Environmental Biology MCQs with Answers
Which of the following is a greenhouse gas?
a) Oxygen
b) Nitrogen
c) Carbon dioxide
d) Hydrogen
Answer: c) Carbon dioxide
What is the primary source of energy for most ecosystems?
a) Sunlight
b) Wind
c) Fossil fuels
d) Geothermal heat
Answer: a) Sunlight
The process by which plants convert sunlight into chemical energy is called:
a) Photosynthesis
b) Respiration
c) Transpiration
d) Decomposition
Answer: a) Photosynthesis
Which of the following is a renewable resource?
a) Coal
b) Natural gas
c) Solar energy
d) Petroleum
Answer: c) Solar energy
What is the main cause of biodiversity loss?
a) Habitat destruction
b) Pollution
c) Climate change
d) Overfishing
Answer: a) Habitat destruction
Which of the following is a non-renewable resource?
a) Wind energy
b) Geothermal energy
c) Natural gas
d) Biomass
Answer: c) Natural gas
What is the process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas?
a) Evaporation
b) Condensation
c) Precipitation
d) Transpiration
Answer: a) Evaporation
What is the term for the variety of species in a given area?
a) Biodiversity
b) Ecosystem
c) Habitat
d) Population
Answer: a) Biodiversity
Which of the following is a primary air pollutant?
a) Ozone
b) Carbon monoxide
c) Sulfur dioxide
d) Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
Answer: b) Carbon monoxide
What is the process by which an organism becomes better suited to its environment over generations?
a) Adaptation
b) Natural selection
c) Evolution
d) Mutation
Answer: c) Evolution
Which of the following is a form of renewable energy derived from organic matter?
a) Geothermal energy
b) Hydroelectric power
c) Biomass energy
d) Nuclear power
Answer: c) Biomass energy
What is the term for the gradual increase in the Earth’s average temperature due to human activities?
a) Global warming
b) Acid rain
c) Ozone depletion
d) Deforestation
Answer: a) Global warming
Which of the following is an example of a point source of water pollution?
a) Runoff from agricultural fields
b) Oil spill in the ocean
c) Atmospheric deposition
d) Groundwater contamination
Answer: b) Oil spill in the ocean
What is the term for the natural process by which water is purified and returned to the Earth’s surface?
a) Water cycle
b) Carbon cycle
c) Nitrogen cycle
d) Phosphorus cycle
Answer: a) Water cycle
Which of the following is a form of water pollution caused by excessive nutrients in aquatic ecosystems?
a) Eutrophication
b) Acidification
c) Biomagnification
d) Desalination
Answer: a) Eutrophication
What is the term for the loss of soil fertility and productivity?
a) Desertification
b) Deforestation
c) Soil erosion
d) Salinization
Answer: c) Soil erosion
Which of the following is a form of air pollution caused by the burning of fossil fuels?
a) Acid rain
b) Ozone depletion
c) Smog
d) Greenhouse effect
Answer: c) Smog
What is the term for the process by which carbon is transferred from living organisms to the atmosphere?
a) Carbon sequestration
b) Carbon fixation
c) Carbon cycle
d) Carbon footprint
Answer: c) Carbon cycle
Which of the following is a form of soil pollution caused by the accumulation of toxic substances?
a) Erosion
b) Desertification
c) Salinization
d) Contamination
Answer: d) Contamination
What is the term for the process by which pollutants accumulate in higher concentrations in organisms at higher trophic levels?
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Biodiversity
d) Biodegradation
Answer: a) Biomagnification
Which of the following is a renewable resource derived from the energy of flowing water?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Hydroelectric power
d) Geothermal energy
Answer: c) Hydroelectric power
What is the term for the loss of a species from a particular habitat or from the entire planet?
a) Extinction
b) Endangerment
c) Overexploitation
d) Fragmentation
Answer: a) Extinction
Which of the following is a primary cause of deforestation?
a) Urbanization
b) Agricultural expansion
c) Mining activities
d) Industrial pollution
Answer: b) Agricultural expansion
What is the term for the introduction of non-native species into a new ecosystem?
a) Biodiversity
b) Invasive species
c) Endemic species
d) Keystone species
Answer: b) Invasive species
Which of the following is a method of sustainable farming that minimizes the use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides?
a) Organic farming
b) Industrial agriculture
c) Intensive farming
d) Genetically modified crops
Answer: a) Organic farming
What is the term for the process by which a body of water becomes enriched with nutrients, leading to excessive plant growth?
a) Desertification
b) Eutrophication
c) Salinization
d) Acidification
Answer: b) Eutrophication
Which of the following is a renewable resource derived from the heat of the Earth’s interior?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Geothermal energy
d) Biomass energy
Answer: c) Geothermal energy
What is the term for the loss of a species from a particular geographic area?
a) Extinction
b) Endangerment
c) Overexploitation
d) Local extinction
Answer: d) Local extinction
Which of the following is a form of air pollution caused by the release of chemicals from industrial processes?
a) Acid rain
b) Ozone depletion
c) Smog
d) Greenhouse effect
Answer: c) Smog
What is the term for the process by which nitrogen is converted into various chemical forms in the environment?
a) Nitrogen cycle
b) Nitrogen fixation
c) Nitrogen assimilation
d) Nitrogen deposition
Answer: a) Nitrogen cycle
Which of the following is a method of sustainable land management that involves rotating crops and using natural fertilizers?
a) Organic farming
b) Monoculture
c) Agroforestry
d) Terracing
Answer: c) Agroforestry
What is the term for the process by which pollutants settle onto land or water surfaces from the atmosphere?
a) Acid rain
b) Erosion
c) Deposition
d) Contamination
Answer: c) Deposition
Which of the following is a primary cause of water pollution?
a) Industrial waste
b) Soil erosion
c) Deforestation
d) Air pollution
Answer: a) Industrial waste
What is the term for the process by which a body of water becomes overly acidic due to air pollution?
a) Eutrophication
b) Acidification
c) Biomagnification
d) Desalination
Answer: b) Acidification
Which of the following is a form of water pollution caused by the release of harmful chemicals into aquatic ecosystems?
a) Eutrophication
b) Acidification
c) Biomagnification
d) Contamination
Answer: d) Contamination
What is the term for the destruction or degradation of forests, resulting in the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem services?
a) Desertification
b) Deforestation
c) Soil erosion
d) Salinization
Answer: b) Deforestation
Which of the following is a form of air pollution caused by the release of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)?
a) Acid rain
b) Ozone depletion
c) Smog
d) Greenhouse effect
Answer: b) Ozone depletion
What is the term for the process by which carbon is removed from the atmosphere and stored in natural sinks?
a) Carbon sequestration
b) Carbon fixation
c) Carbon cycle
d) Carbon footprint
Answer: a) Carbon sequestration
Which of the following is a primary cause of soil pollution?
a) Mining activities
b) Urbanization
c) Agricultural practices
d) Deforestation
Answer: c) Agricultural practices
What is the term for the process by which toxic substances become more concentrated in organisms at higher trophic levels?
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Biodiversity
d) Biodegradation
Answer: a) Biomagnification
Which of the following is a renewable resource derived from the energy of the sun?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Hydroelectric power
d) Geothermal energy
Answer: a) Solar energy
What is the term for the process by which a species is at risk of extinction in the near future?
a) Extinction
b) Endangerment
c) Overexploitation
d) Fragmentation
Answer: b) Endangerment
Which of the following is a primary cause of air pollution in urban areas?
a) Fossil fuel combustion
b) Agricultural activities
c) Industrial emissions
d) Waste incineration
Answer: c) Industrial emissions
What is the term for the process by which phosphorus is transferred from the Earth’s crust to living organisms and back?
a) Phosphorus cycle
b) Phosphorus fixation
c) Phosphorus assimilation
d) Phosphorus deposition
Answer: a) Phosphorus cycle
Which of the following is a method of sustainable land management that involves constructing steps on steep slopes to prevent soil erosion?
a) Organic farming
b) Monoculture
c) Agroforestry
d) Terracing
Answer: d) Terracing
What is the term for the process by which pollutants are broken down and converted into harmless substances by living organisms?
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Biodegradation
d) Biodiversity
Answer: c) Biodegradation
Which of the following is a renewable resource derived from the energy of the wind?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Hydroelectric power
d) Geothermal energy
Answer: b) Wind energy
What is the term for the process by which species become adapted to their specific habitat or ecological niche?
a) Adaptation
b) Natural selection
c) Evolution
d) Mutation
Answer: a) Adaptation
Which of the following is a method of sustainable fishing that involves setting catch limits and protecting spawning grounds?
a) Overfishing
b) Bycatch
c) Aquaculture
d) Fisheries management
Answer: d) Fisheries management
What is the term for the process by which pollutants are washed away from the land surface into rivers, lakes, and oceans?
a) Runoff
b) Erosion
c) Infiltration
d) Condensation
Answer: a) Runoff
Which of the following is a primary cause of water scarcity?
a) Overfishing
b) Climate change
c) Deforestation
d) Water pollution
Answer: b) Climate change
What is the term for the process by which an ecosystem is divided into smaller fragments, resulting in habitat loss and isolation?
a) Fragmentation
b) Desertification
c) Deforestation
d) Erosion
Answer: a) Fragmentation
Which of the following is a form of air pollution caused by the combustion of fossil fuels?
a) Acid rain
b) Ozone depletion
c) Smog
d) Greenhouse effect
Answer: c) Smog
What is the term for the process by which carbon dioxide is removed from the atmosphere and stored in forests and other vegetation?
a) Carbon sequestration
b) Carbon fixation
c) Carbon cycle
d) Carbon footprint
Answer: a) Carbon sequestration
Which of the following is a primary cause of soil erosion?
a) Urbanization
b) Deforestation
c) Mining activities
d) Agricultural practices
Answer: d) Agricultural practices
What is the term for the process by which pollutants accumulate in the tissues of organisms over time?
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Biodiversity
d) Biodegradation
Answer: b) Bioaccumulation
Which of the following is a renewable resource derived from the energy of the ocean tides and waves?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Hydroelectric power
d) Tidal energy
Answer: d) Tidal energy
What is the term for the process by which a species is pushed to the brink of extinction due to human activities?
a) Extinction
b) Endangerment
c) Overexploitation
d) Fragmentation
Answer: c) Overexploitation
Which of the following is a primary cause of water pollution in agricultural areas?
a) Oil spills
b) Industrial waste
c) Pesticide runoff
d) Sewage discharge
Answer: c) Pesticide runoff
What is the term for the process by which species coexist and interact with each other in a given area?
a) Biodiversity
b) Ecosystem
c) Habitat
d) Population
Answer: b) Ecosystem
Which of the following is a renewable resource derived from organic waste materials?
a) Solar energy
b) Wind energy
c) Biomass energy
d) Nuclear power
Answer: c) Biomass energy
What is the term for the process by which toxic substances build up in the tissues of organisms over time?
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Biodiversity
d) Biodegradation
Answer: b) Bioaccumulation
Which of the following is a primary cause of air pollution in rural areas?
a) Fossil fuel combustion
b) Agricultural activities
c) Industrial emissions
d) Waste incineration
Answer: b) Agricultural activities
What is the term for the process by which phosphorus is added to aquatic ecosystems through natural and human activities?
a) Phosphorus cycle
b) Phosphorus fixation
c) Phosphorus assimilation
d) Phosphorus deposition
Answer: d) Phosphorus deposition
Which of the following is a method of sustainable land management that involves planting trees alongside crops to provide shade and improve soil quality?
a) Organic farming
b) Monoculture
c) Agroforestry
d) Terracing
Answer: c) Agroforestry
What is the term for the process by which pollutants are carried away by wind or water and deposited in a different location?
a) Acid rain
b) Erosion
c) Deposition
d) Contamination
Answer: c) Deposition
Which of the following is a primary cause of water pollution in urban areas?
a) Oil spills
b) Industrial waste
c) Sewage discharge
d) Pesticide runoff
Answer: c) Sewage discharge
What is the term for the process by which marine ecosystems become overly acidic due to increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
a) Eutrophication
b) Acidification
c) Biomagnification
d) Desalination
Answer: b) Acidification
Which of the following is a primary cause of soil contamination?
a) Mining activities
b) Urbanization
c) Agricultural practices
d) Deforestation
Answer: a) Mining activities
What is the term for the process by which pollutants are broken down and converted into harmless substances in the environment?
a) Biomagnification
b) Bioaccumulation
c) Biodegradation
d) Biodiversity
Answer: c) Biodegradation