colloidal in nature
10. A composite of all local ecosystems on earth is
1) Entire biosphere 2) Biome
3) Land scape 4) eco region
11. Rate of formation of new organic matter by consumers is
1) Secondary productivity 2) Primary productivity
3) Primary production 4) Catabolism
12. Assertion (A): Productivity of oceans is high in the annual net primary productivity of the whole biosphere.
Reason (R): Oceans occupy 70% of surface of whole biosphere.
1) A, R are correct, R is correct explanation to A
2) A, R are correct, A is not the correct explanation to A
3) A is correct, R is wrong
4) Both A, R are wrong
13. Read the following statements.
I) The biotic community is dynamic and undergoes changes with the passage of time.
II) Pioneers-begin the succession and pave the way for climax community.
III) Climax community remain stable even if the environment changes.
IV) Productivity, decomposition, energy flow and ecological succession are the four important components of an ecosystem. Correct statements are
1) I, III 2) II, IV 3) only I 4) only IV
14. Two important structural features of an ecosystem are
1) Stratification and succession
2) Energy flow and decomposition
3) Productivity and species composition
4) Species compositions & stratification
15. Out of the total cost of various ecosystem services, soil formation accounts for about
1) 20 % 2) 30 % 3) 40 % 4) 50 %
16. Match the following
List - I List - II
I) Robert Constanza A) Price tag on nature’s life support services
II) Oceanic reservoir B) Significant influence on carbon cycle
III) Rapid deforestation C) Regulates amount of CO2 in atmosphere
IV) Atmosphere D) Standing state
V) Nutrient cycles E) 1% of total carbon
F) Biogeochemical cycles
I II III IV V I II III IV V
1) A C B E F 2) A B C F E
3) B D C F E 4) C A B E D
17. A man feeding exclusively on cow milk belongs to
1) 1st trophic level 2) 2nd trophic level
3) 3rd trophic level 4) 4th trophic level
18. Ecological succession is
1) Gradual 2) Sudden
3) Non predictable 4) Does not show change in species composition
19. In the successive seral stages there is
1) Increase in no of species and organisms
2) Increase in total biomass
3) Decrease in no of species but increasing in biomass
4) Both 1 and 2
20. The succession here is secondary succession
1) Newly cooled lava 2) Bare rock
3) Abandoned farm land 4) Newly created reservoir
21. Read the following.
I) Xerarch succession progresses to mesic conditions.
II) Hydrarch succession progresses to mesic conditions.
III) Lichens are pioneer species in primary succession on rocks and small phytoplanktons are pioneers in primary succession in water.
IV) All successions do not proceed to mesic climax community. Correct statements are
1) I, III, IV 2) II, III 3) I, II, III 4) All
22. In the forest ecosystem 2nd layer is occupied by
1) Herbs 2) Shrubs 3) Trees 4) Grass
23. Release of inorganic nutrients by the action of microbes on humus is
1) Leaching 2) Catabolism 3) Mineralization 4) Humification
24. Mass of living material seen at each trophic level at a particular time is
1) Standing crop 2) Standing state 3) Biomass 4) Carrying capacity
25. In ecological succession, the community which is always in equilibrium with the environment is
1) Seral stage 2) Pioneer species
3) Final community 4) Marsh-meadow stage
26. Psammosere takes place in
1) Saline medium 2) Sandy medium
3) Water medium 4) Bare land area
27. Secondary productivity of an ecosystem is the
1) Formation of new organic matter in consumers level
2) Available biomass in autotrophs
3) Available biomass in autotrophs and consumers
4) Available biomass in detritus
28. In the given statements one is not a secondary succession
1) Succession that occurs in abandoned farm land
2) Succession that occurs in a flooded area
3) Succession that occurs on a bare rock surface
4) Succession that occurs in a deforested area
29. In a tree ecosystem, the pyramid of numbers is
1) Always upright 2) always inverted
3) Do not show any characteristic 4) Cannot be predicted
30. The term ecosystem was coined by
1) AG Tansley 2) E. Haeckel 3) E. Warming 4) E.P.Odum
31. Which of the following would appear as the pioneer organisms on bare rocks?
1) Liverworts 2) Mosses 3) Green algae 4) Lichens
32. Which of the following is characteristic feature of cropland ecosystem?
1) Least genetic diversity 2) Absence of weeds
3) Ecological succession 4) Absence of soil organisms
33. In an ecosystem the rate of production of organic matter during photosynthesis is termed as
1) Gross productivity 2) Secondary productivity
3) Net productivity 4) Net primary productivity
34. Most animals are tree dwellers in a ..
1) Thorn wood land 2) Temperate deciduous forest
3) Tropical rain forest 4) Coniferous forest
35. The rate of formation of new organic matter by rabbit in a grass land is called
1) Net primary productivity 2) Gross primary productivity
3) Net productivity 4) Secondary productivity
36. Which one of the following is not a functional unit of an ecosystem?
1) Decomposition 2) Productivity 3) Stratification 4) Energy flow
37. Match the following
List - I List - II
I) 49% of dry wt, of A) Dissolved in organisms ocean
II) 71% of total global B) Atmosphere carbon
III) 1% of carbon C) Climate regulation and habitat for wild life
IV) 4 × 103 Kg per D) Soil formation annum
V) 50% of price tag of E) Carbon fixed in ecosystem services
biosphere through photosynthesis
F) Carbon
I II III IV V I II III IV V
1) F B E C D 2) E B A F C
3) F A B E D 4) F A B D C
38. The 2nd stage of hydrosere is occupied by plants like
1) Salix 2) Vallisnaria 3) Azolla 4) Typha
39. Read the following.
I) Atmospheric inputs of phosphorous through rain fall are much smaller when compared to that of carbon.
II) Natural reservoir of phosphorous is rock as phosphates.
III) Because some soil is present the secondary succession is comparatively faster than primary succession.
IV) In primary succession on rock, lichens are replaced by small plants.
The wrong statements are
1) I, III 2) III, IV 3) I, V 4) II, IV
40. These are pioneers in primary succession in water
1) Free floating angiosperms 2) Sedges
3) Rooted hydrophytes 4) Small phytoplankton
41. The plants convert light into chemical energy with a photosynthetic efficiency of
1) 3 - 6% 2) 6 - 20% 3) 20 - 35% 4) 35 - 41%
42. Choose the area which will take minimum time for succession.
1) Newly cooled lava 2) Newly created pond
3) Abandoned farm land 4) Bare rock
43. How much of the net primary productivity of a terrestrial ecosystem is eaten and digested by herbivores?
1) 1% 2) 10% 3) 40% 4) 90%
44. An organism contains carbon molecules which have passed through three levels of ecosystem. The organism is
1) Primary consumer 2) Predator
3) Producers 4) Tertiary consumer
45. The diagrams shown below is about primary succession. Identify the correctly shown answer. 
46. Which ecosystem has the maximum biomass?
1) Grassland ecosystem 2) Pond ecosystem
3) Lake ecosystem 4) Forest ecosystem
47. At each successive trophic level from producers onwards, the number and size of organisms respectively
1) Increases, Decreases 2) Decreases, Increases
3) Increases, remains constant 4) Decreases, remains constant
Answers: 1-2; 2-1; 3-3; 4-3; 5-2; 6-1; 7-1; 8-2; 9-3; 10-1; 11-1; 12-4; 13-3; 14-4; 15-4; 16-1; 17-3; 18-1; 19-4; 20-3; 21-3; 22-2; 23-3; 24-1; 25-3; 26-2; 27-1; 28-3; 29-2; 30-1; 31-4; 32-1; 33-1; 34-3; 35-4; 36-3; 37-3; 38-2; 39-3; 40-4; 41-1; 42-3; 43-2; 44-4; 45-1; 46-4; 47-2.
Organisms and Populations
1. Rotation of earth around sun and its tilt of its axis results in
1) Seasons 2) Annual variations in intensity of temperature
3) Annual variations in duration of temperature
4) All of the above
2. Regional and local variations within each biome lead to the formation of
1) Major biomes 2) Variety of habitats
3) Extreme habitats 4) Land scapes
3. Evolution of adaptations in organisms to optimise their survival and reproduction in their habitat occur due to
1) Natural selection 2) Struggle for existence
3) Reproductive isolation 4) Genetic drift
4. Unique habitats include
1) Plains and poles
2) Thermal springs and deep sea hydro thermal vents
3) Poles and high altitudes
4) Mountain tops and plains
5. Read the following.
I) Thermal tolerance of a species decides the extent of its geographical distribution.
II) Snow leopards are found in forests of Kerala.
III) More temperature variations are found in water when compared to land.
IV) Altitude of an area also influences the temperature there. Correct statements are
1) I, II, III 2) I, IV 3) III, IV 4) II, IV
6. Thermal stratification in lakes of temperate regions occur due to
1) Seasonal variations in temperature
2) Anamolous property of water
3) Rotation of earth
4) Both 1 and 2
7. Seasonal adaptation is shown by
1) Daphnia 2) Lizard 3) Tuna 4) Camel
8. Thermorgulation is
1) Energetically expensive 2) Energetically cheap
3) Does not require energy 4) May be expensive or cheaper energetically
9. Match the following.
List - I List - II
I) Spores of fungi A) Migration and bacteria
II) Escape in time B) Suspended life activities
III) Delayed C) Aestivation development
IV) Cold desert D) Diapause
V) Permafrost E) Arctic, Alpine tundra
F) Polar regions
I II III IV V I II III IV V
1) B C D E F 2) C B D A E
3) B A D F C 4) D C A E F
10. These are common in equatorial and sub equatorial regions.
1) Coniferous forests 2) Temperate forests
3) Tropical rain forests 4) Grass lands
11. Sediment characteristics in an aquatic eco system determine the type of ....... animals.
1) Benthic 2) Limnetic 3) Littoral 4) Periphyton
12. Symptoms of altitude sickness include
1) Nausea 2) Fatigue 3) Heart palpitations 4) All of these
13. Read the following.
I) Pressure related problems of marine animals are more severe than land animals.
II) UV-A radiation is lethal.
III) Absence of sub-cutaneous fat in camels allows the loss of heat through skin to give cooling effect.
IV) Archaebacteria live in extreme temperatures due to the presence of thermostable proteins. Correct statements are
1) I, II, IV 2) I, III, IV 3) II, III 4) I, II only
14. These fishes accumulate glycerol in body fluids.
1) Migratory fishes 2) Cartilaginous fishes
3) Antarctic fishes 4) Marine teleosts
15. These interaction(s) often involve coevolution.
1) Between mutualists - like flowering plants and pollinator species
2) Hosts and parasites
3) Orchid and mango tree
4) Both 1 and 2
16. Interaction between orchids and bees shows.
1) Coevolution 2) Psedocopulation
3) Sexual deceit 4) All of these
17. Two closely related species competing for the same resource cannot coexist indefinitely and the competitively inferior will be eliminated eventually, according to
1) Gause 2) MacArthur 3) Connell 4) Lindeman
18. Match the following.
List - I List - II
I) Nest parasitism A) Biotic potential
II) Commensalism B) Cattle egret and grazing cattle
III) Mutualism C) Cuckoo bird
IV) Stationary D) Simple exponential phase of growth growth model
V) Malthusian E) Phycobiont growth model and Mycobiont
F) Carrying capacity
I II III IV V I II III IV V
1) B C D E F 2) C B D A E
3) B A D F C 4) D C A E F
19. In a sigmoid growth curve of a population the natality rate approximately equals to mortality rate at.
1) Lag phase 2) Logarithmic phase 3) Asymptote 4) Negative acceleration phase
20. Natural selection operates at the level of
1) Individuals 2) Populations 3) Communities 4) Species
21. Read the following.
I) Members of a population compete for or share the resources.
II) Shape of pyramid of age groups reflects the growth status of population.
III) Size of a population is not static but keeps on changing.
IV) The initial phase in a logistic growth curve is logarithmic phase. The correct statements are
1) I, III, IV 2) III, IV 3) I, II, III 4) II, III only
22. The stage before asymptote in a logistic growth curve is
1) Lag phase 2) Phase of deceleration
3) Logarithmic phase 4) Phase of acceleration
23. Zero growth rate or point of stabilization is found in
1) Lag phase 2) Phase deceleration
3) -ve acceleration phase 4) Asymptote
24. Match the following.
List - I List - II
I) Resources - finite A) Exponential growth curve
II) Algal blooms B) Logistic growth and aphids curve
III) Predation C) Phytophagous
IV) Prickly pear D) Energy transfer cactus to higher trophic levels
V) Monarch butterfly E) Biological control method
F) Distasteful
I II III IV V I II III IV V
1) D A B C E 2) B A C E F
3) A B E D C 4) B A D E F
25. In which of the following population inter- actions, interacting species do not live closely together?
1) Predation 2) Parasitism 3) Commensalism 4) Competition
26. Predators help in maintaining species diversity in a community by
1) Increasing interspecific competition
2) Decreasing interspecific competition
3) Being prudent
4) Not resorting to over exploitation of prey
27. Predators are prudent because, they
1) Maintain species diversity 2) Do not over exploit the prey
3) Decrease interspecific competition
4) Serve as conduits for energy transfer
28. Competition between visiting flamingos and resident fishes of shallow south American lakes indicate
1) Interference competition
2) Competitive exclusion of Gause
3) Competitive release
4) Increased efficiency of one species due to interference
29. Connell’s field experiments in Scotland explain
1) Competitive exclusion 2) Competitive release
3) Coexistence 4) Struggle for existence
30. Read the following.
I) Principle of competitive exclusion cannot be generalised.
II) Competition affects carnivores more adversely than herbivores and plants.
III) If resources are abundant there cannot be any competition
IV) Cyclostomes and copepods are ectoparasites Correct statements are
1) I, II, III 2) I, II, IV 3) II, IV 4) I, III, IV
31. The reason for complex life cycle of endoparasites is
1) Coevolution with hosts 2) Extreme specialization of them
3) Host specificity 4) Nest parasitism
32. The common participant in lichens and mycorhiza is
1) Fungi 2) Algae 3) Rhizobium 4) Roots of higher plants
33. One to one tight relationship is found between
1) Plants and pollinating insects 2) Fig trees and wasps
3) Orchids and fig trees 4) Fungi and cyanobacteria
34. Sexual deceit and pseudocopulation are associated with
1) Fig trees and wasps 2) Cattle egret and cattle
3) Mediterranean orchid and bumble bees
4) Rhizobium and legume plants
35. Malthusian growth model is a
1) Exponential model 2) Sigmoid or S - shaped
3) Logistic growth curve 4) Verhulst pearl logistic growth curve
36. In a population, unrestricted reproductive capacity is called
1) Biotic potential 2) Fertility 3) Carrying capacity 4) Asymptote
37. The logistic population growth is expressed by the equation
1) dt/dN = Nr[K - N/K] 2) dN/dt = rN[K - N/K]
3) dN/dt = rN 4) dN/dt = Nr[N - K/N]
38. Read the following.
I) UV - C is the most damaging radiation followed by UV - B and UV - A.
II) Minor fluctuations are not observed in J - shaped growth curve.
III) A crash is reached suddenly in S - shaped growth curve.
IV) After reaching maximum size, population does not show even minor fluctuations in S - shaped growth curve. Correct statements are
1) I, II, III 2) I, II, 3) II, III 4) I, III, IV
Answers: 1-4; 2-2; 3-1; 4-2; 5-2; 6-4; 7-1; 8-1; 9-1; 10-3; 11-1; 12-4; 13-2; 14-3; 15-4; 16-4; 17-1; 18-2; 19-3; 20-2; 21-3; 22-2; 23-4; 24-4; 25-4; 26-2; 27-2; 28-1; 29-2; 30-2; 31-2; 32-1; 33-2; 34-3; 35-1; 36-1; 37-2; 38-2.
