Biodiversity and Conservation MCQs

1. What is biodiversity?
A) The variety of life forms on Earth
B) The amount of water in ecosystems
C) The distribution of soil types
D) The climate of different regions
Answer: A) The variety of life forms on Earth

2. Which of the following is a primary benefit of biodiversity?
A) Enhancing ecosystem resilience
B) Increasing pollution levels
C) Reducing soil fertility
D) Decreasing water availability
Answer: A) Enhancing ecosystem resilience

3. What is the term for a species that is at risk of extinction in the near future?
A) Endangered
B) Extinct
C) Vulnerable
D) Critically Endangered
Answer: A) Endangered

4. Which international agreement aims to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainable use of its components?
A) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
B) Paris Agreement
C) Kyoto Protocol
D) Montreal Protocol
Answer: A) Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

5. What is ‘conservation biology’?
A) The scientific study of protecting and managing biodiversity
B) The process of creating new species
C) The study of soil chemistry
D) The analysis of economic impacts of ecosystems
Answer: A) The scientific study of protecting and managing biodiversity

6. Which term refers to the loss of a species from a particular habitat?
A) Extirpation
B) Extinction
C) Overexploitation
D) Endangerment
Answer: A) Extirpation

7. What is ‘habitat fragmentation’?
A) The process where large habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches
B) The increase of habitat size
C) The restoration of natural habitats
D) The conservation of entire ecosystems
Answer: A) The process where large habitats are broken into smaller, isolated patches

8. Which of the following is an example of an invasive species?
A) European starlings in North America
B) Native oak trees in Europe
C) Giant pandas in China
D) African elephants in Africa
Answer: A) European starlings in North America

9. What does the term ‘endemic species’ refer to?
A) Species that are native to a particular region and found nowhere else
B) Species that are found in multiple continents
C) Species that have become extinct
D) Species that migrate seasonally
Answer: A) Species that are native to a particular region and found nowhere else

10. Which of the following is a major cause of biodiversity loss?
A) Habitat destruction
B) Increased conservation efforts
C) Sustainable land use
D) Protected areas
Answer: A) Habitat destruction

11. What is ‘ecosystem service’?
A) The benefits humans receive from ecosystems
B) The financial cost of conserving biodiversity
C) The process of creating new ecosystems
D) The measurement of species richness
Answer: A) The benefits humans receive from ecosystems

12. What is ‘overexploitation’?
A) The excessive use of resources leading to depletion
B) The balanced use of natural resources
C) The protection of endangered species
D) The restoration of habitats
Answer: A) The excessive use of resources leading to depletion

13. Which of the following is a key factor in conservation planning?
A) Identifying critical habitats
B) Expanding urban areas
C) Increasing pollution
D) Ignoring climate change
Answer: A) Identifying critical habitats

14. What is ‘sustainable use’ in the context of biodiversity conservation?
A) Using resources in a way that does not deplete them for future generations
B) Exploiting resources as quickly as possible
C) Increasing resource extraction
D) Ignoring environmental regulations
Answer: A) Using resources in a way that does not deplete them for future generations

15. Which organization is known for its work in protecting endangered species and their habitats?
A) World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
B) World Health Organization (WHO)
C) United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
D) International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Answer: A) World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

16. What does ‘biological magnification’ refer to?
A) The process by which toxins become more concentrated at higher trophic levels
B) The increase in species diversity over time
C) The expansion of natural habitats
D) The process of photosynthesis
Answer: A) The process by which toxins become more concentrated at higher trophic levels

17. What is ‘genetic diversity’?
A) The variety of genes within a species
B) The number of species in an ecosystem
C) The different types of ecosystems
D) The range of habitats in a region
Answer: A) The variety of genes within a species

18. Which of the following is a method of in-situ conservation?
A) Establishing protected areas such as national parks and wildlife reserves
B) Breeding endangered species in captivity
C) Restoring degraded habitats
D) Creating seed banks
Answer: A) Establishing protected areas such as national parks and wildlife reserves

19. What is ‘ex situ conservation’?
A) The conservation of species outside their natural habitats
B) The protection of ecosystems in their natural environments
C) The restoration of polluted habitats
D) The expansion of natural reserves
Answer: A) The conservation of species outside their natural habitats

20. What does ‘biome’ refer to?
A) A large ecological area with specific climate and plant/animal life
B) A small-scale habitat
C) An artificial ecosystem
D) A type of genetic diversity
Answer: A) A large ecological area with specific climate and plant/animal life

21. Which of the following is a ‘keystone species’?
A) A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment
B) A species that is the most numerous in an ecosystem
C) A species that migrates between different habitats
D) A species that is endangered
Answer: A) A species that has a disproportionately large effect on its environment

22. What is ‘ecosystem restoration’?
A) The process of returning a degraded ecosystem to its natural state
B) The expansion of urban areas
C) The removal of invasive species
D) The creation of artificial habitats
Answer: A) The process of returning a degraded ecosystem to its natural state

23. Which of the following is an example of a conservation strategy for marine biodiversity?
A) Establishing marine protected areas
B) Increasing fishing quotas
C) Polluting coastal waters
D) Reducing marine reserves
Answer: A) Establishing marine protected areas

24. What is ‘biological diversity’ in agriculture?
A) The variety of plant and animal species used in farming
B) The amount of water used in agriculture
C) The types of farming equipment used
D) The size of agricultural land plots
Answer: A) The variety of plant and animal species used in farming

25. What is the ‘Red List’?
A) A list of threatened and endangered species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
B) A list of non-endangered species
C) A list of invasive species
D) A list of extinct species
Answer: A) A list of threatened and endangered species maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

26. What is ‘ecosystem fragmentation’?
A) The division of a habitat into smaller, isolated patches
B) The expansion of a habitat area
C) The increase in species diversity
D) The restoration of natural habitats
Answer: A) The division of a habitat into smaller, isolated patches

27. Which of the following is a major threat to coral reefs?
A) Ocean acidification
B) Increased biodiversity
C) Coral conservation
D) Marine protected areas
Answer: A) Ocean acidification

28. What is ‘biodiversity hotspot’?
A) A region with a high level of species richness and endemism that is under threat
B) An area with low species diversity
C) A region where biodiversity is increasing
D) A protected area with limited human activity
Answer: A) A region with a high level of species richness and endemism that is under threat

29. Which organization is primarily responsible for assessing global biodiversity status and trends?
A) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
B) United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
C) World Health Organization (WHO)
D) Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)
Answer: A) International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

30. What is ‘wildlife trafficking’?
A) The illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products
B) The conservation of endangered species
C) The legal trade of wildlife
D) The monitoring of wildlife populations
Answer: A) The illegal trade of wildlife and wildlife products

31. Which of the following practices can contribute to conservation?
A) Reducing, reusing, and recycling materials
B) Expanding agricultural land
C) Polluting natural water sources
D) Increasing habitat destruction
Answer: A) Reducing, reusing, and recycling materials

32. What is ‘ecological succession’?
A) The gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time
B) The sudden replacement of one ecosystem by another
C) The permanent alteration of an ecosystem
D) The decline of species in an ecosystem
Answer: A) The gradual process by which ecosystems change and develop over time

33. Which of the following is a benefit of protecting biodiversity?
A) Providing essential ecosystem services
B) Increasing pollution
C) Decreasing food security
D) Reducing economic opportunities
Answer: A) Providing essential ecosystem services

34. What role do pollinators play in ecosystems?
A) They help in the reproduction of flowering plants
B) They destroy crops
C) They reduce plant diversity
D) They have no ecological role
Answer: A) They help in the reproduction of flowering plants

35. What is the main cause of climate change that impacts biodiversity?
A) Greenhouse gas emissions
B) Increase in biodiversity
C) Restoration of habitats
D) Conservation efforts
Answer: A) Greenhouse gas emissions

36. Which of the following is an approach to sustainable agriculture?
A) Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
B) Monoculture farming
C) Excessive chemical use
D) Habitat destruction
Answer: A) Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

37. What is ‘conservation genetics’?
A) The study of genetic variation within species for conservation purposes
B) The creation of new genetic modifications in species
C) The analysis of genetic disorders in wildlife
D) The study of the economic impacts of conservation
Answer: A) The study of genetic variation within species for conservation purposes

38. What is the role of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)?
A) To regulate international trade of endangered species
B) To promote the use of endangered species
C) To protect only terrestrial species
D) To ban all species trade
Answer: A) To regulate international trade of endangered species

39. Which type of agriculture focuses on preserving biodiversity?
A) Agroecology
B) Industrial agriculture
C) Monoculture farming
D) Factory farming
Answer: A) Agroecology

40. What does the term ‘sustainability’ refer to?
A) Meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs
B) The depletion of natural resources
C) The overexploitation of ecosystems
D) The increase in greenhouse gas emissions
Answer: A) Meeting the needs of the present without compromising future generations’ ability to meet their own needs

Biodiversity and Conservation MCQs

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