Ecosystem 9.

The pyramid which cannot be

inverted in a stable ecosystem is that of
(a) Biomass
(b) Number
1. Pyramid of numbers in a
(c) Energy
grassland/true ecosystem is
(d) All the above
(a) always inverted
(b) always upright
10. In grass-deer-tiger food chain, grass
(c) both A and B
biomass is one tonne. The tiger biomass
(d) spindle-shaped
shall be
(a) 100 kg
2. Food chain in which micro-organisms
(b) 10 kg
breakdown the food formed by primary
(c) 200 kg
producers is
(d) 1 kg
(a) parasitic food chain
(b) detritus food chain
11. In a biotic community, the most
(c) consumer food chain
important factor for survival of an
(d) predator food chain
animal is
(a) day length
3. Pick up the correct food chain
(b) soil moisture
(a) Grass Chamelion Insect Bird
(c) green food
(b) Grass Fox Rabbit Bird
(d) predators
(c) Phytoplankton Zooplankton Fish
(d) Fallen leaves Bacteria Insect larvae
12. Second most important trophic level
in a lake is
4. Pedology is science of
(a) Zooplankton
(a) earth
(b) Phytoplankton
(b) soil
(c) Benthos
(c) diseases
(d) Neuston
(d) pollution
13. Bulk CO2 fixation occurs in
5. River water deposits
(a) Crop plants
(a) loamy soil
(b) Oceans
(b) alluvial soil
(c) Tropical rain forests
(c) laterite soil
(d) Temperature forests
(d) sandy soil
14. Desert plants are generally
6. Study of inter-relationships between
(a) viviparous
organisms and their environment is
(b) succulent
(a) ecology
(c) herbaceous
(b) ecosystem
(d) heterophyllus
(c) phytogeography
(d) ethology
15. Which of the following does not have
stomata?
7. Pyramid of numbers deals with
(a) hydrophytes
number of
(b) mesophytes
(a) species in an area
(c) xerophytes
(b) individuals in a community
(d) submerged hydrophytes
(c) individuals in a tropic-level
(d) subspecies in a community
16. If we completely remove the
8. Pyramid of numbers in a pond decomposers from an ecosystem, its
ecosystem is functioning will be adversely affected,
(a) irregular because
(b) inverted (a) energy flow will be blocked
(c) upright (b) herbivores will not receive solar energy
(d) spindle shaped (c) mineral movement will be blocked
(d) rate of decomposition will be very high
17. The primary succession refers to the (d) centre of origin
development of communities on a
(a) fleshly cleared crop field 25. Which of the following ecosystems
(b) forest clearing after devastating fire has highest rate of gross primary
(c) pond, freshly filled with water after a dry production?
phase (a) Grasslands
(d) newly-exposed habitat with no record of (b) Mangroves
earlier vegetation (c) Coral reefs
(d) Equatorial rain forest
18. Which of the following is the most
stable ecosystem? 26. During adverse season, therophytes
(a) Forest survive by
(b) Desert (a) bulbs
(c) Mountain (b) corms
(d) Ocean (c) rhizomes
(d) seeds
19. In a biotic community, the primary
consumers are 27. The rate at which light energy is
(a) carnivores converted to the chemical energy of
(b) omnivores organic molecules is the ecosystem‘s
(c) detritivores (a) net primary productivity
(d) herbivores (b) gross primary productivity
(c) net secondary productivity
20. Which of the following pairs is a (d) gross secondary productivity
sedimentary type of biogeochemical
cycle? 28. Warm ocean surge of the Peru
(a) oxygen and nitrogen Current reoccurring every 5-8 years or
(b) phosphorus and sulphur so in the East Pacific of South America
(c) phosphorus and nitrogen is widely known as
(d) phosphorus and carbon dioxide (a) Gulf Stream
(b) El Nino
21. Flamingoes breed in (c) Aye Aye
(a) rann of Kutch (d) Magnox
(b) chilka lake
(c) sambhar lake 29. Upper part of sea/aquatic ecosystem
(d) mansarover Lake contains
(a) plankton
22. In a food chain, the largest (b) nekton
population is that of (c) plankton and nekton
(a) decomposers (d) benthos
(b) producers
(c) primary consumers 30. What is true of ecosystem?
(d) tertiary consumers (a) Primary consumers are least dependent
upon producers
23. The transfer of energy from one (b) Primar y consumers out-number
trophic level to another is governed by producers
the 2nd law of thermodynamics. The (c) Producers are more than primary
average efficiency of energy transfer consumers
from herbivores to carnivores is (d) Secondary consumers are the largest
(a) 5% and most powerful
(b) 10%
(c) 25% 31. In an ecosystem, which one shows
(d) 50% one-way passage
(a) free energy
24. Niche of a species in an ecosystem (b) carbon
refers to its (c) nitrogen
(a) function at its place of occurrence (d) potassium
(b) place of its occurrence
(c) competitive ability
32. Sudden mass killing of fishes is 39. Barophilic prokaryotes:
likely in (a) grow and multiply in very deep marine
(a) mesotrophic lake sediments
(b) oligotrophic lake (b) occur in water containing high
(c) salt lake concentrations of barium hydroxide
(d) eutrophic lake (c) readily grow and divide in sea water
enriched in any soluble salt of barium
33. Pneumatophores are characteristic (d) grow slowly in highly alkaline frozen
of plants growing in lakes at high altitudes
(a) saline soils
(b) sandy soils 40. More than 70% of world‘s freshwater
(c) marshy places and salt lakes is contained in:
(d) dryland regions (a) polar ice
(b) glaciers and mountains
34. The greatest biomass of autotrophs (c) antarctica
in the oceans is that of (d) greenland
(a) sea grasses and slime moulds
(b) free floating microalgae, cyanobacteria 41. Which one of the following is not
and nanoplankton used for construction of ecological
(c) benthic brown algae,coastal red algae pyramids?
and daphnids (a) Number of individuals
(d) benthic diatoms and marine viruses (b) Rate of energy flow
(c) Fresh weight
35. Bamboo plant is growing in a fir (d) Dry weight
forest then what will be the trophic level
of it? 42. Which one of the following
(a) First trophic level (T1) ecosystem types has the highest annual
(b) Second trophic level (T2) net primary productivity?
(c) Third trophic level (T3) (a) tropical deciduous forest
(d) Fourth trophic level (T4) (b) temperate evergreen forest
(c) temperate deciduous forest
36. Which of the following is expected to (d) tropical rain forest.
have the highest value (gm/m2 /yr) in a
grassland ecosystem? 43. A lake near a village suffered heavy
(a) Secondary Production mortality of fishes within a few days.
(b) Tertiary Production Consider the following reasons for this?
(c) Gross Production (GP) (a) Lots of urea and phosphate fertilizer
(d) Net Production (NP) were used in the crops in the vicinity
(b) The area was sprayed with DDT by an
37. If by radiation all nitrogenase aircraft
enzymes are inactivated, then there will (c) The lake water turned green and stinky
be no (d) Phytoplankton populations in the lake
(a) fixation of nitrogen in legumes declined initially thereby greatly reducing
(b) fixation of atmospheric nitrogen photosynthesis. Which two of the above
(c) conversion from nitrate to nitrite in were the main causes of fish mortality in
legumes the lake?
(d) conversion from ammonium to nitrate in
soil 44. About 70% of total global carbon is
found in
38. An ecosystem which can be easily (a) grasslands
damaged but can recover after some (b) agroecosystems
time if damaging effect stops will be (c) oceans
having (d) forests
(a) low stability and high resilience
(b) high stability and low resilience 45. The slow rate of decomposition of
(c) low stability and low resilience fallen logs in nature is due to their
(d) high stability and high resilience (a) low moisture content
(b) poor nitrogen content
(c) anaerobic environment around them
(d) low cellulose content (c) standing crop
(d) gross primary productivity
46. Consider the following statements
concerning food chains 51. Mass of living matter at a trophic
(a) removal of 80% tigers from an area level in an area at any time is called
resulted in greatly increased growth of (a) standing crop
vegetation (b) deteritus
(b) removal of most of the carnivores (c) humus
resulted in an increased population of (d) standing state
deers
(c) the length of food chains is generally 52. Which one of the following
limited to 3-4 trophic levels due to energy statements for pyramid of energy is
loss incorrect, whereas the remaining three
(d) the length of food chains may vary from are correct?
2 to 8 trophic levels Which two of the above (a) Its base is broad
statements are correct? (b) It shows energy content of different
trophic level organisms
47. The correct sequence of plants in a (c) It is inverted in shape
hydrosere is: (d) It is upright in shape
(a) Volvox → Hydrilla → Pistia →Scirpus
Lantana → Oak 53. Which one of the following animals
(b) Pistia →Volvox →Scirpus →Hydrilla → may occupy more than one trophic
Oak →Lantana levels in the same ecosystem at the
(c) Oak→Lantana →Volvox →Hydrilla → same time?
Pistia →Scirpus (a) Sparrow
(d) Oak →Lantana →Scirpus →Pistia → (b) Lion
Hydrilla →Volvox (c) Goat
(d) Frog
48. Which one of the following types of
organisms occupy more than one trophic 54. Both, hydrarch and xerarch
level in a pond ecosystem? successions lead to:
(a) Fish (a) medium water conditions
(b) Zooplankton (b) xeric conditions
(c) Frog (c) highly dry conditions
(d) Phytoplankton (d) excessive wet conditions

49. Study the four statements (a–d) 55. Pheretima and its close relatives
given below and select the two correct derive nourishment from:
ones out of them: (i) A lion eating a deer (a) sugarcane roots
and a sparrow feeding on grain are (b) decaying fallen leaves and soil organic
ecologically similar in being consumers matter.
(ii) Predator star fish Pisaster helps in (c) soil insects
maintaining species diversity of some (d) small pieces of fresh fallen leaves of
invertebrates (iii) Predators ultimately maize, etc.
lead to the extinction of prey species (iv)
Production of chemicals such as 56. Which one of the following is not a
nicotine, strychnine by the plants are gaseous biogeochemical cycle in
metabolic disorders The two correct ecosystem?
statements are: (a) Sulphur cycle
(a) (ii) and (iii) (b) Phosphorus cycle
(b) (iii) and (iv) (c) Nitrogen cycle
(c) (i) and (iv) (d) Carbon cycle
(d) (i) and (ii)
57. Identify the possible link ―A‖ in the
50. The biomass available for following food chain: Plant insect - frog
consumption by the herbivores and the ―A‖ Eagle
decomposers is called: (a) Rabbit
(a) net primary productivity (b) WoIf
(b) secondary productivity (c) Cobra
(d) Parrot ecosystem?
(a) Lion
58. Which one of the following is not a (b) Grasshopper
function of an ecosystem (c) Wolf
(a) Energy flow (d) Phytoplankton
(b) Decomposition
(c) Productivity 66. When man eats fish which feeds on
(d) Stratification zooplankton which have eaten small
plants, the producer in the chain is
59. The upright pyramid of number is (a) Zooplankton
absent in (b) Small plants
(a) Pond (c) Fish
(b) Forest (d) Man
(c) Lake
(d) Grassland 67. Population of which of the following will
be highest in the foodchain? 
60. The rate of formation of new organic (a) Decomposer 
matter by rabbit in a grassland, is called (b) Primary Producer 
(a) net productivity (c) Photosynthetic organism 
(b) secondary productivity (d) Secondary consumers
(c) net primary productivity
(d) gross primary productivity 68. Mr. X is eating curd/yoghurt. For this
food intake in a food chain Mr. X should be
61. The second stage of hydrosere is considered as occupying
occupied by plants like (a) first trophic level
(a) Azolla (b) fourth trophic level
(b) Typha (c) second trophic level
(c) Salix (d) third trophic level
(d) Vallisneria
69. The primary producers of the deepsea
62. Natural reservoir of phosphorus is: hydrothermal vent ecosystem are
(a) Animal bones (a) bluegreen algae
(b) Rock (b) coral reefs
(c) Fossils (c) green algae
(d) Sea water (d) chemosynthetic bacteria

63. Which one of the following processes 70. which of the following is placed in upper
during decomposition is correctly most (highest) level of ecological pyramids. 
described? (a) Herbivores 
(a) Humification-Leads to the accumulation (b) Carnivors 
of a dark coloured substance humus which (c) Primary and Secondary Producers. 
undergoes microbial action at every fast (d) Primary and Secondary consumer
rate
(b) Catabolism – Last step decomposition 71. Which one of the following is a
under fully anaerobic condition characteristic feature of cropland ecosystem?
(c) Leaching –water soluble inorganic (a) Absence of soil organisms
Nutrient rise to the top level of soil (b) Absence of weeds
(d) Fragmentation –Carried out by organisms (c) Ecological succession
such as earthworm. (c) Least genetic diversity

64. Secondary productivity is rate of 72. The enzyme responsible for the reduction
formation of new organic matter by of molecular nitrogen to the level of ammonia
(a) Parasite in the leguminous root nodule is
(b) Consumer (a) nitrite reductase
(c) Decomposer (b) nitrogenase
(d) Producer (c) nitrate reductase
(d) ammoneases
65. Which one of the following is a
primary consumer in maize field
73.ln a biotic community, the primary (b) Population 
consumers are (c) Biotic Community 
(a) carnivores (d) Species
(b) omnivores
(c) detritivores 81. Food chain in which microorganisms
(d) herbivores breakdown the food formed by primary
producers is
74. Whale is (a) parasitic food chain
(a) Primary producer (b) detritus food chain
(b) Herbivorous (c) consumer food chain
(c) Carnivorous, secondary consumer (d) predator food chain.
(d) A decomposer
82. Which two distinct microbial processes
75. In an ecosystem the rate of production of are responsible for the release of fixed
organic matter during photosynthesis is nitrogen as dinitrogen gas (N2) to the
termed as atmosphere?
(a) secondary productivity (a) Aerobic nitrate oxidation and nitrite
(b) net productivity reduction
(c) net primary productivity (b) Decomposition of organic nitrogen and
(d) gross primary productivity. conversion of dinitrogen to ammonium
compounds
76. The functional efficiency of ecosystem is (c) Enteric fermentation in cattle and
effected when decomposers are removed nitrogen fixation by Rhizobium in root
from it, because..  nodules of legumes
(a) Energy flow will stop  (d) Anaerobic ammonium oxidation and
(b) Rest components decomposetion will Denitrification
become faster 
(c) Herbivous will not get sun light  83. Which is the reason for highest biomass
(d) Flow of nutrient will stop in aquatic ecosystem?
(a) Nano plankton, blue green algae and
77. During ecological succession green algae
(a) the numbers and types of animals remain (b) Sea grass and slime moulds
constant (c) Benthoic and brown algae
(b) the changes lead to a community that is (d) Diatoms
in near equilibrium with the environment
and is called pioneer community 84. Which one of the following is not a
(c) the gradual and predictable change in functional unit of an ecosystem?
species composition occurs in a given area (a) Energy flow
(d) the establishment of a new biotic (b) Decomposition
community is very fast in its primary phase (c) Productivity
(d) Stratification
78. Which age group in pyramid indicate less
reproductive potential ?  85. Which one of the following is not used for
(a) Bell shaped  construction of ecological pyramids?
(b) Triangular  (a) Fresh weight
(c) Inverted Bell shaped  (b) Dry weight
(d) All of them have equal( same) potential (c) Number of individuals
(d) Rate of energy flow
79. Vertical distribution of different species
occupying different levels in a biotic 86. Mass of living matter at a trophic level in
community is known as an area at any time is called
(a) divergence (a) humus
(b) zonation (b) standing state
(c) pyramid (c) standing crop
(d) stratification (d) detritus

80. If earth is considered a unit region then 87. Which ecosystem has the maximum
biosphere can be compared to....  biomass ?
(a) Eco-System  (a) Grassland ecosystem
(b) Pond ecosystem present in the soil at any given time, is
(c) Lake ecosystem referred as :
(d) Forest ecosystem (a) Standing crop
(b) Climax
88. What type of ecological pyramid would be (c) Climax community
obtained with the following data? (d) Standing state
Secondary consumer : 120 g
Primary consumer : 60 g
Primary producer : 10 g
(a) Inverted pyramid of biomass
(b) Pyramid of energy
(c) Upright pyramid of biomass
(d) Upright pyramid of numbers

89. Which of the following ecological

pyramids is generally inverted?
(a) Pyramid of numbers in grassland
(b) Pyramid of energy
(c) Pyramid of biomass in a forest
(d) Pyramid of biomass in a sea

90. In relation to Gross primary productivity

and Net primary productivity of an
ecosystem, which one of the following
statements is correct?
(a) Gross primary productivity and Net
primary productivity are one and same
(b) There is no relationship between Gross
primary productivity and Net primary
productivity
(c) Gross primary productivity is always less
than net primary productivity
(d) Gross primary productivity is always
more than net primary productivity

91. Match the trophic levels with their

correct species examples in grassland
ecosystem.
(a) Fourth trophic level (i) Crow
(b) Second trophic level (ii) Vulture
(c) First trophic level (iii) Rabbit
(d) Third trophic level (iv) Grass
Select the correct option
(a) (b) (c) (d)
(1) (iv) (iii) (ii) (i)
(2) (i) (ii) (iii) (iv)
(3) (ii) (iii) (iv) (i)
(4) (iii) (ii) (i) (iv)

92. In the equation GPP – R = NPP R

represents :
(a) Respiration losses
(b) Radiant energy
(c) Retardation factor
(d) Environmental factor

93. The amount of nutrients, such as

carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus and calcium
 earth.
Solutions : 7.
1. Solution: (c)
Solution: (b) Pyramid of number represents the number
Pyramid of numbers in a grassland of individuals on each tropic level.
ecosystem is always upright. For most 8.
ecosystem, like grass and ecosystem. Solution: (c)
Pyramids of numbers are upright because Pyramid of numbers of pond ecosystem is
numbering of organisms decrease at upright.
successively higher trophic levels. Trophic 9.
level refers to the organisms, position in the Solution: (c)
food chain. Energy pyramid can not be inverted
2. because energy always flows in one
Solution: (b) direction only. According to 10% law of
Detritus food chain being with dead energy transfer given by Lindemann (1972),
organic matter with dead plant parts, during transfer of energy from one trophic
animals and their excretory product which level to other there is always loss in
is being acted upon by decomposers such respiration and other activities only 10% of
as saprophytes to obtain energy needed for energy is transfered to neat trophic level.
their survival. So the amount of energy flow decreases
3. with successive trophic levels.
Solution: (c) 10.
Phytoplankton → zooplankton → Fish. Solution: (b)
This is a type of food chain in aquatic Only 10% of the mass is flown from one
ecosystem. tropic level to another in the form of energy.
4. 11.
Solution: (b) Solution: (c)
Soil is the uppermost weathered layer or Food is necessary for life.
earth's crust and is composed of minerals 12.
and partly decomposed organic matter. Solution: (a)
Pedologist is a scientist who studies origin, First tropic level in a lake is
composition and distribution of soil and the phytoplankton, second is zooplankton.
materials from which the soil is made. 13.
5. Solution: (b)
Solution: (b) Due to majority of phytoplanktons.
River water deposits alluvial soil. Alluvial 14.
soil- formed by the alluvium deposition by Solution: (b)
the rivers when they slowly lose their Succulent plants are fleshy xerophytes,
carrying capacity due to decrease in which can grow in low water level area
velocity. These consist of diverse ratio of (desert). That is why, they are called as
sand, silt and clay. These the most desert plants.
widespread soil in India the entire northern 15.
plains as loamy soil. It contains roughly Solution: (d)
equal amount of sand silt and clay. It is In submerged hydrophytes whole plant
more fertile than sandy soil. Laterite body remains under water. e.g.
soilformed and hot wet tropical areas are Ceratophyllum and Utricularia. In these
formed by intensive and long lasting plants, stomata is absent and gaseous
weathering of underlying rocks and are rich exchange takes place through general body
in iron and aluminium. surface.
6. 16.
Solution: (a) Solution: (c)
German biologist Ernst Haeckel coined the The decomposers act on the dead organic
term 'ecology', the study of matter and break them down into simpler
interrelationship between organisms and compounds and minerals.
their environment. Ecosystem, consist of 17.
different communities of organism and the Solution: (d)
physical environment with which they The primary succession means the
interact. Phytogeography is the study of development of communities only on a
geographic distribution of plants species on newly exposed habitat with no record of
earlier vegetation. Solution: (b)
18. El. Nino flows to the north from Antarctica
Solution: (d) along the west coast of South America to S.
The oceans cover about 2/3 of the whole Ecuador, the west. It reoccurs after every 5
surface of our earth. Thus it is the most to 8 yrs. El Nino and La Nina are officially
stable ecosystem, because of buffering defined as sustained sea surface
action by water. temperature anomalies of magnitude
19. greater than 0.5°C across the central
Solution: (d) tropical Pacific Ocean. When the condition
In a biotic community the herbivores (goat, is met for a period of less than five months,
deer) are those animals, which consume it is classified as El Nino or La Nina
the primary producers (green plants). conditions; if the anomaly persists for five
Hence they are primary consumers. months or longer, it is classified as an El
20. Nino or La Nina episode.
Solution: (b) 29.
Biogeochemical cycles: Two types: (a) Solution: (a)
Gaseous: Biogenetic materials involved in Plankton → Organisms passively floating
circulation are gases eg. N2, O2, CO2 etc. (b) in upper water. Nekton → Actively
Sedimentary: Biogenetic materials involved swimming Benthos → Lead sedentary life
in circulation are non-gaseous eg. P2, Ca, S upon the sea bottom
etc. forms rocks. 30.
21. Solution: (c)
Solution: (b) In an ecosystem producers (green plants)
Flamingoes breed in chilka lake. are always more than consumers
22. (herbivores, carnivores etc.)
Solution: (b) 31.
Producers are the direct and indirect Solution: (a)
source of food for all the trophic levels. Energy flow takes place only in one
They are always more in number. direction i.e., producers → herbivores →
23. carnivores whereas, nutrients use carbon,
Solution: (b) nitrogen and potassium shows cyclic flow.
According to the 10% law, at each trophic 32.
level, only 10% of the energy received is Solution: (d)
transfered to the next trophic level. Organic pollutants provide nutrients for
24. stimulating growth of algae and other
Solution: (a) plants. Algal bloom reduces availability of
Niche is a specific part of the habitat that light to submerged plants which get killed.
is determined by the functioning of the The dead submerged plants consume more
population like shelter, type of food, season oxygen in decomposition. This reduces
etc. availability of oxygen to other life forms
25. leading to death of organisms. This is
Solution: (d) known as eutrophication.
Coral reefs are often called "rainforest of 33.
the sea". It forms some of the most diverse Solution: (c)
ecosystem on earth. Coral reef ecosystem Some plants growing in salty marshes
have the highest grass primary productivity develop special roots for respiration, called
in the sea. pneumatophores. They are (–) vely
26. geotropic.
Solution: (d) 34.
Therophytes are those plants which (d) benthic diatoms and marine viruses
survive the adverse season like winter as a Solution: (b)
seed and complete their life cycle between The greatest biomass of autotrophs in the
spring and autumn. oceans is that of free floating microalgae,
27. cyanobacteria and nanoplankton.
Solution: (b) 35.
The rate at which organic molecules are Solution: (a)
formed in a green plant is called gross First trophic level is occupied by
productivity. producers. Second trophic level is occupied
28. by primary consumers. Third trophic level
is occupied by the secondary consumers. stratification into two or more well defined
36. layers.
Solution: (c) 43. Solution: (c)
Grasslands will have highest value of gross Lots of urea and phosphate fertilizer were
production. Net production is obtained used in the crops in the vicinity and the
after subtracting the respiratory utilization lake water turned green and stinky. Due to
from gross production. Secondary and this, lake near a village suffered heavy
tertiary production is related with mortality of fishes within a few days.
secondary and tertiary consumers 44.
respectively. Solution: (c)
37. About 70% oftotal global carbon is found
Solution: (a) in oceans. This oceanic reservoir regulates
Nitrogenase is an enzyme involved in the amount of carbon dioxide in the
biological nitrogen fixation. Enzyme nitrate atmosphere. Atmosphere contains only
reductase is involved in conversion of about one percent of total global carbon.
nitrate to nitrite. Conversion of ammonia to 45.
nitrate is carried out by Nitrosomonas and Solution: (d)
Nitrobacter. The slow rate of decomposition of fallen
38. logs in nature is due to their low cellulose
Solution: (a) content. It plays an essential part in
An ecosystem having low stability can be abscission in plants, while microbial
easily damaged. An ecosystem having high cellulases enable the digestion of plant
resilience will take less time to recover. material by herbivores.
39. 46.
Solution: (a) Solution: (a)
Barophiles are bacteria which live in high Food chain is the transfer of energy from
pressure environments. They are generally green plants (Primary producers), through
found on ocean floors, where pressure a sequence of organisms occupies in a food
generally exceeds 380 atm (38 MPa). Some chain is known as its trophic level.
have been found at the bottom of the Therefore, statements b and c are correct.
Pacific Ocean where the maximum 47.
pressure is roughly 117 MPa. Solution: (a)
40. The correct sequence of plants in a
Solution: (a) hydrosere is Volvox, Hydrilla, Pistia,
Three fourth surface of earth is covered by Scirpus, Lanatana and Oak. A hydrosere is
oceans which contain 97.5% of total water. a plant succession which occurs in a fresh
It is marine water with about 3.5% salt water lake. In time, an area of open fresh
content only 2.5% is fresh water which water such as a lake will naturally dry out,
occurs on land. Most of this water (1.97%) ultimately becoming woodland. During this
occurs as frozen ice caps and glaciers, change, a range of different landtypes such
0.5% fresh water occurs as ground water. as swamp and marsh will succeed each
Rivers and lakes contain 0.02%, soil 0.01% other. The succession from open water to
while atmosphere possesses 0.001% of climax woodland is likely to take at least
water as vapours. two hundred years.
41. 48.
Solution: (c) Solution: (a)
Fresh weight is not used for the A pond ecosystem is a delicate balance of
construction of ecological pyramids fish, plants and other animals. Fish occupy
because the total fresh weight does not more than one tropic level in pond
change into energy. Hence we can say that ecosystem. Small fishes act as secondary
fresh weight is not continuous in the tropic consumer. They feed on primary consumer.
levels. Large fishes act as tertiary consumer. They
42. feed on smaller fish.
Solution: (d) 49.
They are found in the equatorial regions Solution: (d)
rainfall exceeds 140 cm. The warm humid The statement (i) and (ii) are correct. The
climate supports broad leaved evergreen statement (iii) is incorrect because
plants. Productivity is very high (12000 k. predators cannot lead to the extinction of
cal/m2/ year). The vegetation show prey species. Predator and prey evolve
together. The statement (iv) is incorrect Nutrient cycling.
because chemical such as nicotine and 59.
strychnine produced by the plants are not Solution: (b)
metabolic disorders but are metabolic 60.
wastes. Solution: (b)
50. At the trophic level of consumers the rate
Solution: (a) at which food energy is assimilated is called
The biomass available for consumption by secondary productivity. Rabbit is a
the herbivores and the decomposers is consumer.
called net primary productivity. It is equal 61.
to the rate of organic matter created by Solution: (d)
photosynthesis minus the rate of A hydrosere is a plant succession which
respiration and other losses. occurs in a freshwater lake. Second stage of
51. hydrosere is submerged stage that is
Solution: (a) represented by Vallisneria, Hydrilla,
A standing crop is the quantity or total Elodea, Utricularia etc.
weight or energy content of the organism, 62.
which are in a particular location at a Solution: (b)
particular time. The natural reservoir of phosphate is rock
52. which contains phosphorus in the form of
Solution: (c) phosphates when rocks are weathered,
An energy pyramid is the graphical minute amounts of these phosphate
representation of the tropic level dissolve in soil solution and are absorbed
(nutritionals) by which the incoming solar by the roots of the plants. Herbivores and
energy is transferred into an ecosystem. It other animals obtain this element from
can never be inverted in shape. plants.
53.
Solution: (a) 63(d)
It feeds upon grains hence called primary Humification , catabolism , leaching and
consumer and can also feed on insects fragmentation are the steps of
hence called secondary consumer at the decomposition which operate
same time in the same ecosystem. simultaneously on the detritus.
54. Fragmentation is breaking down detritus
Solution: (a) into smaller particles by detritivores like
Hydrarch succession takes place in wetter earthworm. By the process of leaching,
areas and xerarch succession respectively, water soluble inorganic nutrients go down
which takes place in dry areas. So, both into soil horizon and get precipitated as
hydrarch and xerarch successions leads to unavailable salts. Humification occurs at a
medium water conditions. very slow rate.
55. 64.
Solution: (b) Solution: (b)
Earthworm derives its nutrition from The rate of resynthesis of organic matter
decaying fallen leaves and soil organic by the consumers is known as secondary
matter. Thus the type of feeding in productivity. It depends upon the loss while
earthworm is detritus. transferring energy containing organic
56. matter from the previous trophic level plus
Solution: (b) the consumption due to respiration and
Phosphorus is mostly used as phosphate. predation. Respiration loss is about 20%
Its reservoir pool is phosphate rocks while for autotrophs, 30% for herbivores and
cycling pool is soil for terrestrial upto 60% in case of carnivores. Therefore
ecosystems and water for aquatic net productivity decreases with each
ecosystems. trophic level.
57. 65.
Solution: (c) Solution: (b)
58. Primary consumers are herbivorous
Solution: (d) organisms that feed on producers.
Four important functional aspects of the Carnivores are termed secondary, tertiary
ecocystem are (i) Productivity (ii) etc. consumers depending upon their
Decomposition, (iii) Energy flow and (iv) position in food chain. In food chain on land,
grasshopper is a herbivore (primary consumers: Carnivorous fish, seals, sea
consumer) while wolf and lion are carnivores. stars, whales, squid, some crabs ,lobsters
Phytoplanktons are producers in aquatic etc.
food chains
75.
66. (d) The amount of energy accumulation in
Solution: (b) green plants as biomass or organic matter
Plants are producers which can prepare per unit area over a time period is known as
their food by the process of photosynthesis. primary productivity. The rate of total
Zooplanktons, fish and man are primary, capture of energy, or the rate of total
secondary and tertiary carnivores production of organic material (biomass), is
respectively known as gross primary productivity
67.
(a) Decomposers form the largest 76.
population in the food chain. These are the (d) Flow of nutrient will stop
organisms that feed on the dead and
decaying matter and break down the 77.
complex compounds into simpler ones. (c) Biotic or ecological succession is the
These include bacteria, fungi, and several natural development of a series of biotic
other microorganisms. The decomposers communities at the same site, one after the
form an important part of the food chain. other till a climax community develops which
does not change further because it is in
68. perfect harmony with the environment of the
(d) Mr. X eating curd / yoghurt should be area. The change is orderly and sequential.
considered as occupying third trophic level. There is a parallel change in the physical
Producers or green plants (first trophic level) environment. During an ecological
are consumed by herbivore (second trophic succession, the numbers and types of
level. And from them curd, yoghurt (made animals go on increasing with time. The
from dairy breed) is consumed by third community that is in near equilibrium with
trophic level like man. the environment is called climax community.
The establishment of a new biotic
69. community is slow in its primary phase but
(d) chemosynthetic bacteria gradually becomes fast in its secondary
phase.
70.
(b) A carnivore, meaning "meat eater", is an 78.
animal whose food and energy requirements (c) Inverted Bell shaped 
derive solely from animal tissue or meat,
whether through hunting or scavenging. 79.
(d) stratification
71.
(a) The cropland ecosystem has the same 80.
type of crops and has the least diversity. (b) Biotic Community

72. 81.
(b) nitrogenase (b) The dead organic matter of plants or
73. animals is called as detritus. While a part of
(d) In a biotic community, the primary it remains on the soil surface as litter, the
consumers or first-order consumers are other part enters the soil. Many animals
herbivores, they feed on producers. They are such as protozoans, nematodes, insects etc.,
also called key industry animals because depend on detritus and hence they are called
they convert plant material into animal as detritivores. Even the human beings are
material detritivores when they eat cooked food. From
74. detritus, the chain proceeds to detritivores,
(c) Secondary consumers are mainly then to carnivores and finally to top
carnivores who prey on other animals. carnivores.
Omnivores, who feed on both plants and
animals, can also be considered a secondary 82.
consumer. Examples of secondary
(d) Denitrification is a chemical process in 88 (a)
which nitrates in the soil are reduced to the inverted pyramid of biomass, usually
molecular nitrogen (N.) which is released into found in aquatic ecosystem.
the atmosphere. It is done by denitrifying • Pyramid of energy is always upright
bacteria like Pseudomonas denitrificans. • Upright pyramid of biomass and numbers
Anaerobic oxidation of ammonium (NH4) also are not possible, as the data depicts
releases nitrogen in the atmosphere. primary producer is less than primary
consumer and this is less than secondary
83. consumers.
(c) The benthic region includes all the sea
floor from the wavewashed shoreline to the 89(d)
greatest depths. Depending upon the ecological pyramid is a diagram that shows
penetration of light it is subdivided into two the relative amounts of energy or matter or
main zones : the lighted or littoral zone and numbers of organisms within each trophic
the deep sea system. Due to abundance of level in a food chain or food.
light, water, oxygen, carbon dioxide and less The pyramid of biomass in sea is
salinity of water, the tidal zone is inverted because biomass of fish exceeds
characterized by exhorbitant growth of that of phytoplankton and in this scenario
plants. The dense growth of vegetation, on the biomass of trophic level depends on the
the other hand, provides shelter and food for reproductive potential and the longevity of
animals. A wide variety of algae, few grasses the member. Marine environment
and animals of every phylum of animal
have inverted biomass pyramids.
kingdom are represented in this region.
90(d)
84. GPP is always more than NPP
(d) functional unit of an ecosystem
91(c)
85. • Fourth trophic level — Vulture
(a) Ecological pyramids represents the • Second trophic level — Rabbit
trophic structure and trophic function of an • First trophic level—Grass
ecosystem. In an ecological pyramid, the first • Third trophic level — Crow
trophic level forms the base and successive
trophic levels the tiers which make up the 92(a) Respiration losses
apex. Ecological pyramids may be of three 93 (a) Standing crop
general types pyramid of number, pyramid of
biomass and pyramid of energy. Pyramid of
biomass i.e. the living weight of the
organisms of the food chain present at any
time in an ecosystem forms the pyramids of
biomass. The pyramid of biomass indicates
the decrease or the gradual reduction in
biomass at each trophic levels from base to
apex. Fresh weight is not used in ecological
pyramids

86.
(c) A standing crop is the total dried biomass
of the living organisms present in a given
environment. This includes both natural
ecosystems and agriculture

87. (d)
Forest ecology is the scientific study of the
interrelated patterns, processes, flora, fauna
and 4ecosystems in forests. The
management of forests is known as forestry,
silviculture, and forest management.  In
forest ecosystems productivity is also high
that contributes to maximum biomass.