Top 20 Environment and Climate MCQs For OSSC LTR Teacher 20 November 2024

Environmental issues and climate change is essential for competitive exams, especially in today’s era of global climate concerns. This set of 20 MCQs focuses on climate-related policies, initiatives, and environmental challenges, which are essential topics for exams like OSSC LTR Teacher. Each question is crafted to test knowledge on critical strategies for combating climate change, as well as India’s specific responses to these pressing issues.

Top 20 Environment and Climate MCQs For OSSC LTR Teacher 20 November 2024

1. Which of the following is NOT an example of genetic diversity?
(a) Medicinal plant Rauwolfia vomitoria showing varying potency in different regions
(b) More than 50,000 strains of rice in India
(c) Variation in bird species across different latitudes
(d) More than 1,000 varieties of mango in India
Ans: (c) Variation in bird species across different latitudes
Sol: Variation in bird species across latitudes is an example of species diversity, not genetic diversity.
2. Which of the following ecosystems contributes to India’s higher ecological diversity compared to Norway?
(a) Alpine meadows
(b) Deserts
(c) Coral reefs
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d) All of the above
Sol: India has a diverse range of ecosystems such as deserts, rainforests, mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, and alpine meadows, which contribute to its high ecological diversity compared to countries like Norway.
3. What is the estimated global species diversity according to Robert May?
(a) 1.5 million
(b) 7 million
(c) 20 million
(d) 50 million
Ans: (b) 7 million
Sol: Robert May’s estimate of global species diversity is approximately 7 million.
4. Which of the following is the most species-rich taxonomic group?
(a) Fungi
(b) Birds
(c) Insects
(d) Mammals
Ans: (c) Insects
Sol: Insects make up more than 70% of all animal species on Earth, making them the most species-rich taxonomic group.
5. India is considered one of the ‘mega diversity’ countries. What percentage of the world’s species does India contribute?
(a) 2.4%
(b) 8.1%
(c) 10.5%
(d) 12.3%
Ans: (b) 8.1%
Sol: India, with only 2.4% of the world’s land area, contributes 8.1% of global species diversity, making it one of the 12 mega diversity countries.
6. What is the primary reason that tropical regions have higher species diversity than temperate regions?
(a) Frequent glaciations in temperate regions
(b) Less solar energy in temperate regions
(c) More seasonal environments in temperate regions
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d) All of the above
Sol: Tropical regions have remained relatively undisturbed for millions of years, offer more solar energy, and have less seasonal variation, leading to greater species diversification compared to temperate regions.
7. Which of the following is an example of a latitudinal gradient in species diversity?
(a) 1,400 species of birds in Colombia and 105 species in New York
(b) 10 species of plants in a temperate forest in the USA
(c) 5 species of amphibians in the Western Ghats
(d) 300 species of fishes in the Amazon river
Ans: (a) 1,400 species of birds in Colombia and 105 species in New York
Sol: The number of bird species is much higher in the tropical region near the equator (Colombi(a) than in a temperate region like New York, showcasing the latitudinal gradient in species diversity.
8. According to the species-area relationship, what happens as the area of a region increases?
(a) Species richness increases linearly
(b) Species richness decreases
(c) Species richness remains constant
(d) Species richness increases up to a limit
Ans: (d) Species richness increases up to a limit
Sol: According to the species-area relationship, species richness increases with area, but this increase plateaus after a certain threshold.
9. In the context of ecosystem stability, what does greater species diversity contribute to?
(a) Higher productivity
(b) More resistance to disturbances
(c) Less variation in total biomass
(d) All of the above
Ans: (d) All of the above
Sol: Greater species diversity contributes to higher productivity, better resistance to disturbances, and less variation in total biomass, thereby promoting ecosystem stability.
10. What analogy does Paul Ehrlich use to explain the importance of species diversity to ecosystem functioning?
(a) Species are like a food chain
(b) Species are like rivets in an airplane
(c) Species are like a web of life
(d) Species are like parts of a clock
Ans: (b) Species are like rivets in an airplane
Sol: Paul Ehrlich’s “rivet popper hypothesis” compares species to rivets in an airplane; the loss of rivets (species) weakens the ecosystem over time, even if the ecosystem may seem unaffected initially.
11. What has been the primary cause of the rapid loss of biodiversity in recent times?
(a) Natural disasters
(b) Human activities
(c) Climate change
(d) Genetic mutations
Ans: (b) Human activities
Sol: Human activities, including deforestation, pollution, and over-exploitation, have been the primary cause of the rapid decline in biodiversity.
12. Which of the following species is extinct due to human activity?
(a) Quagga
(b) Bengal Tiger
(c) Ganges River Dolphin
(d) Indian Elephant
Ans: (a) Quagga
Sol: The quagga, a subspecies of zebra, went extinct due to human hunting and habitat destruction in the 19th century.

13. What is the main reason for the higher species diversity in tropical regions compared to temperate regions?
(a) Lower rates of speciation
(b) Longer evolutionary history and stable environmental conditions
(c) More seasonal climate
(d) Higher soil fertility
Ans: (b) Longer evolutionary history and stable environmental conditions
Sol: Tropical regions have had more time for species to evolve and diversify due to their relatively stable climatic conditions.
14. Which of the following is an example of a genetic diversity in a species?
(a) Variation in color patterns among birds in a forest
(b) Variation in the number of species of mammals in different areas
(c) Variation in the genetic makeup of a population of the same species
(d) The distribution of plant species across different regions
Ans: (c) Variation in the genetic makeup of a population of the same species
Sol: Genetic diversity refers to the variation in genetic makeup within a population of the same species, affecting traits like resistance to disease and adaptability.
15. What does the ‘species-area relationship’ indicate? (a) Species richness decreases as area increases
(b) Larger areas support fewer species
(c) Species richness increases with the area, but only up to a limit
(d) The relationship between species and area is random
Ans: (c) Species richness increases with the area, but only up to a limit
Sol: The species-area relationship suggests that the larger the area, the more species it can support, but this increase levels off at a certain point.
16. What is the significance of the “rivet popper hypothesis” in ecosystem ecology?
(a) It suggests that species loss is inconsequential to ecosystem health
(b) It compares ecosystem functioning to an airplane held together by rivets
(c) It demonstrates that species diversity is irrelevant for ecosystem stability
(d) It shows that species loss can strengthen ecosystems
Ans: (b) It compares ecosystem functioning to an airplane held together by rivets
Sol: The rivet popper hypothesis compares ecosystems to an airplane held together by rivets (species); losing rivets can eventually cause the system to fail, emphasizing the importance of biodiversity for ecosystem stability.
17. Which of the following regions is considered to have the greatest species diversity on Earth? (a) Arctic
(b) Temperate forests
(c) Amazon rainforest
(d) Sahara Desert
Ans: (c) Amazon rainforest
Sol: The Amazon rainforest is renowned for its immense biodiversity, hosting thousands of species of plants, animals, and insects, more than any other region on Earth.
18. According to estimates, what percentage of all known species on Earth are animals?

(a) 50%
(b) 70%
(c) 22%
(d) 80%
Ans: (b) 70%
Sol: Over 70% of all species recorded are animals, with insects making up the largest proportion of animal species.
19. What is the main cause of the rapid loss of biodiversity on Earth?

(a) Natural climate changes
(b) Human activities like deforestation and pollution
(c) Predation by non-native species
(d) Competition among species
Ans: (b) Human activities like deforestation and pollution
Sol: Human activities, such as deforestation, pollution, and climate change, are the primary causes of rapid biodiversity loss on Earth.
20. What is the significance of “latitudinal gradient” in biodiversity?

(a) Species diversity increases as we move from the equator to the poles
(b) Species diversity remains constant across latitudes
(c) Species diversity decreases as we move from the equator towards the poles
(d) Species diversity is higher in the polar regions
Ans: (c) Species diversity decreases as we move from the equator towards the poles
Sol: The latitudinal gradient refers to the pattern where biodiversity is highest at the equator and decreases as one moves towards the poles. This is largely due to stable, warm climates in tropical regions promoting higher diversity.