UPSC 2024 Environment & Ecology Previous Year Questions

Question 1

Consider the following: 1. Cashew 2. Papaya 3. Red sanders How many of the above trees are actually native to India?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Red sanders is native to India. Cashew and papaya are originally from the Americas, so only one listed tree is native to India.

Question 2

Consider the following: 1. Butterflies 2. Fish 3. Frogs How many of the above have poisonous species among them?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Poisonous or toxic species exist among butterflies, fish and frogs, so all three categories qualify.

Question 3

Which one of the following shows a unique relationship with an insect that has coevolved with it and that is the only insect that can pollinate this tree?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Fig | Mahua | Sandalwood | Silk cotton. Fig trees and fig wasps have a highly specific coevolved pollination relationship.

Question 4

Consider the following: 1. Battery storage 2. Biomass generators 3. Fuel cells 4. Rooftop solar photovoltaic units How many of the above are considered "Distributed Energy Resources"?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Only one | Only two | Only three | All four. Battery storage, biomass generators, fuel cells and rooftop solar PV are all distributed energy resources when deployed close to users or distribution networks.

Question 5

Which one of the following is the correct description of "100 Million Farmers"?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. It is a platform for accelerating the transition towards food and water systems that are net-zero (carbon), nature-positive and that aims to increase farmer resilience. | It is an international alliance and a network of individuals and farming organisations interested in supporting and strengthening the development of the organic animal husbandry. | It is a digital platform fully integrated with service providers and built on blockchain that lets buyers, sellers and third part

Question 6

Consider the following statements: 1. Lions do not have a particular breeding season. 2. Unlike most other big cats, cheetahs do not roar. 3. Unlike male lions, male leopards do not proclaim their territory by scent marking. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. 1 and 2 only | 2 and 3 only | 1 and 3 only | 1, 2 and 3. Lions can breed year-round and cheetahs do not roar like big cats. Male leopards do scent-mark territory, so statement 3 is incorrect.

Question 7

Consider the following statements regarding World Toilet Organization: 1. It is one of the agencies of the United Nations. 2. World Toilet Summit, World Toilet Day and World Toilet College are the initiatives of this organization, to inspire action to tackle the global sanitation crisis. 3. The main focus of its function is to grant funds to the least developed countries and developing countries to achieve the end of open defecation. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. 2 only | 3 only | 1 and 2 | 2 and 3. World Toilet Organization is not a UN agency and does not primarily function as a grant-making body. Its initiatives include World Toilet Summit, World Toilet Day and World Toilet College.

Question 8

Consider the following pairs: Country - Animal found in its natural habitat: 1. Brazil - Indri 2. Indonesia - Elk 3. Madagascar - Bonobo How many of the pairs given above are correctly matched?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: D. Only one | Only two | All three | None. Indri and bonobo are associated with Madagascar and the Congo basin respectively, while elk are not native to Indonesia. None of the pairs is correct.

Question 9

Consider the following statements: Statement-I: Many chewing gums found in the market are considered a source of environmental pollution. Statement-II: Many chewing gums contain plastic as gum base. Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: A. Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I | Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I | Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect | Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct. Many chewing gums use synthetic polymer/plastic gum bases, making discarded gum a persistent pollution source. Statement-II explains Statement-I.

Question 10

The organisms "Cicada, Froghopper and Pond skater" are:

Accepted Answer

Correct Option: C. Birds | Fish | Insects | Reptiles. Cicadas, froghoppers and pond skaters are all insects, and all three belong to the order Hemiptera — the true bugs, characterised by piercing-and-sucking mouthparts. Cicadas (Cicadidae) are known for their sound, froghoppers (Cercopidae) for foam nests, and pond skaters (Gerridae) for walking on water.

UPSC 2024 Environment & Ecology PYQs with Answers