35

CHAPTER
Organisms and Environment
Environment
1. Which one of the following is not abiotic factor? 9. The formula for exponential population growth
(a) Temperature (b) Light is
(c) Soil (d) Plants (a) dN/rN = dt (b) rN / dN = dt
2. A mutually beneficial association necessary for (c) dN / dt = rN (d) dt / dN = rN
survival of both partners is 10. Soil is composed of
(a) mutualism/symbiosis (a) mineral + water + wir
(b) commensalism (b) mineral + organic matter + air + water
(c) amensalism (c) mineral + organic matter + air + water
(d) both (a) and (b) (d) organic matter + water
3. Soil best suited for plant growth is 11. Biotic factors are
(a) clay (b) loam (a) chemical factors of soil which effect life
(c) sandy (d) gravel (b) physical factors of soil which effect life
4. Sunken stomata is the characteristic feature of (c) all living organisms which influence other
(a) hydrophyte (b) mesophyte organisms
(c) xerophyte (d) halophyte (d) atmospheric factors which influence life
5. Which part of the world has a high density of 12. 'Eco' term refers as
organisms? (a) biosphere (b) environment
(a) Grasslands (c) organisms (d) plants
(b) Savannahs 13. In commensalism
(c) Deciduous forests (a) population of commensal and host remains
(d) Tropical rain forests unaffected
6. In a population unrestricted reproductive (b) population of commensal may increase
capacity is called as while that of host remains unaffected
(a) biotic potential (c) population of both commensal and host
(b) fertility increases
(c) carrying capacity (d) population of commensal increases while
the population of host gradually decreases
(d) birth rate 14. Species is a
7. Choose the correct sequence of stages of growth (a) group immediately below a phylum
curve for bacteria (b) closely related interbreeding population
(a) Lag, log, stationary, decline phase (c) taxonomic division of similar genera
(b) Lag, log, stationary phase (d) closely related non-breeding population
(c) Stationary, lag, log, decline phase 15. Ecology takes into account only
(d) Decline, lag, log phase (a) environmental factors
8. The maximum growth rate occurs in (b) plant adaptations
(a) stationary phase (b) senescent phase (c) effect of environment on plants
(c) lag phase (d) exponential phase (d) All of the above
292 Question Bank-BIOLOGY
16. Competition for light, nutrients and space is most 23. Xeric environment is characterised by
severe between (a) precipitation
(a) closely related organism growing in different (b) low atmospheric humidity
niches (c) extremes of temperature
(b) closely related organisms growing in the (d) high rate of vapourisation
same area/niche 24. Animals that can tolerate a narrow range of
(c) distantly related organisms growing in the salinity are
same habitat (a) stenohaline (b) euryhaline
(d) distantly related organisms growing in (c) anadromous (d) catadromous
different niches 25. In a food chain, the largest population is that of
17. Homeostasis is (a) producers
(a) tendency of biological systems to change (b) decomposers
with change in environment (c) secondary consumers
(b) tendency of biological systems to resist change (d) primary consumers
(c) disturbance of self regulatory system and 26. In India, human population is heavily weighed
natural controls towards the younger age groups as a result of
(d) biotic materials used in homeopathic (a) short life span of many individuals and low
medicines birth rate
18. Which one is true? (b) long life span of many individuals and low
(a) Commensalism when none of the interacting birth rate
populations affect each other (c) short life span ofmany individuals and high
(b) Symbiosis when the interaction is useful to birth rate
both the populations (d) long life span of many individuals and high
(c) Symbiosis when neither populations affects birth rate
each other 27. Human population growth in India
(d) Commensalism when the interaction is (a) tends to follow a sigmoid curve as in case
useful to both the populations of many other animal species
19. A fertile agricultural soil appears deep coloured (b) tends to reach a zero population growth as
at the surface as compared to soil one metre in case of some animal species
down. The reason for colour of top soil is (c) can be reduced by permitting natural
(a) more moisture calamities and enforcing birth control
(b) rich in organic matter measures
(c) rich in iron, calcium and magnesium (d) can be regulated by following the national
(d) recent formation programme of family planning
20. Soil particles size determine its 28. The nature of climax community ultimately
(a) texture depends on
(b) field capacity (a) climate
(c) water holding capacity (b) bed rock
(d) soil flora (c) soil organisms
21. The sum total of the populations of the same (d) pool of available nutrients
kind of organisms constitute 29. In increasing order of organizational complexity,
(a) colony (b) genus which one of the following is the correct
(c) community (d) species sequence?
22. Association of animals when one species is (a) Population, species, community, ecosystem
harmed and the other one is unaffected (b) Population, variety, species, ecosystem
(a) colony (b) mutualism (c) Population, ecosystem, species, community
(c) commensalism (d) amensalism (d) Species, variety, ecosystem, community
Organisms and Environment
30. Keystone species in an ecosystem are those
(a) present in maximum number
(b) that are most frequent
(c) attaining a large biomass
(d) contributing to ecosystem properties
31. What is the most important factor for the success
of animal population?
(a) Natality
(b) Unlimited food
(c) Adaptability
(d) Inter-species activity
32. Two opposite forces operate in the growth and
development of every population. One of them
relates to the ability to reproduce at a given rate.
The force opposing to it is called
(a) mortality
(b) fecundity
(c) biotic control
(d) environmental resistance
33. Which of the following communities is more
vulnerable to invasion by outside animals and
plants ?
(a) Tropical evergreen forests
(b) Oceanic island communities
(c) Mangroves
(d) Temperate forests
34. The semilog of per minute growing bacteria is
plotted against time. What will be the shape of
graph?
(a) Sigmoid
(b) Hyperbolic
(c) Ascending straight line
(d) Descending straight line
35. What is true about keystone species ?
(a) A species which makes up only a small
proportion of the total biomass of a
community, yet has a huge impact on the
community’s organization and survival
(b) A common species that has plenty of
biomass, yet has a fairly low impact on the
community’s organization
(c) A rare species that has minimal impact on
the biomass and on other species in the
community
(d) A dominant species that constitutes a large
proportion of the biomass and which affects
many other species
293
36. In which one of the following habitats does the
diurnal temperature of soil surface vary most?
(a) Shrub land (b) Forest
(c) Desert (d) Grassland
37. Certain characteristic demographic features of
developing countries are
(a) high fertility, low or rapidly falling mortality
rate, rapid population growth and a very
young age distribution
(b) high fertility, high density, rapidly rising
mortality rate and a very young age
distribution
(c) high infant mortality, low fertility, uneven
population growth and a very young age
distribution
(d) high mortality, high density, uneven
population growth and a very old age
distribution
38. Geometric representation of age structure is a
characteristic of
(a) population (b) landscape
(c) ecosystem (d) biotic community
39. The population of an insect species shows an
explosive increase in numbers during rainy
season followed by its disappearance at the end
of the season. What does this show?
(a) The food plants mature and die at the end
of the rainy season
(b) Its population growth curve is of J-type
(c) The population of its predators increases
enormously
(d) S-shaped or sigmoid growth of this insect.
40. Two plants can be conclusively said to belong
to the same species if they
(a) have more than 90 per cent similar genes
(b) look similar and possess identical secondary
metabolites
(c) have same number of chromosomes
(d) can reproduce freely with each other and
form seeds
41. A high density of elephant population in an area
can result in
(a) intra specific competition
(b) inter specific competition
(c) predation on one another
(d) mutualism
294 Question Bank-BIOLOGY
42. What is true about the isolated small tribal 48. When both partners/components are affected
populations? negatively, the nature of interaction is
(a) There is a decline in population as boys (a) commensalism (b) predation
marry girls only from their own tribe (c) competition (d) amensalism
(b) Hereditary disease like colour blindness do 49. Small fish get stuck near the bottom of a shark
not spread in the isolated population and derives its nutrition from it. This kind of
association is called as
(c) Wrestlers who develop strong body (a) symbiosis (b) commensalism
muscles in their life time pass this character (c) predation (d) parasitism
on to their progeny 50. The possible beneficial affect of grazing animals
(d) There is no change in population size as is the
they have a large gene pool (a) removal of wild animals
43. If the number of fauna increases than the flora of (b) eradication of weeds
an ecosystem then it is danger because it (c) removal of wild plants
increases (d) addition of their excrete to the soil
(a) percentage of radioactive fallout 51. Which biological factor is responsible for poor
(b) percentage of carbondioxide vegetation in deserts?
(c) percentage of oxygen (a) Grazing by animals and goats
(d) percentage of diseases (b) Low rainfall
44. Which of the following is correct ? (c) Poor fertility of soil
(a) Number of extinct species exceeds the (d) Native mankind
number of living species 52. Which of the following is a climatic factor?
(b) Number of living species exceeds the (a) Oxygen (b) Temperature
number of extinct species (c) Soil structure (d) Altitude
(c) Number of taxonomic species exceeds the 53. The sun loving plants are referred to as
number of biological species (a) halophytes (b) heliophytes
(d) Number of taxonomic species is equal to (c) heterotrophs (d) sciophytes
the number of biological species 54. Deforestation has an alarming effect on
45. The geographic limit within which a population (a) increase in grazing area
(b) sunlight
exists is called (c) weed control
(a) niche (b) ecosystem (d) soil erosion or desertification of habitat
(c) habitat (d) biome 55. Which symbol represents intrinsic rate of
46. Biotic potential refers to increase ?
(a) increase of population under optimum (a) Nt (b) No
conditions (c) r (d) e
(b) increase of population under given 56. Find out the wrong statement.
conditions (a) Habitat includes both biotic and abiotic
(c) increase of population under natural factors.
conditions (b) Abiotic and biotic components interact
(d) increase of population under climatic constantly with each other.
conditions (c) Abiotic components alone can characterize
47. The carrying capacity of a population is the habitat of an organism.
determined by its
(a) birth rate (d) Major abiotic factors includes temperature,
(b) death rate water, light and soil.
(c) limiting resource
(d) reproductive status
Organisms and Environment 295
57. Read the following statements and choose the C. Parasitism III. Cactus and
correct option. Moth
(i) Light is essential for life to exist on the earth. D. Competition IV. Orchid and
(ii) Many species of small plants under the Mango
canopy to tall trees in forest show optimal (a) A – III, B – IV, C – I, D – II
use of available light due to having large (b) A – IV, B – III, C – II, D – I
sized antenna and higher number of (c) A – I, B – III, C – II, D – IV
thylakoids. (d) A – III, B – IV, C – II, D – I
(iii) UV rays are not harmful tomany organisms. 60. Match list I with list II and choose the correct
(iv) Photoperiodic requirement is essential for option.
many plants for flowering. List I List II
(v) Red algae can live in deeper water of sea A. Pacific salmon fish I Verhulst - pearl
because of having pigment, phycoerythrin. logistic growth
(a) (i) and (iii) arecorrect B. Nt = N0e rt II Breed only once in
(b) (i), (iii)and (iv) are correct life time
(c) only (iii) is correct C. Oyster III Exponential growth
(d) (i), (ii), (iv) and (v) are correct IV A large number of
58. (i) Thermoregulation energetically least D. dN/dt = rN éêë K K- N ùúû small sized
expensive process for many organisms like offsprings
shrews and humming birds. (a) A – IV; B – III; C – I; D – II
(ii) 99% animals and nearly all plants cannot (b) A – III; B – IV; C – I; D – II
maintain their constant internal (c) A – III; B – I; C – IV; D – II
environment. (d) A – II; B – III; C – IV; D – I
(iii) During the course of evolution, the costs 61. The density of a population in a given habitat
and heights of maintaining a constant during a given period, fluctuates due to changes
internal environment are discarded. in four basic processes On this basis fill up A
(iv) In aquatic animals, the osmotic and B boxes in the given in the given diagram
concentration of the body fluids change with correct options –
with that of the ambient water osmotic
concentration.
(a) (i) and (ii) are wrong A + Population –
(b) (iii) and (iv) are wrong Density B
(N)
(c) (i) and (iii) are wrong
(d) (ii) and (iii) are wrong (a) A = Natality + Immigration, B = Mortality +
59. Match the following Emigration
Population Example (b) A = Natality + Mortality, B = Immigration +
A. Predation I. Cuscuta and Emigration
hedge plants (c) A = Birth rate + Death rate, B = Mortality +
Emigration
B. Commensalism II. Balanus (d) A = Natality+ Emigration, B = Mortality +
and Immigration
Chathamalus
296 Question Bank-BIOLOGY
62. Identify I to IV which affect the population
density. Species 1 Species 2
Alone
Alone
Immigration
II Population
individuals With With
Species 2 Species I
I Population Time
Natality Density Mortality
III
IV Interpretation of these graphs shows that
Emigration (a) competitive exclusion occurred in the these
experiments.
I II III IV (b) both species are affected by interspecific
(a) Increase Decrease Increase Decrease competition but species 1 is affect less.
(b) Decrease Increase Decrease Increase (c) both species are affected by interspecific
competition but species 2 is affected less.
(c) Increase Increase Decrease Decrease
(d) Decrease Decrease Increase Increase (d) both species are affected equally by
interspecific competition.
63. In laboratory experiments, two species of the 64. If N is the population density at time t, then its
protist Paramecium were grown alone and in density at time t + 1 is
the presence of the other species. The following (a) Nt + 1 = Nt + [(B + I) + (D + E)]
graphs show growth of species 1 (left) and (b) Nt + 1 = Nt – [(B + I) + (D + E)]
species 2 (right), both along and when in mixed (c) Nt + 1 = Nt + [(B + I) – (D + E)]
culture.
(d) Nt + 1 = Nt – [(B + I) – (D + E)]
65. In exponential growth, the increase or decrease
in population size during a unit period is
(a) (B + I ) – (D + E) (b) (b + d) – N
(c) N × (b – d) (d) r + N
ANSWER KEY
1 (d) 11 (c) 21 (d) 31 (c) 41 (a) 51 (b) 61 (a)
2 (a) 12 (b) 22 (d) 32 (d) 42 (a) 52 (b) 62 (c)
3 (b) 13 (b) 23 (b) 33 (b) 43 (b) 53 (b) 63 (c)
4 (c) 14 (b) 24 (a) 34 (c) 44 (a) 54 (d) 64 (c)
5 (d) 15 (d) 25 (a) 35 (a) 45 (c) 55 (c) 65 (c)
6 (a) 16 (b) 26 (c) 36 (c) 46 (a) 56 (c)
7 (a) 17 (b) 27 (d) 37 (a) 47 (c) 57 (d)
8 (d) 18 (b) 28 (a) 38 (a) 48 (c) 58 (c)
9 (c) 19 (b) 29 (a) 39 (b) 49 (b) 59 (a)
10 (c) 20 (a) 30 (d) 40 (d) 50 (d) 60 (d)
Organisms and Environment
HINTS & SOLUTIONS
2. (a) Symbiosis or mutualism is a mutually
beneficial association necessary for the survival
of both the partners.
3. (b) Loam soil is best suited for plant growth
because it possesses good aeration, nutritive salts
and good water retaining capacity.
4. (c) Sunken stomata is the characteristic feature
of xerophytes which help in reducing loss ofwater
from leaf surface. These type of stomata are found
in oleander or pine.
5. (d) Tropical rain forests occur in equatorial and
subequatorial regions. The forests receive all the
external inputs for optimum plant growth. Due to
abundant plant growth, a large number of animals
live in tropical rain forests. In grasslands fire occur
periodically which prevent tree growth. In
savannahs periods of drought are common. In
deciduous forests are found predominantly broad
leaved hard wood deciduous trees.
6. (a) Carrying capacity refers to the maximum
number of individuals that can be sustained by
the environment. Birth rate refers to number of
births per unit population.
7. (a) The growth curve for bacteria is sigmoid.
First phase is the phase of slow growth- lag phase.
Second phase is the period of accelerated growth
- log phase. Third phase is the phase when growth
rate becomes stable-stationary phase. Finally
growth rate declines.
8. (d) In the sigmoid growth curve growth is slow
in the lag phase. Growth rate remains stable during
the stationary phase and it declines during the
senescent phase. Growth increases logarithmically
during the exponential phase.
9. (c) The formula of exponential growth is where
is the rate of change in population size, r is the
biotic potential and N is the population size.
14. (b) Species is a group of organisms which
interbreed freely and produce fertile offsprings
in nature.
15. (d) Ecology is the branch of biology that deals
with the inter relationships amongst organisms
and interactions between organisms and their
environment.
16. (b) Competition is most severe between the
members of a population belonging to same niche.
297
17. (b) Homeostasis is the property of an open
system, especially living organisms, to regulate
its internal environment to maintain a stable,
constantcondition, by means of multiple dynamic
equilibrium adjustments, controlled by interrelated
regulation mechanisms.
18. (b) When the interaction is useful for both the
populations.
19. (b) High organic matter darkens the colour of soil.
20. (a) Soil particles size defines its texture. The
mineral particles present in soil, vary enormously
in size.
21. (d) A species is a group of individuals of same
kind of phenotypic characters and can interbreed
easily.
23. (b) Xeric environment is found in deserts where
temperature remains high in the day and low
during the night and air humidity is very low.
24. (a) Stenohaline : ‘Steno’ meaning narrow and
‘haline’meaning salt.A fish cannot handle a wide
fluctuation in salt content in water. Many fresh
water fishes tend to be stenohaline and die in
environments of high salinity such as the ocean.
Fish living in coastal estuaries and tide pools are
often euryhaline (tolerant to changes in salinity)
as are many species which have life cycle requiring
tolerance to both fresh water and sea water
environments such as Salmon.
25. (a) Number of individuals decreases at successive
trophic levels.
26. (c) In India, there is short life span of individuals
and high birth rate as compared toother countries.
That is why, the human population is heavily
weighed towards the younger age groups.
27. (d) Human population growth in India can be
regulated by following the national programme
of family planning.
28. (a) In ecological succession, climax community
is a stable, self perpetuating biotic community
developing towards the end of biotic succession
in an area and is in harmony with the climate of
the region.
29. (a) Population is an aggregation or grouping of
individuals of the same species at the same time
in a particular area. Species is a grouping of
298
individuals of one or more populations resembling
each other in important morphological, anatomical
and biochemical characters and can potentially
interbreed. Biotic community is an assemblage of
interdependent, and ecosystem is a self sufficient
and self regulating segment of nature comprising
of a biotic community and its physical
environment, both interacting and exchanging
materials. The basic level of ecological
organisation starts with the individual, the next
more complex levels are populations, species,
community and then ecosystem.
30. (d) The keystone species in an ecosystem are
those who are the main contributors to the
ecosystem.
31. (c) Natality refers to the rate at which new
individuals are born. Adaptability refers to the
capacity of the organisms to adapt themselves to
their environment.
32. (d) Mortality is the average number of natural
deaths per unit population per unit time. Fecundity
refers to the biotic potential of the organism.
Environmental resistance is the sum total of all
limiting factors that prevents a population to
realize its full potential.
33. (b) This is so because oceanic islands are
normally cut off from other habitats.
34. (c) Semilog of per minute growing bacterium
when plotted against time, would yield ascending
straight line.
35. (a) A keystone species is the one which makes
up only a small proportion of the total biomass of
a community, yet has a huge impact on the
community’s organization and survival.
36. (c) Desert shows maximum difference between
day and night temperature.
37. (a) Demography is the study of population in all
aspects. Fertility refers to the number of children
per couple. Mortality rate is the average number
of natural deaths per unit population per unit
time.Age distribution refers to the proportionate
occurrence of individuals of the three age groups.
Developing countries usually have high rate of
population growth, because of increasing fertility
and declining mortality.
38. (a) Geometric representation of age structure is
a characteristic of population.
39. (b) If a population (e.g reindeer population) is
allowed to grow in a predator free environment,
Question Bank-BIOLOGY
the population grows beyond carrying capacity
and there occurs population crash due to sudden
shortage of food. Such growth curves also occur
in insect populations during rainy season, and in
algal blooms.
40. (d) When the members of a species are inter -
fertile and produce fertile offsprings.
41. (a) It is competition between individuals of same
species. The intraspecific competition may be
very severe because all the members of a species
have similar requirements of food, habitat mate,
etc and they also have similar adaptations to get
their needs.
42. (a) There is a declinein population as boys marry
girls only from their own tribe in the isolated small
tribal populations.
46. (a) Biotic potential is the maximum capacity of a
population to reproduce under ideal conditions
(environmental).
47. (c) The carrying capacity of a population is
determined by its limiting resources. Carrying
capacity is the upper limit of an ecosystem upto
which it can provide the basic needs to the
population under given circumstances.
49. (b) Commensalism is an association between two
organisms in which one is benefitted without the
other being harmed e.g. - sucker fish has a hold
fast and attached itself underside of shark and
thus remains protected and also get food left over
when shark is feeding on its prey.
57. (d) An overexposureto UV-B radiation can cause
sunburn and some form of skin cancer. In humans,
prolonged exposure to solar UV-radiation may
result in acute and chronic health effects on the
skin, eye and immune system. Moreover, UV-C
can cause adverse effects that can variously be
mutagenic or carcinogenic.
58. (c) Thermoregulation is energetically expensive
for many organisms particularly true for small
animals like shrews and humming birds. During
the course of evolution, the costs benefits of
maintaining a constant internal environment are
taken into consideration.
64. (c) Population density will increase if the number
of births plus the number of immigrant (B + I) is
more than the number of deaths plus the number
of emigrants (D + E), otherwise it will decrease.
Births and deaths are the most important factors
influencing population density.