Environment & Ecology questions asked in previous year papers of SSC, Banking, Railway and other exams, with the exam and year, answers and explanations.
368 previous-year questions
Which one of the following is NOT a biocontrol agent ?
An aphid is a sap-sucking insect pest of crops, so it is the target of biocontrol, not an agent of it.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following can be considered associated with mitigation of environmental problems ?
Sorting wastes into categories and disposing of each in the proper way reduces pollution, so it helps solve environmental problems rather than cause them.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following pairs related to the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals :
I. Goal 1 : End poverty in all forms everywhere
II. Goal 2 : Ensure healthy lives
III. Goal 3 : Ensure quality education
IV. Goal 4 : Achieve gender equality
How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?
Only pair I is correct; pairs II, III and IV each give a goal the theme of the next goal.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following critical minerals : I. Neodymium II. Tellurium III. Dysprosium IV. Gallium Which of the above minerals are not used for the production of photovoltaic cells used in solar panels?
Neodymium and dysprosium are rare earth elements used mainly in strong permanent magnets, not in solar cells, while tellurium and gallium are used in photovoltaic cells.
Read the full explanation →A bond whose proceeds are used only to finance or refinance a combination of both environmental and social projects is called :
A sustainability bond funds a mix of green and social projects from the same issue. The International Capital Market Association, whose principles most issuers follow, divides labelled bonds by the use of the money raised.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following is/are renewable source(s) of energy? 1. Fossil fuel 2. Biofuel 3. Uranium 4. Hydropower Select the correct answer using the code given below.
Biofuel and hydropower are renewable because nature replaces them within a human lifetime, while fossil fuels and uranium are not.
Read the full explanation →UNESCO World Heritage site Nanda Devi National Park is located in which one of the following States ?
Nanda Devi National Park lies in the Chamoli district of Uttarakhand, around India's second-highest peak, Nanda Devi. The park is a vast glacial basin ringed by high peaks and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 1988 for its wild, untouched landscape.
Read the full explanation →The financial instruments that generate proceeds for investment in environmentally sustainable and climate-suitable projects are called as :
A green bond is a debt instrument whose money can be spent only on projects that help the environment or the climate.
Read the full explanation →Which one among the following constitute a food chain ?
It is the only set in which each organism eats the one before it, so energy passes along a single feeding line.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following factors is responsible for the spread of myxomatosis, a severe viral disease among rabbits?
Myxomatosis passes from rabbit to rabbit through biting insects and contact, so it spreads fastest where rabbits are crowded together.
Read the full explanation →In which one of the following regions of the Earth is the ozone hole prominently observed in the stratosphere?
The ozone hole, a sharp seasonal thinning of stratospheric ozone, forms every southern spring over Antarctica. During the long polar winter a strong circular wind, the polar vortex, isolates the air over Antarctica, and temperatures fall low enough to form polar stratospheric clouds.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements about eutrophication is/are correct? 1. Eutrophication takes place in young lakes when the water is cold and clear. 2. Eutrophication is caused by nutrient enrichment in water bodies. Select the answer using the code given below.
Eutrophication is the enrichment of a water body with nutrients, so statement 2 is correct, while statement 1 describes the opposite condition.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements regarding biodiversity conservation:
1. In situ conservation refers to conservation of species in their natural habitats.
2. Nature reserves are areas specifically designed for wildlife conservation.
3. Captive breeding of animals is an in situ conservation measure.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statements 1 and 2 are correct, but captive breeding is an ex situ measure, so statement 3 is wrong. In situ conservation protects plants and animals where they naturally live, along with their whole ecosystem.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) talks about protecting and restoring terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managing forests, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation and stopping biodiversity loss?
SDG 15, "Life on Land", covers terrestrial ecosystems, forests, desertification, land degradation and biodiversity loss. The 17 Sustainable Development Goals were adopted by the UN General Assembly in September 2015 as part of the 2030 Agenda, replacing the eight Millennium Development Goals.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements :
1. Many urban and suburban areas experience a higher temperature than surrounding rural areas known as urban heat islands.
2. The reduction in urban green cover and the increase of built-up hard surface is the only cause of urban heat island.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 defines the urban heat island correctly, but statement 2 is wrong because loss of green cover and more hard surfaces are not the only cause.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements about Rhynchostylis retusa (Foxtail orchid) : 1. It is an epiphytic orchid. 2. The species is endemic to North-east India. 3. It is the State flower of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The Foxtail orchid grows on trees as an epiphyte and is the state flower of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, but it is not confined to North-east India.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements with regard to the arrival of Amur Falcons at Doyang Lake in Nagaland each year from Mongolia is/are correct ?
1. It showcases how sustained local conservation efforts can contribute to the arrival and protection of international migratory birds.
2. It reflects the global success of advanced tracking technologies that guide migratory birds back to their stopover sites.
3. It confirms that Amur Falcons have adapted to permanent residency in India due to favourable habitat changes.
Select the answer using the code given below :
The yearly return of the falcons to Doyang is a story of community conservation, not of technology or of the birds settling in India.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following best explain(s) the rationale for protecting mangrove ecosystems in the context of climate resilience?
1. Mangroves reduce tidal energy and store freshwater, making them ideal sites for paddy cultivation in saline estuarine belts.
2. Their salt-sensitive roots filter seawater, making mangroves key to converting coastal land into freshwater aquaculture zones.
3. By withstanding tidal surges and offering biomass resources, mangroves function both as natural bio-shields and livelihood bases for rural communities.
Select the answer using the code given below :
Mangroves matter for climate resilience because they break storm surges and support coastal livelihoods; the other two statements describe things mangroves do not do.
Read the full explanation →With respect to the Western Hoolock Gibbons, which of the following statements is/are correct?
1. A Sanctuary in North-east India is home to this ape species listed as Endangered in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
2. They have specialized brachiation and can easily swing between trees.
3. They possess a strong and heavy build like gorillas, yet are remarkably agile tree climbers.
Select the answer using the code given below :
The Western Hoolock Gibbon is an Endangered ape protected in a sanctuary in Assam, and it moves by swinging from branch to branch, but it is a light, slender animal, not heavily built like a gorilla.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements with reference to manure and organic farming: 1. Vermicompost is rich in organic matter and nutrients. 2. Biofertilizers and bio-pesticides are not used in organic farming. 3. Crop rotation is beneficial in controlling insects, pests and weeds. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Vermicompost is a nutrient-rich organic manure and crop rotation helps control pests and weeds, but organic farming does use biofertilizers and bio-pesticides.
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