NEET Ecology and Environment 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the term for the variety of life on Earth, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity?
- Ecology
- Biomass
- Biodiversity (Correct answer)
- Biosphere
Correct answer: Biodiversity
Biodiversity encompasses genetic diversity within species, species diversity within ecosystems, and ecosystem diversity across the biosphere.
Question 2: In a food chain, which organism is always the producer?
- Herbivore
- Carnivore
- Decomposer
- Green plant (autotroph) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Green plant (autotroph)
Green plants are producers because they synthesize organic matter from inorganic sources through photosynthesis, forming the base of food chains.
Question 3: What is the greenhouse effect primarily caused by in the context of climate change?
- Ozone layer depletion
- Deforestation and soil erosion
- Accumulation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases (Correct answer)
- Nuclear power generation
Correct answer: Accumulation of CO2 and other greenhouse gases
The enhanced greenhouse effect is caused by increased concentrations of CO2, methane, and other gases that trap heat in the atmosphere.
Question 4: Which biogeochemical cycle involves the conversion of atmospheric N2 into usable forms by bacteria?
- Carbon cycle
- Water cycle
- Oxygen cycle
- Nitrogen cycle (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Nitrogen cycle
The nitrogen cycle includes nitrogen fixation by bacteria (e.g., Rhizobium) that convert atmospheric N2 into ammonia usable by plants.
Question 5: What is the term for the maximum population size a habitat can sustainably support?
- Population density
- Carrying capacity (Correct answer)
- Biotic potential
- Population growth rate
Correct answer: Carrying capacity
Carrying capacity (K) is the maximum population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely given available resources.
Question 6: Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere (Correct answer)
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
Correct answer: Stratosphere
The ozone layer is located in the stratosphere, approximately 15–35 km above Earth's surface, where it absorbs harmful UV-B radiation.
NEET Ecology and Environment 1
What is the term for the variety of life on Earth, including genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity?