Anna University EEE EVS GE 2201 Environmental Science and Engineering 2 Marks and 16 Marks Important Questions
Anna University EEE EVS GE 2201 Environmental Science and Engineering 2 Marks and 16 Marks Important Questions from all 5 Units for 3rd Semester EEE Department are provided here below. We will Provide all the Important Questions all all Departments B.Tech EEE here for Anna University Time To Time. Keep visit our website for all Important Questions and Answer Time To Time from here. All the Best to all the students who are going to appear for the examination.
Question Bank UNIT-I Part A
1. Define Environment.
The Physical, chemical and biological presence of living and non-living things outside an individual species is called as its environment. According to ISO 14001, environment can be defined as, “Surroundings in which an organization operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans and inter relation”.
2. What are all the categories of environment?
The main categories of environment are biotic and abiotic environments. The abiotic environment can further be classified into atmosphere (air), lithosphere (soil), and hydrosphere (water). The biotic environment is called as biosphere.
3. Write the components of environment?
Air (Atmosphere)
Land (Lithosphere)
Water (Hydrosphere)
biosphere
4. Mention any two awareness programme of environmental issues to student?
a. Participating in seminars and courses related to environment issues.
b. Discussion with people about the environmental problems.
5. Define deforestation?
Deforestation refers to the removal of plants in the forest.
6. List the Causes of deforestation?
Slash and Burn farming.
Commercial agriculture.
Cattle ranching and livestock grazing.
Mining and petroleum exploration.
Infrastructure development.
Fuel wood collection.
Tree Plantations.
7. Define Surface water.
Precipitation that does not soak into the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration is called surface water. It forms streams, lakes, wetlands, and artificial reservoirs.
8. What is Groundwater?
The subsurface area where all available soil and rock spaces are filled by water is called the zone of saturation, and the water in these pores is called ground water.
9. What is Rock?
Rock is any material that makes up a large natural, continuous part of the earth’s crust. Some kinds of rock, such as limestone (calcium carbonate, or CaCO3) and quartzite (silicon dioxide or SiO2), contain only one mineral, but most rocks consist of two or more minerals.
10. Give the classification of Mineral Resources.
Energy resources (coal, oil, natural gas, uranium, and geothermal energy; metallic mineral resources (iron, copper, and aluminium) and nonmetallic minerals resources (salt, gypsum, and clay, sand, phosphates, water, and soil).
11. Classify food production.
There are two types of food production
a. Industrialized Agriculture
b. Traditional Agriculture
Subsistence Agriculture
Intensive Agriculture
12. Define Traditional Agriculture.
Traditional Agriculture can be classified as Traditional Subsistence agriculture and Traditional Intensive agriculture. Traditional Subsistence agriculture produces enough crops or live stock for a farm family’s survival and in good years, a surplus to sell or put aside for hard times. In Traditional Intensive agriculture farmers increase their inputs of human and draft labour, fertilizer, and water to get a higher yield per area of cultivated land to produce enough food.
13. List some of the food resources available in the world.
Major food sources available in the world to cater the human’s hunger are 12 types of seeds and grains, 3 root crops, 20 common fruits and vegetables, 6 mammals, 2 domestic fowl, few fishes and other forms of marine life ,etc.
14. Classify energy resources?
Available conventional energy sources can be divided into two categories
a) Renewable Energy Sources
b) Non Renewable Energy Sources
15. Draw the flow chart of petroleum fractionation process.
16. Write the advantages and disadvantages of petroleum as a energy resources?
As a source of energy petroleum has many advantages
i. It is relatively cheap to extract and transport
ii. It requires little processing to produce desired products and
iii. It has relatively high net and useful energy yield.
However it has certain disadvantages also,
i. Produces Environmental pollution
ii. Oil spills, in ocean cause water pollution and is expensive to clean up.
17. Write short notes on petroleum gas.
It is the mixture of three hydrocarbons butane, propane and ethane. The main constituent of petroleum gas is butane. The above gases are in gaseous state in ordinary pressure but they can be liquefied under high pressure. So it is called as LPG. (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). A domestic cylinder contains 14 kg of LPG. A strong smelling substance called ethyl mercaptian is added to LPG gas cylinder to help in the detection of gas leakage.
18. What are fission neutrons?
The fission process is accompanied not only by the release of energy also it releases neutrons called as fission neutrons.
19. Name the several types of nuclear reactors.
Light water Reactor (LWR)
Heavy water Reactor (HWR)
Gas Cooled Reactor (GCR)
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)
Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR)
20. List some of the renewable energy sources.
Solar energy
Wind energy
Hydro energy
Geo-thermal energy
Ocean thermal energy
Biogas
21. Write short notes on Tidal energy.
Tides, the alternate rise and fall of sea water possess lot of energy. The identified tidal power potential inIndia is around 9000 MW. Currently France, Russia, china and Canada are effectively utilizing the tidal energy to produce 2 to 3% of their energy demand.
22. Narrate the advantages and disadvantages of the Hydel power.
Hydel power has the following advantages.
· Clean Source of energy
· Provides irrigation facilities
· Provides drinking water to the people living around
It also has some environmental and socio-economic problems like submerged forests and agricultural land, loss of biodiversity, water logging and silting etc.
23. Define Soil Erosion.
Soil erosion is the movement of soil components, especially surface litter and top soil, from one place to another. The two main movers are flowing water and wind.
24. Write short notes on Desertification.
It is a problem where by the productive potential of arid or semiarid land falls by 10% or more and is caused mostly by human activities.
Desertification is classified into three categories
1. Moderate - Having 10 to 25% drop in productivity
2. Severe - Having 25 to 50% drop in Productivity
3. Very Severe- Having 50% or more, creating huge gullies and sand dunes.
25. List some ways to protect soil.
a. When the buildings are constructed, all the trees shall be saved.
b. Setting a composite bin and it shall be used for producing mulch and soil conditioner for yard and garden planets.
c. Organic methods can be used for growing vegetables.
d. Strictly enforcing laws and policies that minimize soil erosion, salt buildup and water logging.
26. What is equitable use of resources?
The Equitable use of resources is a concept that deals with the rational use of resources so that a harmony between man’s resource requirement and its availability can be established.
Part B
1. Explain about the importance of environmental study.
Any16 points with explanation
2. Explain about the ways to create public awareness in environmental issues.
16 points with explanation
3. Discuss about over-exploitation of forests.
i. Causes
ii. Consequences
iii. A case study
4. Explain briefly about the conventional energy sources.
i. Coal
ii. Oil or Petroleum
iii. Natural gas
iv. Nuclear energy
5. What are the role of individual in conservation of natural resources and sustainability?
i. Conserve water
ii. Conserve energy
iii. Protect the soil
iv. Promote sustainable agriculture
UNIT-II
Part A
1. Define ecosystem.
Ecosystem has been defined as a system of interaction of organisms with their surroundings. Numerous dynamic interactions are occurring with in an ecosystem and these are complex.
2. List any four characteristics of ecosystem.
(i). Ecosystem is the major ecological unit
(ii). It contains both biotic and abiotic components.
(iii). The boundary of the ecosystem is not rigidly defined and it is flexible.
(iv). Through the biotic and abiotic components nutrient cycle and energy flow occur.
3. What are the different types of ecosystem?
· Natural Ecosystem
· Artificial Ecosystem
· Incomplete Ecosystem
4. What are the biotic components of an ecosystem?
a. Producers (Autotrophs)
b. Consumers (Heterotrophs)
c. Decomposers
5. What are the autotrophs?
Producers or Autotrophs are organisms that are capable of making their required food themselves. (Auto=self, troph=feeder). Green plants, grasses, mosses, shrubs, etc., are some of the examples of autotrophic components.
6. Define heterotrophs?
Those organisms which depend on others (Producers-Autotrophs) for their energy requirements are known as Consumers or Heterotrophs. Since the animals are not having chlorophyll, they are unable to produce their own food. (Hetero=other, troph=feeder).
7. List the abiotic components of an ecosystem.
a. Climatic factors-Solar radiation, Temperature, Wind, Water current, rainfall, etc.
b. Physical factors-Light, Fire, pressure, etc.,
c. Chemical factors – Acidity, Salinity, Inorganic nutrients, etc.
8. Differentiate between Kinetic energy and Potential energy.
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by virtue of its motion from one place to another. This is measured by the amount of work done in bringing the body to rest.
9. Define ecological succession.
Ecological succession is defined as the process in which communities of plant and animal species in a particular area are replaced over time by a series of different and often more complex communities.
10. Define primary succession.
The succession taking place in areas that have not already been occupied by any community
11. Define secondary succession.
Development of a new community in an area where the previously existing community was removed and the ecological conditions are favourable is termed as secondary succession.
12. What do you know about autogenic succession and allogenic succession?
Allogenic succession (Allo=outside, genic=related) is the type of development occurred in the ecosystem due to the interaction of external physical forces acting on it. Autogenic succession (Auto=inside, self propelling) is the type of development occurred in the ecosystem due to the developmental process generated with in the system.
13. What are the characteristics of pioneer species?
It has less population.
Its nutrient requirement is very less.
The rate of growth should be as low as possible.
It should be more dynamic to face interspecific and intraspecific competitions.
14. Define seral stage.
Seral stage is defined as the development of secondary community from the pioneers. Each seral stage appears, grows and finally disappears as the environmental changes occur. Each seral stage has its particular community called seral community.
15. What are the three theories related to climax communities?
Mono climax theory
Poly climax theory
Climax pattern theory.
16. What do you know about food chain and food web?
A food chain is a picture or model that shows the flow of energy from Autotrophs to a series of organisms in an environment. The network like interaction of organisms is called as food web.
17. Name three types of food chains.
a. Grazing food chain
b. Detrius or Decomposer food chain
c. Parasitic food chain
18. Define ecological pyramids.
The representation of amount of energy stored in the bodies of living thing is called as Ecological pyramids.
19. What is a forest?
A forest is a living community of various species of trees and smaller forms of vegetation. This type of biome contains moderate to high average annual rainfall.
20. How can you classify forests?
· Tropical rain forests
· Temperate forests
· Polar (or) Boreal forests
21. What do you know about grasslands?
Grasslands are grassy, windy, partly-dry biome. Almost one- fourth of the Earth’s land area is covered by grassland. Any more, the land would become a forest. Any less, the land would become a desert. The grasslands mostly separate forests from deserts. Most of the grasslands are found in the interiors of continents and rain shadows.
22. What are the types of grasslands?
· Tropical grasslands (Savannah)
· Temperate grasslands
· Polar grasslands (Tundra)
23. List the three types of savannahs?
· Climatic savannah
· Edapic savannah
· Derived savannah.
24. What are major human impacts on grasslands?
· Conversion of grassland to cropland
· Overgrazing of grassland by farm animals.
· Damage by oil production, air and water pollution and vehicles movement.
25. How do the desert plants adopt to the climate?
Most of the plants have the ability to lack of rainfall. They have widespread roots which are close to the surface. This enables the roots to absorb water quickly, before it evaporates. Plants like ‘Cactus’ survives because of their thick waxy layer on the outside of its stems and leaves. This helps to retain water and protect tissues severe sunlight.
26. What are the different types of desert biome?
· Hot and dry deserts
· Semiarid deserts
· Coastal deserts
· Cold deserts.
27. Define freshwater.
Freshwater is defined as water with less than 1% salt concentration. Plants and animals live in freshwater are adjusted to its low salt concentration.
28. How can you differentiate ponds and lakes?
Ponds are small fresh water bodies surrounded by land and lakes are large fresh water bodies surrounded by land. Most of the ponds are seasonal and exist for just few months or years or more.
29. What are the different zones of ponds?
· Littoral zone,
· Limnetic zone, and
· Profundal zone.
30. What are estuaries?
The places where freshwater streams or rivers connect together with the salt water are called estuaries.
31. List the importance of estuaries.
These are important as nursery sites for many kinds of fish and crustaceans like flounder and shrimp
Mixing of many pollutants in the ocean is prevented by the action of trapping of sediments which are carried by the river.
32. What are coral reefs?
Corals are animals, which contain algae called zooanthellae and tissues of animal polyp. A reef is a rocky outcrop rises from the sea floor which is made up of calcareous material, concealed by the coral animals themselves and by red and green algae. Since reef waters tend to be nutritionally poor, corals obtain the required energy from the photosynthetic algae that live in the reef.
33. What are the three basic forms of coral reef?
· Fringing reefs
· Barrier reefs
· Atolls
34. Define bio diversity.
Biodiversity is defined as ‘richness of species (micro- organisms, plants and animals) occurring in a given habitat’. It is the sum of genes, species and ecosystems.
35. What are the three types of biodiversity?
· Genetic Level or Genetic diversity
· Species Level or Species diversity
· Ecosystem Level or Ecosystem diversity.
36. Define genetic diversity.
Genetic diversity is the variation of genes within species. Genes are the basic units of all life on earth. They are responsible for both the similarities and the differences between organisms.
37. Define species diversity.
Species diversity is the number of different species of living things available in an area. Species is a group of plants or animals that are similar and able to breed and produce viable offspring under natural conditions. This type of diversity is the most common level of diversity.
38. Define ecosystem diversity.
Ecosystem diversity is the variety of ecosystems in a given place. An ecosystem is a community of organisms and their physical environment interacting together. An ecosystem can cover a large area, such as a whole forest, or a small area, such as a pond.
39. What are the two main functions of biodiversity?
· It is the source of species on which the human compete depends for food, fiber, shelter, fuel and medicine.
· It depends on the biosphere, which in turn leads to the stability in climate, water, soil, air, and the overall health of biosphere.
40. Define biogeography.
The study of the geographical distribution of biological species relating to the geological, evolutionary, climatological, geographical, biological reasons for the distribution is called biogeography.
41. What are the three kinds of deserts in India?
· The desert of western Rajasthan
· The desert of Gujarat
· The high-altitude cold desert of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
42. Define biodiversity hotspot.
Biodiversity hotspots are areas:
• Rich in plant and animal species, particularly many endemic species, and
• Under immediate threat from impacts such as land clearing, development pressures, salinity, weeds and feral animals.
43. On what basis a region is designated as hotspot?
The biological basis for hotspot designation is plant diversity. A region is qualified as hotspot, only if the region supports 1,500 endemic plant species, 0.5% of the global total.
A region is qualified as hotspot, only if the region has lost 70% of its original habitat.
44. List some of the major biodiversity threats.
Habitat destruction
Extension of agriculture
Filling up of wetlands
Conversion of rich bio-diversity site for human settlement and industrial development
Destruction of coastal areas
Uncontrolled commercial exploitation
45. What are the main causes of habitat loss?
Agricultural activities,
Extraction (including mining, fishing logging and harvesting) and
Developmental activities (human settlements, industry and associated infrastructure)
46. Define fragmentation.
Fragmentation is defined as the process of division of a population into number of small and smaller groups. Habitat loss and fragmentation leads to the formation of isolated, small, scattered populations.
47. What do you know about conservation of biodiversity?
‘Conservation is defined as the management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations’.
48. What are the two types of biodiversity conservation?
a. In-situ conservation and
b. Ex-situ conservation
49. What do you know about in-situ conservation and ex-situ conservation?
In-situ conservation is defined as the conservation of genetic resources through their maintenance within natural or even human made ecosystems in which they occur.
Ex-situ conservation is defined as the conservation made outside of the habitat of an ecosystem.
Part B
1. Explain briefly about the characteristic of ecosystems.
Any 10 points with explanation
2. How can you classify the ecosystems?
i. Natural ecosystem
ii. Artificial ecosystem
iii. Incomplete ecosystem
3. Discuss about the structural and functional components of an ecosystem.
i. Structural Components
· Biotic structure
· Abiotic structure
ii. Functional components
· Food chain, food web, trophic structure
iii. Energy Flow
iv. Cycling of nutrients
v. Primary and secondary production
vi. Ecosystem development and regulation
4. With a neat sketch explain about the energy and nutrient flow through an ecosystem.
i. Energy flow laws
ii. Model
iii. Nutrient cycling
· Nitrogen cycle
· Carbon cycle
· Phosphorus cycle
· Hydrological cycle
5. Explain about the different types of biodiversity.
i. Genetic diversity
ii. Species diversity
iii. Ecosystem diversity
6. Discuss regarding biogeographical classification of India.
India’s major biogeographic habitats
7. Classify and explain about the value of biodiversity.
i. Consumptive use value
ii. Productive use value
iii. Social value
iv. Ethical value
v. Aesthetic value
vi. Option values
vii. Ecosystem service value
Question Bank UNIT-I Part A
1. Define Environment.
The Physical, chemical and biological presence of living and non-living things outside an individual species is called as its environment. According to ISO 14001, environment can be defined as, “Surroundings in which an organization operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans and inter relation”.
2. What are all the categories of environment?
The main categories of environment are biotic and abiotic environments. The abiotic environment can further be classified into atmosphere (air), lithosphere (soil), and hydrosphere (water). The biotic environment is called as biosphere.
3. Write the components of environment?
Air (Atmosphere)
Land (Lithosphere)
Water (Hydrosphere)
biosphere
4. Mention any two awareness programme of environmental issues to student?
a. Participating in seminars and courses related to environment issues.
b. Discussion with people about the environmental problems.
5. Define deforestation?
Deforestation refers to the removal of plants in the forest.
6. List the Causes of deforestation?
Slash and Burn farming.
Commercial agriculture.
Cattle ranching and livestock grazing.
Mining and petroleum exploration.
Infrastructure development.
Fuel wood collection.
Tree Plantations.
7. Define Surface water.
Precipitation that does not soak into the ground or return to the atmosphere by evaporation or transpiration is called surface water. It forms streams, lakes, wetlands, and artificial reservoirs.
8. What is Groundwater?
The subsurface area where all available soil and rock spaces are filled by water is called the zone of saturation, and the water in these pores is called ground water.
9. What is Rock?
Rock is any material that makes up a large natural, continuous part of the earth’s crust. Some kinds of rock, such as limestone (calcium carbonate, or CaCO3) and quartzite (silicon dioxide or SiO2), contain only one mineral, but most rocks consist of two or more minerals.
10. Give the classification of Mineral Resources.
Energy resources (coal, oil, natural gas, uranium, and geothermal energy; metallic mineral resources (iron, copper, and aluminium) and nonmetallic minerals resources (salt, gypsum, and clay, sand, phosphates, water, and soil).
11. Classify food production.
There are two types of food production
a. Industrialized Agriculture
b. Traditional Agriculture
Subsistence Agriculture
Intensive Agriculture
12. Define Traditional Agriculture.
Traditional Agriculture can be classified as Traditional Subsistence agriculture and Traditional Intensive agriculture. Traditional Subsistence agriculture produces enough crops or live stock for a farm family’s survival and in good years, a surplus to sell or put aside for hard times. In Traditional Intensive agriculture farmers increase their inputs of human and draft labour, fertilizer, and water to get a higher yield per area of cultivated land to produce enough food.
13. List some of the food resources available in the world.
Major food sources available in the world to cater the human’s hunger are 12 types of seeds and grains, 3 root crops, 20 common fruits and vegetables, 6 mammals, 2 domestic fowl, few fishes and other forms of marine life ,etc.
14. Classify energy resources?
Available conventional energy sources can be divided into two categories
a) Renewable Energy Sources
b) Non Renewable Energy Sources
15. Draw the flow chart of petroleum fractionation process.
16. Write the advantages and disadvantages of petroleum as a energy resources?
As a source of energy petroleum has many advantages
i. It is relatively cheap to extract and transport
ii. It requires little processing to produce desired products and
iii. It has relatively high net and useful energy yield.
However it has certain disadvantages also,
i. Produces Environmental pollution
ii. Oil spills, in ocean cause water pollution and is expensive to clean up.
17. Write short notes on petroleum gas.
It is the mixture of three hydrocarbons butane, propane and ethane. The main constituent of petroleum gas is butane. The above gases are in gaseous state in ordinary pressure but they can be liquefied under high pressure. So it is called as LPG. (Liquefied Petroleum Gas). A domestic cylinder contains 14 kg of LPG. A strong smelling substance called ethyl mercaptian is added to LPG gas cylinder to help in the detection of gas leakage.
18. What are fission neutrons?
The fission process is accompanied not only by the release of energy also it releases neutrons called as fission neutrons.
19. Name the several types of nuclear reactors.
Light water Reactor (LWR)
Heavy water Reactor (HWR)
Gas Cooled Reactor (GCR)
Boiling Water Reactor (BWR)
Pressurised Water Reactor (PWR)
Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor (LMFBR)
20. List some of the renewable energy sources.
Solar energy
Wind energy
Hydro energy
Geo-thermal energy
Ocean thermal energy
Biogas
21. Write short notes on Tidal energy.
Tides, the alternate rise and fall of sea water possess lot of energy. The identified tidal power potential inIndia is around 9000 MW. Currently France, Russia, china and Canada are effectively utilizing the tidal energy to produce 2 to 3% of their energy demand.
22. Narrate the advantages and disadvantages of the Hydel power.
Hydel power has the following advantages.
· Clean Source of energy
· Provides irrigation facilities
· Provides drinking water to the people living around
It also has some environmental and socio-economic problems like submerged forests and agricultural land, loss of biodiversity, water logging and silting etc.
23. Define Soil Erosion.
Soil erosion is the movement of soil components, especially surface litter and top soil, from one place to another. The two main movers are flowing water and wind.
24. Write short notes on Desertification.
It is a problem where by the productive potential of arid or semiarid land falls by 10% or more and is caused mostly by human activities.
Desertification is classified into three categories
1. Moderate - Having 10 to 25% drop in productivity
2. Severe - Having 25 to 50% drop in Productivity
3. Very Severe- Having 50% or more, creating huge gullies and sand dunes.
25. List some ways to protect soil.
a. When the buildings are constructed, all the trees shall be saved.
b. Setting a composite bin and it shall be used for producing mulch and soil conditioner for yard and garden planets.
c. Organic methods can be used for growing vegetables.
d. Strictly enforcing laws and policies that minimize soil erosion, salt buildup and water logging.
26. What is equitable use of resources?
The Equitable use of resources is a concept that deals with the rational use of resources so that a harmony between man’s resource requirement and its availability can be established.
Part B
1. Explain about the importance of environmental study.
Any16 points with explanation
2. Explain about the ways to create public awareness in environmental issues.
16 points with explanation
3. Discuss about over-exploitation of forests.
i. Causes
ii. Consequences
iii. A case study
4. Explain briefly about the conventional energy sources.
i. Coal
ii. Oil or Petroleum
iii. Natural gas
iv. Nuclear energy
5. What are the role of individual in conservation of natural resources and sustainability?
i. Conserve water
ii. Conserve energy
iii. Protect the soil
iv. Promote sustainable agriculture
UNIT-II
Part A
1. Define ecosystem.
Ecosystem has been defined as a system of interaction of organisms with their surroundings. Numerous dynamic interactions are occurring with in an ecosystem and these are complex.
2. List any four characteristics of ecosystem.
(i). Ecosystem is the major ecological unit
(ii). It contains both biotic and abiotic components.
(iii). The boundary of the ecosystem is not rigidly defined and it is flexible.
(iv). Through the biotic and abiotic components nutrient cycle and energy flow occur.
3. What are the different types of ecosystem?
· Natural Ecosystem
· Artificial Ecosystem
· Incomplete Ecosystem
4. What are the biotic components of an ecosystem?
a. Producers (Autotrophs)
b. Consumers (Heterotrophs)
c. Decomposers
5. What are the autotrophs?
Producers or Autotrophs are organisms that are capable of making their required food themselves. (Auto=self, troph=feeder). Green plants, grasses, mosses, shrubs, etc., are some of the examples of autotrophic components.
6. Define heterotrophs?
Those organisms which depend on others (Producers-Autotrophs) for their energy requirements are known as Consumers or Heterotrophs. Since the animals are not having chlorophyll, they are unable to produce their own food. (Hetero=other, troph=feeder).
7. List the abiotic components of an ecosystem.
a. Climatic factors-Solar radiation, Temperature, Wind, Water current, rainfall, etc.
b. Physical factors-Light, Fire, pressure, etc.,
c. Chemical factors – Acidity, Salinity, Inorganic nutrients, etc.
8. Differentiate between Kinetic energy and Potential energy.
Kinetic energy is the energy possessed by virtue of its motion from one place to another. This is measured by the amount of work done in bringing the body to rest.
9. Define ecological succession.
Ecological succession is defined as the process in which communities of plant and animal species in a particular area are replaced over time by a series of different and often more complex communities.
10. Define primary succession.
The succession taking place in areas that have not already been occupied by any community
11. Define secondary succession.
Development of a new community in an area where the previously existing community was removed and the ecological conditions are favourable is termed as secondary succession.
12. What do you know about autogenic succession and allogenic succession?
Allogenic succession (Allo=outside, genic=related) is the type of development occurred in the ecosystem due to the interaction of external physical forces acting on it. Autogenic succession (Auto=inside, self propelling) is the type of development occurred in the ecosystem due to the developmental process generated with in the system.
13. What are the characteristics of pioneer species?
It has less population.
Its nutrient requirement is very less.
The rate of growth should be as low as possible.
It should be more dynamic to face interspecific and intraspecific competitions.
14. Define seral stage.
Seral stage is defined as the development of secondary community from the pioneers. Each seral stage appears, grows and finally disappears as the environmental changes occur. Each seral stage has its particular community called seral community.
15. What are the three theories related to climax communities?
Mono climax theory
Poly climax theory
Climax pattern theory.
16. What do you know about food chain and food web?
A food chain is a picture or model that shows the flow of energy from Autotrophs to a series of organisms in an environment. The network like interaction of organisms is called as food web.
17. Name three types of food chains.
a. Grazing food chain
b. Detrius or Decomposer food chain
c. Parasitic food chain
18. Define ecological pyramids.
The representation of amount of energy stored in the bodies of living thing is called as Ecological pyramids.
19. What is a forest?
A forest is a living community of various species of trees and smaller forms of vegetation. This type of biome contains moderate to high average annual rainfall.
20. How can you classify forests?
· Tropical rain forests
· Temperate forests
· Polar (or) Boreal forests
21. What do you know about grasslands?
Grasslands are grassy, windy, partly-dry biome. Almost one- fourth of the Earth’s land area is covered by grassland. Any more, the land would become a forest. Any less, the land would become a desert. The grasslands mostly separate forests from deserts. Most of the grasslands are found in the interiors of continents and rain shadows.
22. What are the types of grasslands?
· Tropical grasslands (Savannah)
· Temperate grasslands
· Polar grasslands (Tundra)
23. List the three types of savannahs?
· Climatic savannah
· Edapic savannah
· Derived savannah.
24. What are major human impacts on grasslands?
· Conversion of grassland to cropland
· Overgrazing of grassland by farm animals.
· Damage by oil production, air and water pollution and vehicles movement.
25. How do the desert plants adopt to the climate?
Most of the plants have the ability to lack of rainfall. They have widespread roots which are close to the surface. This enables the roots to absorb water quickly, before it evaporates. Plants like ‘Cactus’ survives because of their thick waxy layer on the outside of its stems and leaves. This helps to retain water and protect tissues severe sunlight.
26. What are the different types of desert biome?
· Hot and dry deserts
· Semiarid deserts
· Coastal deserts
· Cold deserts.
27. Define freshwater.
Freshwater is defined as water with less than 1% salt concentration. Plants and animals live in freshwater are adjusted to its low salt concentration.
28. How can you differentiate ponds and lakes?
Ponds are small fresh water bodies surrounded by land and lakes are large fresh water bodies surrounded by land. Most of the ponds are seasonal and exist for just few months or years or more.
29. What are the different zones of ponds?
· Littoral zone,
· Limnetic zone, and
· Profundal zone.
30. What are estuaries?
The places where freshwater streams or rivers connect together with the salt water are called estuaries.
31. List the importance of estuaries.
These are important as nursery sites for many kinds of fish and crustaceans like flounder and shrimp
Mixing of many pollutants in the ocean is prevented by the action of trapping of sediments which are carried by the river.
32. What are coral reefs?
Corals are animals, which contain algae called zooanthellae and tissues of animal polyp. A reef is a rocky outcrop rises from the sea floor which is made up of calcareous material, concealed by the coral animals themselves and by red and green algae. Since reef waters tend to be nutritionally poor, corals obtain the required energy from the photosynthetic algae that live in the reef.
33. What are the three basic forms of coral reef?
· Fringing reefs
· Barrier reefs
· Atolls
34. Define bio diversity.
Biodiversity is defined as ‘richness of species (micro- organisms, plants and animals) occurring in a given habitat’. It is the sum of genes, species and ecosystems.
35. What are the three types of biodiversity?
· Genetic Level or Genetic diversity
· Species Level or Species diversity
· Ecosystem Level or Ecosystem diversity.
36. Define genetic diversity.
Genetic diversity is the variation of genes within species. Genes are the basic units of all life on earth. They are responsible for both the similarities and the differences between organisms.
37. Define species diversity.
Species diversity is the number of different species of living things available in an area. Species is a group of plants or animals that are similar and able to breed and produce viable offspring under natural conditions. This type of diversity is the most common level of diversity.
38. Define ecosystem diversity.
Ecosystem diversity is the variety of ecosystems in a given place. An ecosystem is a community of organisms and their physical environment interacting together. An ecosystem can cover a large area, such as a whole forest, or a small area, such as a pond.
39. What are the two main functions of biodiversity?
· It is the source of species on which the human compete depends for food, fiber, shelter, fuel and medicine.
· It depends on the biosphere, which in turn leads to the stability in climate, water, soil, air, and the overall health of biosphere.
40. Define biogeography.
The study of the geographical distribution of biological species relating to the geological, evolutionary, climatological, geographical, biological reasons for the distribution is called biogeography.
41. What are the three kinds of deserts in India?
· The desert of western Rajasthan
· The desert of Gujarat
· The high-altitude cold desert of Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
42. Define biodiversity hotspot.
Biodiversity hotspots are areas:
• Rich in plant and animal species, particularly many endemic species, and
• Under immediate threat from impacts such as land clearing, development pressures, salinity, weeds and feral animals.
43. On what basis a region is designated as hotspot?
The biological basis for hotspot designation is plant diversity. A region is qualified as hotspot, only if the region supports 1,500 endemic plant species, 0.5% of the global total.
A region is qualified as hotspot, only if the region has lost 70% of its original habitat.
44. List some of the major biodiversity threats.
Habitat destruction
Extension of agriculture
Filling up of wetlands
Conversion of rich bio-diversity site for human settlement and industrial development
Destruction of coastal areas
Uncontrolled commercial exploitation
45. What are the main causes of habitat loss?
Agricultural activities,
Extraction (including mining, fishing logging and harvesting) and
Developmental activities (human settlements, industry and associated infrastructure)
46. Define fragmentation.
Fragmentation is defined as the process of division of a population into number of small and smaller groups. Habitat loss and fragmentation leads to the formation of isolated, small, scattered populations.
47. What do you know about conservation of biodiversity?
‘Conservation is defined as the management of human use of the biosphere so that it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit while maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future generations’.
48. What are the two types of biodiversity conservation?
a. In-situ conservation and
b. Ex-situ conservation
49. What do you know about in-situ conservation and ex-situ conservation?
In-situ conservation is defined as the conservation of genetic resources through their maintenance within natural or even human made ecosystems in which they occur.
Ex-situ conservation is defined as the conservation made outside of the habitat of an ecosystem.
Part B
1. Explain briefly about the characteristic of ecosystems.
Any 10 points with explanation
2. How can you classify the ecosystems?
i. Natural ecosystem
ii. Artificial ecosystem
iii. Incomplete ecosystem
3. Discuss about the structural and functional components of an ecosystem.
i. Structural Components
· Biotic structure
· Abiotic structure
ii. Functional components
· Food chain, food web, trophic structure
iii. Energy Flow
iv. Cycling of nutrients
v. Primary and secondary production
vi. Ecosystem development and regulation
4. With a neat sketch explain about the energy and nutrient flow through an ecosystem.
i. Energy flow laws
ii. Model
iii. Nutrient cycling
· Nitrogen cycle
· Carbon cycle
· Phosphorus cycle
· Hydrological cycle
5. Explain about the different types of biodiversity.
i. Genetic diversity
ii. Species diversity
iii. Ecosystem diversity
6. Discuss regarding biogeographical classification of India.
India’s major biogeographic habitats
7. Classify and explain about the value of biodiversity.
i. Consumptive use value
ii. Productive use value
iii. Social value
iv. Ethical value
v. Aesthetic value
vi. Option values
vii. Ecosystem service value
EEE ENGINEERING NOTES
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