1179 practice questions covering Environment & Ecology, organised into 12 topics.
1179 questions include a written explanation; 258 are from previous year papers.
Pick a topic below, or try the samples first.
In which of the following States is lion-tailed macaque found in its natural habitat?
1. Tamil Nadu
2. Kerala
3. Karnataka
4. Andhra Pradesh
Select the correct answer using the codes given below.
A1, 2 and 3 only
B2 only
C1, 3 and 4 only
D1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: A - 1, 2 and 3 only
The lion-tailed macaque is an endemic primate of the Western Ghats and is found only in the rainforest pockets of the southern Western Ghats, which fall in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Karnataka, so option (a) is correct. Andhra Pradesh lies on the eastern side of the peninsula and has no Western Ghats rainforest habitat, which rules out statement 4 and therefore options (c) and (d). Option (b) is too restrictive because the species is not confined to Kerala alone but ranges across all three western coastal states named.
Q2
Previous year questionmedium
With reference to India's Desert National Park, which of the following statements are correct?
1. It is spread over two districts.
2. There is no human habitation inside the Park.
3. It is one of the natural habitats of Great Indian Bustard.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only
The Desert National Park in Rajasthan is spread across the Jaisalmer and Barmer districts, so statement 1 is correct, and it is one of the last strongholds of the critically endangered Great Indian Bustard, so statement 3 is correct. Statement 2 is wrong because several villages and human settlements exist within and around the park, making it an inhabited protected area unlike many wildlife reserves. Hence only statements 1 and 3 are correct.
Q3
Previous year questionmedium
What are the significances of a practical approach to sugarcane production known as ‘Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative’? 1. Seed cost is very low in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation. 2. Drip irrigation can be practiced very effectively in this. 3. There is no application of chemical/inorganic fertilizers at all in this. 4. The scope for intercropping is more in this compared to the conventional method of cultivation. Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A1 and 3 only
B1, 2 and 4 only
C2, 3 and 4 only
D1, 2, 3 and 4
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: B - 1, 2 and 4 only
Sustainable Sugarcane Initiative (SSI) is a method that raises seedlings in a nursery and transplants young single-budded setts, which sharply cuts the quantity of seed cane needed, so statement 1 is correct. Wider spacing makes drip irrigation and fertigation highly effective, so statement 2 is correct, and the gaps between widely spaced plants leave room for intercropping, so statement 4 is correct. Statement 3 is wrong because SSI promotes balanced and reduced use of inputs and integrated nutrient management, not the total elimination of chemical or inorganic fertilizers. Hence 1, 2 and 4 only.
Q4
Previous year questionmedium
Which of the following have species that can establish symbiotic relationship with other organisms?
1. Cnidarians
2. Fungi
3. Protozoa
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
A1 and 2 only
B2 and 3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: D - 1, 2 and 3
Cnidarians such as corals host symbiotic zooxanthellae algae, so statement 1 holds. Fungi form symbioses such as lichens with algae and mycorrhizae with plant roots, so statement 2 holds. Protozoa also form symbiotic relationships, for example the cellulose-digesting protozoa living in the guts of termites and ruminants, so statement 3 holds. Since all three groups have symbiotic species, the answer is 1, 2 and 3.
Q5
Previous year questionmedium
With reference to the circumstances in Indian agriculture, the concept of "Conservation Agriculture" assumes significance. Which of the following fall under the Conservation Agriculture?
1. Avoiding the monoculture practices
2. Adopting minimum tillage
3. Avoiding the cultivation of plantation crops
4. Using crop residues to cover soil surface
5. Adopting spatial and temporal crop sequencing/crop rotations.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
A1, 3 and 4
B2, 3, 4 and 5
C2, 4 and 5
D1, 2, 3 and 5
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C - 2, 4 and 5
Conservation agriculture rests on three core principles: minimum mechanical soil disturbance, permanent soil cover with residues, and diversified crop rotations, which correspond to statements 2, 4 and 5, so option (c) is correct. Statement 1 about avoiding monoculture is broadly desirable but conservation agriculture is defined by crop rotation and diversification rather than framed as 'avoiding monoculture', and the practice does not specifically prohibit monoculture as a defining rule. Statement 3 is wrong because conservation agriculture does not require avoiding plantation crops; it is concerned with how soil and residues are managed, not with banning particular crop categories. Hence 2, 4 and 5 is the answer.
Q6
Previous year questionmedium
Which of the following practices can help in water conservation in agriculture?
1. Reduced or zero tillage of the land
2. Applying gypsum before irrigating the field
3. Allowing crop residue to remain in the field
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
A1 and 2 only
B3 only
C1 and 3 only
D1, 2 and 3
Show answer and explanation
Correct answer: C - 1 and 3 only
Practices 1 and 3 conserve soil moisture: reduced or zero tillage avoids exposing moist soil to evaporation, and leaving crop residue mulches the surface, cutting evaporative loss and runoff. Gypsum (practice 2) is mainly a soil amendment used to reclaim sodic/alkaline soils and improve structure rather than a water-conservation step, so the official key excludes it. The answer is therefore 1 and 3 only. This was a disputed question because some sources argue gypsum improves infiltration, but the official UPSC key marks option C.
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