Department of Mechanical Engineering

ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES AND E-WASTE MANAGEMENT

BCS508
Module 1 – Ecosystem & sustainability
1. The term ‘Environment’ has been derived from the French word which means to
encircle or surround
a) Oikos
b) Geo
c) Aqua
d) Environ
2. Biosphere is
a) The solid shell of inorganic materials on Earth’s surface
b) The thin shell of organic matter on Earth comprising all living things
c) The sphere occupying maximum volume
d) All inert layers
3. Which of the following components of the environment are effective transporters of
matter?
a) Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
b) Atmosphere and Lithosphere
c) Hydrosphere and Lithosphere
d) Biosphere and Lithosphere
4. Which ecosystem is known for high biodiversity and continuous rainfall?
a) Desert ecosystem
b) Tropical evergreen forest
c) Grassland ecosystem
d) Wetland ecosystem
5. Atmosphere consists of 79% Nitrogen and 21% Oxygen by
a) Volume
b) Weight
c) Density
d) Pressure
6. Which of the following is a biotic component of an ecosystem?
a) Fungi
b) Solar light
c) Temperature
d) Humidity
7. In an ecosystem, the flow of energy is
a) Bidirectional
b) Cyclic
c) Unidirectional
d) Multidirectional
8. Which pyramid is always upright?
a) Energy
b) Biomass
 c) Numbers
d) Productivity
9. In complex ecosystems the degree of species diversity is
a) Poor
b) High
c) Medium
d) Low
10. The organisms who directly feed on producers are called
a) Herbivores
b) Carnivores
c) Decomposers
d) Saprophytes
11. The sequence of eating and being eaten in an ecosystem is called
a) Food Chain
b) Carbon cycle
c) Hydrological cycle
d) Nutrient cycle
12. Which of the following is a producer in an ecosystem?
a) Plants and some bacteria
b) Animals
c) Human beings
d) Fish
13. Which of the following statements is false?
a) Inorganic nutrients are recycled in an ecosystem
b) Energy flows through the ecosystem in the form of C–C bonds
c) Energy is recycled in an ecosystem
d) Respiration releases energy
14. The largest reservoir of nitrogen on the planet is
a) Oceans
b) Atmosphere
c) Biosphere
d) Fossil fuels
15. In aquatic ecosystems, phytoplankton are
a) Consumers
b) Producers
c) Saprotrophs
d) Macroconsumers
16. Which type of forest plays an important role in watershed management?
a) Tropical Evergreen forest
b) Tropical Deciduous forest
c) Tropical Montane forest
d) Grassland forest
17. A predator is
a) An animal that is fed upon
b) An animal that feeds upon another animal
c) An animal feeding on both plants and animals
d) A primary consumer
18. World Environment Day is observed on
a) 5th May
b) 5th June
c) 18th July
d) 16th August
19. Drinking water with high nitrate concentration causes
a) Cholera
b) Kidney problems
c) Liver problems
d) Methemoglobinemia
20. What is a fuel cell?
a) Converts heat energy to chemical energy
b) Converts heat energy to electrical energy
c) Converts chemical energy to electrical energy
d) Converts kinetic energy to heat energy
21. Which of these is a terrestrial ecosystem?
a) Forest
b) Wetland
c) Coral reef
d) Mangrove
22. Which is a major cause of deforestation?
a) Agriculture
b) River erosion
c) Volcanic activity
d) Glaciation
23. Hotspot regions are characterized by
a) Low biodiversity
b) Only endangered plants
c) Very high species richness and threat
d) High geothermal activity
24. In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, hydrogen fuel is
a) Major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions
b) Zero-emission fuel
c) Lowest contributor of greenhouse gas emissions
d) Hydrogen cannot be used as fuel
25. The term Alpha diversity refers to
a) Genetic diversity
b) Community and ecosystem diversity
c) Species diversity within a community or ecosystem
d) Diversity among the plant

26. Which among the following is a climatic factor?

a) Pressure
b) Humidity
c) Temperature
d) All of the above
27. Which of the following is a terrestrial ecosystem?
a) Forest
 b) Grassland
c) Desert
d) All of these
28. Factors responsible for a balanced ecosystem are
a) Balance between predator and prey
b) Balance between vegetation, herbivores and carnivores
c) Balance between competing species and biotic factors
d) All of these
29. Which of the following is absorbed by green plants from the atmosphere?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Water
c) Nutrients
d) Oxygen
30. Habitat refers to
a) Physical conditions where organisms live
b) Chemical conditions where organisms live
c) Both (a) and (b)
d) None of these
31. A food web consists of
a) A portion of a food chain
b) An organism’s position in a food chain
c) Interlocking food chains
d) A set of similar consumers
32. Which of the following are producers?
a) Animals
b) Human beings
c) Plants & Bacteria
d) Fishes
33. Environment means
a) Surroundings (biotic + abiotic components) in which organisms live
b) Atmosphere around oneself
c) Sum total of social and economic factors
d) Development activities only
34. Which of the following is NOT an example of a terrestrial ecosystem?
a) Forest
b) Desert
c) Water
d) Grassland
35. Important physical factors responsible for a good habitat of an organism are
a) Light
b) Temperature
c) Humidity
d) All of these
36. Which of the following chemicals is NOT essential for habitat quality?
a) Oxygen
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Sulphur dioxide
d) Nutrients
37. Which is termed as the life zone of the Earth?
a) Atmosphere
b) Hydrosphere
c) Biosphere
d) Stratosphere
38. An ecosystem is a region in which
a) Dead organisms interact with their environment
b) Living organisms do not interact with their environment
c) Living organisms interact with their environment
d) All of these
39. The term “ecosystem” was first proposed by
a) Jacob van Verkul
b) A.G. Tansley
c) Costraza
d) Marie Gibbs
40. The two major components of ecosystem are
a) Adiabatic & Isotropic
b) Ecologic & Climatologic
c) Cyclic & Biologic
d) Abiotic & Biotic
41. Biotic components include
a) All living organisms
b) Water, minerals & gases
c) Self-nourishing green plants only
d) Light, temperature
42. A food chain is divided into how many basic categories?
a) Four
b) Three
c) Five
d) Seven
43. The transfer of energy & nutrients from one feeding group to another in series is
called
a) Energy chain
b) Food Chain
c) Balanced ecosystem
d) Food Web
44. In which of the following places can we find cold deserts?
a) Bangalore
b) Chennai
c) Himalayas
d) Rajasthan
45. What kind of climate is found in the Thar Desert?
a) Cold
b) Dry
c) Cool
d) Moist
46. Where can we find babul trees?
a) Desert ecosystems
 b) River deltas
c) Grassland ecosystems
d) Semi-arid ecosystems
47. Why does Rann of Kutch attract aquatic birds in monsoon season?
a) Because desert land is converted to forest
b) Because desert land is converted to snow
c) Desert land does not convert
d) Because desert land is converted to salt marshes
48. What makes desert regions highly unproductive?
a) Salinity
b) Sunlight
c) Temperature
d) Increase in rainfall
49. Which tribe protected trees for generations in Rajasthan?
a) Bishnoi
b) Papadi
c) Korvanji
d) Gudus
50. The Indira Gandhi Canal is located in
a) Gujarat
b) Rajasthan
c) Punjab
d) Haryana

51. Which kind of soil is found on the surface of the Thar desert?
a) Rocky
b) Moist
c) Fertile
d) Aeolian
52. Which is the biggest desert in the world (hot + cold)?
a) Sahara
b) Arctic
c) Arabian
d) Antarctica
53. On which factor is forest type mainly dependent?
a) Abiotic conditions
b) Size of the forest
c) Shape of trees
d) Products from trees
54. Where can we find coniferous forests in India?
a) Deserts
b) River deltas
c) Grasslands
d) Himalayan region
55. Why does most sunlight not reach the ground in evergreen forests?
a) Because of snowfall
b) Because of low temperature
 c) Because of overlapping canopy of trees
d) Because of less rainfall
56. Which state in India has the maximum percentage of area under forest cover?
a) Arunachal Pradesh
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Mizoram
d) Nagaland
57. Where can we find thorn forests in India?
a) Semi-arid regions
b) Desert regions
c) Himalayan regions
d) Northeast India
58. How do forests increase the atmosphere’s humidity?
a) By transpiration
b) By inspiration
c) By expiration
d) By oxidation
59. Which type of forest is important for watersheds?
a) Tropical Evergreen forests
b) Tropical Deciduous forests
c) Tropical Montane forests
d) Grassland forests
60. Tropical rainforests get their name because of
a) Less rainfall
b) Heavy rainfall
c) Moderate rainfall
d) No rainfall
61. How many types of aquatic ecosystems are there?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
62. Where do plants and animals live in aquatic ecosystems?
a) Water
b) Land
c) Air
d) Fire
63. Which is the largest ecosystem on Earth?
a) Desert
b) Forest
c) Grassland
d) Oceans
64. Which is the simplest aquatic ecosystem?
a) Pond
b) Stream
c) Lake
d) Marine
65. Which ecosystem is known as a giant permanent pond?
a) Lake ecosystem
b) Pond ecosystem
c) Seashore ecosystem
d) Marine ecosystem
66. How many oceans constitute marine ecosystems around peninsular India?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three
d) Four
67. What is the cause of discoloration in fresh water?
a) Fungal bloom
b) Viral bloom
c) Algal bloom
d) Bacterial bloom
68. In which forest is deforestation happening on a large scale?
a) Atlantic forest
b) Amazon forest
c) Borneo forest
d) Sumatra forest
69. The biggest driver of deforestation is
a) Agriculture
b) Forest fire
c) Volcanic activity
d) Soil erosion
70. The best way to reduce deforestation is
a) Using more paper
b) Afforestation & conservation
c) Burning forests
d) Expanding cultivated land
71. Due to deforestation, how much field worth of trees is lost per minute?
a) 12 football fields
b) 24 football fields
c) 36 football fields
d) 48 football fields
72. Rainforest land is most often cleared for
a) Pasture
b) Forest fires
c) Human activities
d) Mining
73. The main natural cause of wildfires is
a) Volcanic activity
b) Lightning
c) Pollution
d) Human activity
74. Which nation is most affected by deforestation?
a) Honduras
b) Indonesia
 c) Benin
d) Ghana
75. Which type of farming causes the maximum deforestation?
a) Subsistence farming
b) Commercial farming
c) Mixed farming
d) Dairy farming

76. Which is the largest cold desert in India?

a) Thar
b) Ladakh
c) Rajasthan
d) Gujarat
77. Which of the following deserts is a cold desert?
a) Sahara
b) Thar
c) Gobi
d) Kalahari
78. Which gas is released from paddy fields and contributes to greenhouse effect?
a) Methane
b) Nitrous oxide
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Sulphur dioxide
79. Which gas is the largest contributor to global warming?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Nitrous oxide
c) Methane
d) CFCs
80. The Montreal Protocol (1987) is related to
a) Phasing out of ozone-depleting substances
b) Wildlife protection
c) Forest conservation
d) Soil conservation
81. Kyoto Protocol (1997) is related to
a) Desertification
b) Reduction of greenhouse gases
c) Waste management
d) Biodiversity
82. Which of the following is NOT a greenhouse gas?
a) Carbon dioxide
b) Nitrous oxide
c) Methane
d) Oxygen
83. Biodiversity hotspots in India include
a) Himalaya & Indo-Burma
b) Indo-Burma & Nicobar
c) Himalaya & Indo-Burma & Nicobar
d) Himalaya, Indo-Burma & Indo-Malayan (Nicobar)
84. Which is the richest biodiversity hotspot in India?
a) Himalaya
b) Western Ghats
c) Indo-Burma
d) Nicobar Islands
85. Which region of India is known as “megadiversity zone”?
a) Gangetic plains
b) North-East Himalayas
c) Rajasthan desert
d) Deccan Plateau
86. Which of the following is NOT a renewable resource?
a) Coal
b) Forests
c) Wildlife
d) Freshwater
87. The concept of sustainable development was popularized by
a) Rio Conference 1992
b) Kyoto Protocol
c) Brundtland Report (1987)
d) Paris Agreement
88. Which SDG goal is related to climate action?
a) 11
b) 12
c) 13
d) 14
89. Which SDG goal focuses on life below water?
a) 13
b) 14
c) 14
d) 15
90. Which SDG focuses on life on land?
a) 13
b) 14
c) 15
d) 16
91. Which of the following is an example of an endangered species in India?
a) Lion-tailed macaque
b) House sparrow
c) Cow
d) Crow
92. Which is an endemic species of Western Ghats?
a) Malabar civet
b) Lion-tailed macaque
c) Olive Ridley turtle
d) House crow
93. Which species is protected under Project Tiger?
a) Leopard
b) Royal Bengal Tiger
 c) Snow leopard
d) Asiatic lion
94. Which species is protected under Gir National Park?
a) Asiatic lion
b) Royal Bengal Tiger
c) Leopard
d) Wild dog
95. Chipko movement was started in
a) Rajasthan
b) Karnataka
c) Uttarakhand
d) Gujarat
96. Silent Valley movement was aimed at
a) Soil conservation
b) Forest & biodiversity conservation
c) Mining regulation
d) Desert development
97. Which Indian state is richest in biodiversity?
a) Tamil Nadu
b) Madhya Pradesh
c) Gujarat
d) Punjab
98. Which part of India is home to the Red Panda?
a) Kerala
b) Sikkim & Eastern Himalayas
c) Rajasthan
d) Gujarat
99. Which one is a Ramsar site in India?
a) Chilika Lake
b) Vembanad Lake
c) Sambhar Lake
d) All of these
100. What is the main objective of the Biodiversity Act (2002) of India?
a) Wildlife tourism
b) Conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
c) Expansion of forests
d) Soil fertility improvement