Biodiversity and conservation - levels of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, conservation strategies - Question Bank

1. The loss of biodiversity can lead to:
A) Increased ecosystem stability and resilience.
B) Reduced availability of ecosystem services.
C) Enhanced food security.
D) Greater resistance to environmental changes.
2. What is the primary role of gene banks in biodiversity conservation?
A) To provide habitats for endangered species.
B) To preserve genetic material (seeds, tissues, gametes) for future use.
C) To reintroduce species into the wild.
D) To study the ecological interactions of species.
3. Which of the following is a major threat to the biodiversity of coral reefs?
A) Ocean acidification and rising sea temperatures
B) Increased nutrient runoff from agriculture
C) Introduction of freshwater species
D) Reduced levels of dissolved oxygen
4. The concept of 'biodiversity hotspots' was first proposed by:
A) Robert MacArthur
B) E.O. Wilson
C) Norman Myers
D) Charles Darwin
5. Which of the following is NOT a direct threat to biodiversity?
A) Habitat loss
B) Introduction of invasive species
C) Overexploitation
D) Natural selection
6. The 'Living Planet Report' is published by which organization, focusing on the state of biodiversity?
A) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
B) World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
C) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
D) Greenpeace
7. The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) aims to:
A) Promote the use of genetically modified organisms.
B) Conserve biological diversity, ensure the sustainable use of its components, and promote fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from genetic resources.
C) Control international trade in endangered species only.
D) Fund research into artificial ecosystems.
8. Recreational opportunities and aesthetic beauty provided by ecosystems are examples of:
A) Regulating services
B) Supporting services
C) Provisioning services
D) Cultural services
9. Ecosystems provide essential processes like nutrient cycling and soil formation. These are classified as:
A) Provisioning services
B) Regulating services
C) Cultural services
D) Supporting services
10. The purification of water and air by ecosystems falls under which category of services?
A) Provisioning services
B) Regulating services
C) Cultural services
D) Supporting services
11. Which category of ecosystem services includes products obtained directly from ecosystems, such as food and timber?
A) Regulating services
B) Cultural services
C) Supporting services
D) Provisioning services
12. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA) framework categorizes ecosystem services into:
A) Provisioning, regulating, cultural, and supporting services.
B) Primary, secondary, and tertiary production.
C) Autotrophic, heterotrophic, and chemoautotrophic processes.
D) Biotic, abiotic, and anthropogenic factors.
13. A keystone species is one that:
A) Is the most abundant species in an ecosystem.
B) Has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance.
C) Is introduced from another continent.
D) Is the primary producer in a food chain.
14. Which of the following is a conservation approach that focuses on protecting keystone species?
A) Ecosystem-based management
B) Species-based management
C) Genetic management
D) Habitat management
15. The protection of migratory species often requires international cooperation because:
A) They are genetically less diverse.
B) Their migratory routes cross national borders.
C) They are only found in protected areas.
D) They are susceptible to climate change only.
16. What does 'endemism' refer to in the context of biodiversity?
A) The extinction of a species.
B) The presence of a species only in a particular geographical area.
C) The migration of species to new regions.
D) The hybridization between different species.
17. The Western Ghats in India are recognized as a biodiversity hotspot primarily due to:
A) Its low species diversity and high number of endemic species.
B) Its high species diversity and significant number of endemic species.
C) Its unique geological formations and volcanic activity.
D) Its sparse vegetation cover.
18. Which of the following is a characteristic of a 'hotspot' of biodiversity?
A) Low species richness and high endemism.
B) High species richness and high endemism.
C) Low species richness and low endemism.
D) High species richness and low endemism.
19. The IUCN Red List categorizes species based on their:
A) Reproductive rate
B) Genetic diversity
C) Risk of extinction
D) Habitat preference
20. Which strategy involves restoring degraded habitats to their original or near-original state?
A) Species translocation
B) Habitat restoration
C) Genetic modification
D) Pollution control
21. Captive breeding programs aim to:
A) Increase the number of individuals in the wild.
B) Provide a safe habitat for all species.
C) Reintroduce endangered species into their natural habitats.
D) Study the genetic makeup of rare species.
22. Sacred groves, traditionally protected by local communities, serve as an important method of:
A) Ex-situ conservation
B) Habitat destruction
C) In-situ conservation
D) Species extinction
23. The main purpose of a biosphere reserve is to:
A) Promote industrial development.
B) Conserve biodiversity, including species, ecosystems, and genetic resources.
C) Conduct extensive agricultural research.
D) Create tourist attractions.
24. Seed banks and cryopreservation of gametes are examples of:
A) In-situ conservation
B) Ecosystem restoration
C) Ex-situ conservation
D) Habitat management
25. Which of the following is a method of ex-situ conservation?
A) Creating biosphere reserves
B) Establishing national parks
C) Maintaining botanical gardens and zoological parks
D) Protecting migratory corridors
26. The protection of endangered species in their natural habitat is termed:
A) Ex-situ conservation
B) In-situ conservation
C) Genetic engineering
D) Bioprospecting
27. Establishing national parks and wildlife sanctuaries are examples of:
A) Ex-situ conservation
B) Habitat restoration
C) In-situ conservation
D) Species reintroduction
28. Which conservation strategy involves protecting entire ecosystems and their associated species?
A) In-situ conservation
B) Ex-situ conservation
C) Gene conservation
D) Species conservation
29. The primary goal of conservation biology is to:
A) Study the evolution of species.
B) Understand the distribution of ecosystems.
C) Protect and manage biological diversity.
D) Introduce new species to enhance ecosystems.
30. Which of the following human activities directly leads to the loss of genetic diversity within a species?
A) Establishing gene banks
B) Captive breeding programs
C) Selective hunting of individuals with desirable traits
D) Creating protected areas
31. Acid rain, caused by air pollution, is a threat to biodiversity because it:
A) Enriches the soil with essential minerals.
B) Lowers the pH of water bodies and soil, harming aquatic life and plants.
C) Increases the growth rate of forests.
D) Creates favorable conditions for insect reproduction.
32. Which of the following is an invasive alien species that has caused significant harm to biodiversity in India?
A) Neem
B) Mangrove
C) Lantana camara
D) Banyan
33. The process where a species' population size is reduced to a critically low level, increasing its risk of extinction, is known as:
A) Speciation
B) Genetic drift
C) Bottleneck effect
D) Founder effect
34. Which of the following is a major cause of habitat fragmentation?
A) Reforestation efforts
B) Construction of roads and urban sprawl
C) Creation of national parks
D) Sustainable agriculture
35. Climate change poses a threat to biodiversity primarily by:
A) Stabilizing temperature and weather patterns.
B) Creating more predictable environmental conditions.
C) Altering habitats and forcing species to adapt, migrate, or perish.
D) Reducing the rate of natural selection.
36. Pollution of water bodies by industrial waste is a threat to biodiversity because it:
A) Increases the availability of nutrients for aquatic life.
B) Creates new habitats for native species.
C) Can poison aquatic organisms and disrupt ecosystems.
D) Promotes genetic variation in fish populations.
37. Which of the following is an example of overexploitation of a natural resource leading to biodiversity loss?
A) Sustainable forestry
B) Catch-and-release fishing
C) Poaching of tigers for their skin and bones
D) Establishing wildlife sanctuaries
38. The introduction of a non-native species into an ecosystem can lead to:
A) Increased genetic diversity
B) Decreased competition for native species
C) Displacement or extinction of native species
D) Enhanced ecosystem stability
39. Which of the following is a direct threat to biodiversity caused by human activities?
A) Natural selection
B) Continental drift
C) Habitat destruction and fragmentation
D) Volcanic eruptions
40. The Indian subcontinent, with its varied biomes from deserts to rainforests, exhibits high:
A) Alpha diversity
B) Beta diversity
C) Genetic diversity
D) Gamma diversity
41. A mountain range with diverse slopes, altitudes, and microclimates supports a wide range of species. This represents high:
A) Genetic diversity
B) Alpha diversity
C) Ecosystem diversity
D) Beta diversity
42. Gamma diversity refers to:
A) The diversity of species within a small habitat.
B) The total species richness over a large geographical area (landscape or region).
C) The variation in genes among individuals of a species.
D) The difference in species composition between adjacent ecosystems.
43. If two different forest patches have distinct sets of species, this difference contributes to:
A) Alpha diversity
B) Genetic diversity
C) Beta diversity
D) Ecosystem diversity
44. Beta diversity is a measure of:
A) The total number of species in a large region.
B) The diversity of genes within a single population.
C) The rate of species turnover between different habitats or ecosystems.
D) The variety of different ecosystems in a country.
45. Which term describes the diversity of species within a particular habitat or ecosystem?
A) Gamma diversity
B) Beta diversity
C) Alpha diversity
D) Delta diversity
46. The Amazon rainforest exhibits high species diversity. This refers to:
A) A large number of different types of genes within the plant species.
B) A vast array of different ecosystems like rivers, swamps, and land areas.
C) A great variety of different species of plants, animals, and microorganisms.
D) The presence of many different families of trees.
47. What is meant by species diversity?
A) The number of genes present in an individual organism.
B) The number of different species and their relative abundance in an area.
C) The variety of ecosystems like forests, deserts, and wetlands.
D) The diversity of plant families in a given region.
48. The variety of different habitats and ecological communities in a region refers to which level of biodiversity?
A) Species diversity
B) Genetic diversity
C) Ecosystem diversity
D) Alpha diversity
49. Which of the following best describes genetic diversity within a species?
A) The variety of different species in a given habitat.
B) The variation of genes within a single species.
C) The diversity of ecosystems in a geographical area.
D) The number of different genera in a family.
All Question Banks
E-Book Biodiversity and conservation - levels of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, conservation strategies One Line Questions Biodiversity and conservation - levels of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, conservation strategies Online Test Biodiversity and conservation - levels of biodiversity, threats to biodiversity, conservation strategies