Important short questions with answer's from the chapter ecology

 Here are 100 short questions with answers from the chapter "Ecology", useful for school and college-level study:

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Basic Concepts of Ecology

1. What is ecology?

The study of interactions between organisms and their environment.

2. Who coined the term ecology?

Ernst Haeckel.

3. What is an ecosystem?

A biological community interacting with its physical environment.

4. Name two components of an ecosystem.

Biotic and abiotic components.

5. Give an example of a biotic component.

Plants.

6. Give an example of an abiotic component.

Soil.

7. What is a habitat?

The natural home of an organism.

8. What is a niche?

The role or function of an organism in its ecosystem.

9. Define population.

A group of individuals of the same species living in an area.

10. What is a community?

All populations of different species living together in an area.

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Levels of Organization

11. What is the smallest level of ecological organization?

Organism.

12. What is the largest level of ecological organization?

Biosphere.

13. What is the biosphere?

The zone of life on Earth.

14. What is a biome?

A large area with similar climate and ecosystems.

15. Name one terrestrial biome.

Desert.

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Ecosystem Components

16. What are producers?

Organisms that make their own food (e.g., plants).

17. What are consumers?

Organisms that eat other organisms.

18. Name a primary consumer.

Deer.

19. What are decomposers?

Organisms that break down dead material (e.g., fungi).

20. What is photosynthesis?

Process by which plants make food using sunlight.

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Food Chain & Web

21. What is a food chain?

A linear sequence of who eats whom.

22. What is a food web?

Interconnected food chains.

23. What is a trophic level?

Each step in a food chain.

24. Name the first trophic level.

Producers.

25. Which trophic level has the least energy?

Top consumers.

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Energy Flow

26. What is the source of energy for ecosystems?

The Sun.

27. What is the 10% law?

Only 10% of energy is transferred to the next trophic level.

28. Who proposed the 10% law?

Raymond Lindeman.

29. What happens to the rest of the energy?

Lost as heat.

30. Why are food chains short?

Due to energy loss at each level.

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Biogeochemical Cycles

31. What is the water cycle?

Movement of water through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation.

32. What is transpiration?

Loss of water from plants.

33. What is the carbon cycle?

Circulation of carbon among organisms and environment.

34. What is photosynthesis’s role in the carbon cycle?

Removes carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

35. What is the nitrogen cycle?

Circulation of nitrogen through living and non-living things.

36. What is nitrogen fixation?

Conversion of nitrogen gas into usable form.

37. Which organisms fix nitrogen?

Rhizobium bacteria.

38. What is denitrification?

Conversion of nitrates back to nitrogen gas.

39. What is the oxygen cycle?

Movement of oxygen through the ecosystem.

40. Which process adds oxygen to the atmosphere?

Photosynthesis.

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Types of Ecosystems

41. Name one natural ecosystem.

Forest.

42. Name one artificial ecosystem.

Aquarium.

43. Which is the largest aquatic ecosystem?

Ocean.

44. Which ecosystem has high biodiversity?

Tropical rainforest.

45. Which is the driest ecosystem?

Desert.

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Ecological Pyramids

46. What is an ecological pyramid?

A diagram showing energy, biomass, or numbers at each trophic level.

47. Name three types of ecological pyramids.

Pyramid of numbers, biomass, and energy.

48. Which pyramid is always upright?

Pyramid of energy.

49. Can pyramid of biomass be inverted?

Yes.

50. What unit is used in pyramid of energy?

Kilocalories (kcal).

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Biodiversity

51. What is biodiversity?

Variety of life in an area.

52. Which country has high biodiversity?

Brazil.

53. Name one biodiversity hotspot in India.

Western Ghats.

54. What is species richness?

Number of species in an area.

55. Why is biodiversity important?

For ecosystem balance and human needs.

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Conservation

56. What is conservation?

Protection of natural resources.

57. What is afforestation?

Planting trees.

58. What is reforestation?

Replanting forests that were destroyed.

59. Name a method of wildlife conservation.

Creating national parks.

60. Name one endangered species in India.

Bengal Tiger.

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Pollution & Its Effects

61. What is pollution?

Unwanted changes in the environment.

62. Name four types of pollution.

Air, water, soil, noise.

63. What causes air pollution?

Emissions from vehicles and factories.

64. Name one water pollutant.

Industrial waste.

65. What is eutrophication?

Overgrowth of algae in water bodies.

66. What causes soil pollution?

Pesticides and waste dumping.

67. What is noise pollution?

Harmful or excessive noise.

68. What is acid rain?

Rain containing harmful acids.

69. Which gases cause acid rain?

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides.

70. What is smog?

Fog combined with smoke and pollutants.

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Climate & Ecology

71. What is global warming?

Rise in Earth's average temperature.

72. What causes global warming?

Greenhouse gases.

73. Name one greenhouse gas.

Carbon dioxide.

74. What is the greenhouse effect?

Warming of Earth due to trapped heat.

75. What is climate change?

Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns.

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Ozone Layer & Sustainability

76. What is the ozone layer?

A layer that protects Earth from UV rays.

77. What causes ozone depletion?

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons).

78. Where is the ozone hole seen?

Over Antarctica.

79. What is sustainability?

Meeting needs without harming future generations.

80. What is sustainable development?

Development that balances environment and economy.

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Human Impact on Ecosystem

81. What is deforestation?

Cutting down of forests.

82. What is urbanization?

Growth of cities.

83. What is desertification?

Degradation of land into desert.

84. What is habitat loss?

Destruction of natural living spaces.

85. What is overexploitation?

Excessive use of natural resources.

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Ecological Succession

86. What is ecological succession?

Gradual change in ecosystems over time.

87. Name the first organisms in succession.

Pioneer species.

88. What is primary succession?

Succession on newly formed land.

89. What is secondary succession?

Succession in disturbed ecosystems.

90. What is climax community?

Stable, mature ecosystem.

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Ecological Tools & Studies

91. What is a quadrat?

A square frame for sampling species.

92. What is a transect line?

A line for studying distribution of species.

93. What is population density?

Number of individuals per unit area.

94. What is biomass?

Total mass of organisms in an area.

95. What is carrying capacity?

Maximum population an environment can support.

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Current Issues

96. What is plastic pollution?

Pollution from plastic waste.

97. What is e-waste?

Waste from electronic products.

98. What is bioremediation?

Use of organisms to clean pollutants.

99. What are invasive species?

Non-native species harming local ecosystems.

100. Name an invasive species in India.

Lantana camara.