NEET Ecology and Environment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the term for the sequential development of ecological communities over time in a previously barren area?
- Secondary succession
- Ecological climax
- Primary succession (Correct answer)
- Eutrophication
Correct answer: Primary succession
Primary succession occurs in lifeless areas (e.g., after volcanic eruption) where pioneer species like lichens first colonize bare rock.
Question 2: What is a biome?
- A single ecosystem in a forest
- A large geographic area characterized by its climate and dominant vegetation (Correct answer)
- A group of organisms of the same species
- The study of living organisms
Correct answer: A large geographic area characterized by its climate and dominant vegetation
A biome is a large-scale ecosystem defined by its climate and characteristic plant and animal communities, e.g., tropical rainforest or tundra.
Question 3: What is eutrophication?
- Loss of biodiversity due to habitat destruction
- Excessive nutrient enrichment of water bodies leading to algal blooms (Correct answer)
- The formation of acid rain from industrial emissions
- Depletion of oxygen in the upper atmosphere
Correct answer: Excessive nutrient enrichment of water bodies leading to algal blooms
Eutrophication occurs when excess nutrients (especially nitrogen and phosphorus) cause rapid algal growth, depleting dissolved oxygen and harming aquatic life.
Question 4: Which type of symbiosis benefits one organism while harming another?
- Mutualism
- Commensalism
- Parasitism (Correct answer)
- Competition
Correct answer: Parasitism
Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship where one organism (parasite) benefits at the expense of another (host), such as tapeworms in humans.
Question 5: What is the primary cause of species extinction globally today?
- Overexploitation and poaching alone
- Natural climate fluctuations
- Habitat loss and destruction (Correct answer)
- Introduction of invasive predators
Correct answer: Habitat loss and destruction
Habitat loss through deforestation, wetland drainage, and urban expansion is the leading cause of species extinction worldwide.
Question 6: What is the name of the zone in a lake where light penetrates and photosynthesis occurs?
- Benthic zone
- Aphotic zone
- Profundal zone
- Photic (euphotic) zone (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Photic (euphotic) zone
The photic (euphotic) zone is the upper layer of a water body where sufficient sunlight penetrates to support photosynthesis by phytoplankton.
NEET Ecology and Environment 2
What is the term for the sequential development of ecological communities over time in a previously barren area?