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Biodiversity and Conservation: questions with answers

Class 12 Biology, Chapter 13 (NCERT). 15 questions by concept. Open “Show answer” for the answer and why.

How to teach this chapter · Common misconceptions & worked visual for this chapter

Biodiversity, productivity and stability

Question 1

Which statement best explains biodiversity, productivity and stability?

  1. (a)Every species contributes identically to ecosystem function
  2. (b)Species loss can never affect stability
  3. (c)Diverse communities can show greater resource use, productivity and stability, while species loss can weaken these functions. The effect depends on identity, redundancy and interaction, not on species count alone.
  4. (d)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
Show answer

(c) Diverse communities can show greater resource use, productivity and stability, while species loss can weaken these functions. The effect depends on identity, redundancy and interaction, not on species count alone.

Diverse communities can show greater resource use, productivity and stability, while species loss can weaken functions; effects depend on identity, redundancy and interaction, not species count alone.

Question 2

A learner claims: Every species contributes identically to ecosystem function. Which correction is best?

  1. (a)Functional roles and interaction strengths differ among species.
  2. (b)The claim is correct because all biological systems behave identically.
  3. (c)Species loss can never affect stability
  4. (d)Every species contributes identically to ecosystem function
Show answer

(a) Functional roles and interaction strengths differ among species.

Functional roles and interaction strengths differ among species.

Latitudinal and species-area patterns

Question 3

Which statement best explains latitudinal and species-area patterns?

  1. (a)Species richness is generally highest at the poles
  2. (b)Species richness generally increases from poles toward the tropics, and species-area relationships rise with sampled area, often appearing linear on log scales with slope z.
  3. (c)Species count must decrease as sampled area grows
  4. (d)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
Show answer

(b) Species richness generally increases from poles toward the tropics, and species-area relationships rise with sampled area, often appearing linear on log scales with slope z.

Species richness generally increases from poles toward the tropics, and species-area relationships rise with sampled area, often appearing linear on log scales with slope z.

Question 4

A learner claims: Species richness is generally highest at the poles. Which correction is best?

  1. (a)Species richness is generally highest at the poles
  2. (b)The claim is correct because all biological systems behave identically.
  3. (c)Species count must decrease as sampled area grows
  4. (d)Tropical regions usually contain greater species richness.
Show answer

(d) Tropical regions usually contain greater species richness.

Tropical regions usually contain greater species richness.

Levels of biodiversity

Question 5

Which statement best explains levels of biodiversity?

  1. (a)Genetic diversity exists only between species
  2. (b)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
  3. (c)Biodiversity occurs at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. Variation within populations, among species and among habitats contributes differently to resilience and conservation priorities.
  4. (d)Biodiversity means only number of species
Show answer

(c) Biodiversity occurs at genetic, species and ecosystem levels. Variation within populations, among species and among habitats contributes differently to resilience and conservation priorities.

Biodiversity occurs at genetic, species and ecosystem levels; variation within populations, among species and among habitats contributes differently to resilience and conservation priorities.

Question 6

A learner claims: Biodiversity means only number of species. Which correction is best?

  1. (a)Biodiversity means only number of species
  2. (b)Genetic diversity exists only between species
  3. (c)The claim is correct because all biological systems behave identically.
  4. (d)It also includes genetic and ecosystem diversity.
Show answer

(d) It also includes genetic and ecosystem diversity.

It also includes genetic and ecosystem diversity.

Extinction rates and the current crisis

Question 7

Which statement best explains extinction rates and the current crisis?

  1. (a)Current human-driven extinction rates exceed background estimates. The number of recorded extinctions is lower than the total loss because many species are not described or poorly monitored.
  2. (b)Extinction is only a prehistoric process
  3. (c)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
  4. (d)Recorded named extinctions equal the complete global total
Show answer

(a) Current human-driven extinction rates exceed background estimates. The number of recorded extinctions is lower than the total loss because many species are not described or poorly monitored.

Current human-driven extinction rates exceed background estimates. Recorded extinctions underestimate total loss because many species are undescribed or poorly monitored.

Question 8

A learner claims: Extinction is only a prehistoric process. Which correction is best?

  1. (a)Documented and ongoing modern extinctions continue under human pressures.
  2. (b)Extinction is only a prehistoric process
  3. (c)Recorded named extinctions equal the complete global total
  4. (d)The claim is correct because all biological systems behave identically.
Show answer

(a) Documented and ongoing modern extinctions continue under human pressures.

Documented and ongoing modern extinctions continue under human pressures.

Habitat loss and fragmentation

Question 9

Which statement best explains habitat loss and fragmentation?

  1. (a)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
  2. (b)Habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation are leading extinction drivers. Small isolated patches support smaller populations, stronger edge effects and reduced movement and gene flow.
  3. (c)Habitat loss affects only very large animals
  4. (d)Fragmentation increases continuous core habitat
Show answer

(b) Habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation are leading extinction drivers. Small isolated patches support smaller populations, stronger edge effects and reduced movement and gene flow.

Habitat destruction, degradation and fragmentation are leading extinction drivers. Small isolated patches support smaller populations, stronger edge effects and reduced movement and gene flow.

Question 10

A learner claims: Fragmentation increases continuous core habitat. Which correction is best?

  1. (a)It divides habitat and often increases edges while reducing connected core area.
  2. (b)The claim is correct because all biological systems behave identically.
  3. (c)Fragmentation increases continuous core habitat
  4. (d)Habitat loss affects only very large animals
Show answer

(a) It divides habitat and often increases edges while reducing connected core area.

It divides habitat and often increases edges while reducing connected core area.

Overexploitation, invasions and coextinction

Question 11

Which statement best explains overexploitation, invasions and coextinction?

  1. (a)Coextinction requires no ecological dependence
  2. (b)Unsustainable harvest removes organisms faster than they can recover. Invasive species can transform the communities they enter. Loss of one species can also cause the extinction of obligate partners.
  3. (c)A non-native species is always harmless
  4. (d)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
Show answer

(b) Unsustainable harvest removes organisms faster than they can recover. Invasive species can transform the communities they enter. Loss of one species can also cause the extinction of obligate partners.

Unsustainable harvest removes organisms faster than recovery, invasive species can transform recipient communities, and loss of one species can cause extinction of obligate partners.

Ex-situ conservation

Question 12

Which statement best explains ex-situ conservation?

  1. (a)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
  2. (b)Ex-situ approaches conserve components outside natural habitats in zoos, botanical gardens, seed and gene banks, cryopreservation and managed breeding, complementing rather than replacing habitat protection.
  3. (c)Ex-situ conservation protects whole wild ecosystems
  4. (d)Seed banks can preserve every species equally
Show answer

(b) Ex-situ approaches conserve components outside natural habitats in zoos, botanical gardens, seed and gene banks, cryopreservation and managed breeding, complementing rather than replacing habitat protection.

Ex-situ approaches conserve components outside natural habitats in zoos, botanical gardens, seed and gene banks, cryopreservation and managed breeding, complementing rather than replacing habitat protection.

In-situ conservation and hotspots

Question 13

Which statement best explains in-situ conservation and hotspots?

  1. (a)In-situ conservation removes every species from its habitat
  2. (b)A biodiversity hotspot is simply any species-rich place
  3. (c)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
  4. (d)In-situ conservation protects species within functioning habitats through protected areas, community lands and hotspot priorities; hotspots combine exceptional endemism with severe habitat loss.
Show answer

(d) In-situ conservation protects species within functioning habitats through protected areas, community lands and hotspot priorities; hotspots combine exceptional endemism with severe habitat loss.

In-situ conservation protects species within functioning habitats through protected areas, community lands and hotspot priorities; hotspots combine exceptional endemism with severe habitat loss.

Conservation decisions and global cooperation

Question 14

Which statement best explains conservation decisions and global cooperation?

  1. (a)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
  2. (b)A Red List category is itself a complete recovery programme
  3. (c)Wildlife trade cannot affect biodiversity
  4. (d)Red Lists assess extinction risk, while treaties and national laws coordinate trade, habitat and species protection. Assessment, legal protection and recovery action are distinct but complementary tools.
Show answer

(d) Red Lists assess extinction risk, while treaties and national laws coordinate trade, habitat and species protection. Assessment, legal protection and recovery action are distinct but complementary tools.

Red Lists assess extinction risk, while treaties and national laws coordinate trade, habitat and species protection. Assessment, legal protection and recovery action are distinct but complementary tools.

Sacred groves and community stewardship

Question 15

Which statement best explains sacred groves and community stewardship?

  1. (a)Sacred groves and community-conserved areas can protect remaining habitats and culturally valued species through local institutions. Effective conservation also depends on rights, incentives and ecological management.
  2. (b)Local communities have no role in conservation
  3. (c)Sacred groves conserve only one planted crop
  4. (d)The process has no biological mechanism and never depends on evidence.
Show answer

(a) Sacred groves and community-conserved areas can protect remaining habitats and culturally valued species through local institutions. Effective conservation also depends on rights, incentives and ecological management.

Sacred groves and community-conserved areas can protect remnant habitats and culturally valued species through local institutions; effective conservation depends on rights, incentives and ecological management.

Common misconception in Biodiversity and Conservation

Open full misconception guide →

Can species count alone describe biodiversity?

Wrong

Two habitats with the same number of species have equal biodiversity in every respect.

Why it feels right. Species count is the easiest feature to compare.

Right

Species richness counts species. Evenness describes how similar their abundances are.

Worked example

Each bar represents 100 individuals. Both habitats have two species, but the top bar is much more evenly divided.
  1. Compare a habitat with 50 individuals of each of two species and another with 99 of one and 1 of the other.
  2. Both have richness 2.
  3. The 50:50 habitat has higher evenness.