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Generate QuizEnvironment – Medium Level – GK Questions
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The term 'Keystone Species' refers to a species that:
- Has the largest population in an ecosystem
- Is the most endangered species
- Has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance
- Is found only in one geographical location
Answer: Has a disproportionately large effect on its environment relative to its abundance
Keystone species, like sea otters or wolves, maintain ecosystem structure; their removal can cause dramatic changes or collapse.
In a pyramid of numbers, the number of organisms always decreases at each successive trophic level.
- True
- False
Answer: False
The pyramid of numbers can be inverted in some ecosystems, such as a tree supporting many insects and birds, where producers are fewer than consumers.
Which of the following represents the correct sequence of a terrestrial food chain?
- Grass → Wolf → Deer → Buffalo
- Grass → Deer → Wolf → Bacteria
- Grass → Snake → Insect → Deer
- Grass → Bacteria → Deer → Wolf
Answer: Grass → Deer → Wolf → Bacteria
A typical food chain flows from producer (grass) to primary consumer (deer) to secondary consumer (wolf) and finally to decomposers (bacteria).
The dark, organic material in soils that forms from the decay of plant and animal matter is known as _____.
- Loam
- Humus
- Clay
- Silt
Answer: Humus
Humus improves soil fertility, structure, and its ability to retain moisture and nutrients.
Which UN body serves as the primary forum for international climate change negotiations?
- UNEP
- UNFCCC
- IPCC
- WMO
Answer: UNFCCC
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) organizes the annual COP conferences to negotiate climate agreements.
The Appiko movement, launched in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, is considered the southern equivalent of the Chipko movement.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Appiko (meaning 'hug' in Kannada) was inspired by Chipko and aimed to save the natural forests of the Western Ghats from clear-felling.
The famous Silent Valley movement in Kerala was primarily a successful campaign against:
- Bauxite mining
- A proposed hydroelectric project
- Commercial logging
- A nuclear power plant
Answer: A proposed hydroelectric project
The movement successfully opposed a dam on the Kunthipuzha River that would have submerged the pristine Silent Valley evergreen forest.
Medha Patkar is a prominent Indian social activist most closely associated with which environmental movement?
- Chipko Movement
- Appiko Movement
- Narmada Bachao Andolan
- Silent Valley Movement
Answer: Narmada Bachao Andolan
Medha Patkar led the Narmada Bachao Andolan, protesting against the large dam projects across the Narmada river and displacement of tribals.
Which of the following international organizations publishes the biennial 'Living Planet Report'?
- UNEP
- WWF
- Greenpeace
- IUCN
Answer: WWF
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) publishes the Living Planet Report, measuring the state of global biological diversity.
The headquarters of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is located in _____, Switzerland.
- Zurich
- Geneva
- Bern
- Gland
Answer: Gland
IUCN, the global authority on the environment and sustainable development, has its secretariat in Gland, Switzerland.
Greenpeace, the well-known non-governmental environmental organization, was founded in 1971.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Greenpeace was founded in Vancouver, Canada, in 1971 by activists protesting US nuclear testing at Amchitka.
Where is the global headquarters of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) located?
- Geneva, Switzerland
- New York, USA
- Nairobi, Kenya
- Paris, France
Answer: Nairobi, Kenya
UNEP is the only UN headquarters located in a developing country, situated in Nairobi, Kenya.
Tidal energy is a form of hydropower that converts the energy of tides into electricity. Tides are primarily caused by:
- Earth's rotation and solar winds
- Gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun
- Ocean currents and underwater volcanoes
- Thermal expansion of ocean water
Answer: Gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun
Tides are generated by the gravitational interaction between the Earth, Moon, and Sun, with the Moon having the dominant effect.
As of recent global statistics, which country has the largest installed capacity of wind power?
- United States
- Germany
- China
- India
Answer: China
China leads the world by a significant margin in both onshore and offshore installed wind power capacity.
Biomass is generally considered a carbon-neutral energy source because the CO2 released during combustion is offset by the CO2 absorbed by the plants during their growth.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Since the plants absorbed CO2 from the atmosphere to grow, burning them releases roughly the same amount back, maintaining a closed carbon loop.
Geothermal energy, derived from the Earth's internal heat, is considered a renewable resource.
- True
- False
Answer: True
The heat emanating from the Earth's core is virtually inexhaustible on human timescales, classifying geothermal energy as renewable.
Which of the following is the largest National Park in India by total area?
- Kanha National Park
- Namdapha National Park
- Hemis National Park
- Gangotri National Park
Answer: Hemis National Park
Hemis National Park in Ladakh is the largest national park in India, covering an area of over 4,400 sq km.
Silent Valley National Park, known for its pristine tropical evergreen forests, is located in Kerala.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Silent Valley is located in the Nilgiri Hills, within the Palakkad District of Kerala.
The first biosphere reserve established in India in 1986 is the _____ Biosphere Reserve.
- Nanda Devi
- Sundarbans
- Nilgiri
- Gulf of Mannar
Answer: Nilgiri
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, spanning Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, was the first to be set up in India.
The Sundarbans mangrove forest is one of the largest reserves for which apex predator?
- Asiatic Lion
- Indian Leopard
- Royal Bengal Tiger
- Cheetah
Answer: Royal Bengal Tiger
The Sundarbans, spanning India and Bangladesh, is famous for its unique population of swimming Royal Bengal Tigers.