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Question Bank for Environmental Studies

1 What is meant by environment? Enumerate and discuss its various components.

2 Define natural resources. How will you classify natural resources? Explain major reasons of the
resource depletion.

3 Write short notes on:

4 i Causes and effects of deforestation

ii Effects of mining on environment

iii Darns-benefits and problems

iv Advantages and limitations of non-conventional sources of energy.

5 What is ecosystem? With the help of the suitable models explain the energy flow in the ecosystem.

6 Explain the types, characteristic features and functions of forest ecosystem.

7 Write the short notes on

i Ecological pyramids

ii Ecological succession

iii Food Chain and food web

8 What is meant by ‘biodiversity’? Explain the three levels of biodiversity and point out the major
threats of biodiversity depleiction.

9 Explain the consumptive, productive, ethical, aesthetic, social and optional value of biodiversity

10 Write short notes on

i Hotspots of biodiversity

ii Bio-geographical classification of India

iii In-situ and Ex-situ conservation.

11 Define water pollution? Discuss its major sources and effects.

12 What is solid waste? Explain the sources and effects of solid waste.
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13 Write short notes on

i Disaster management

ii Air pollution control devices

iii Sources and effects of radioactive pollution.

14 What is watershed? Critically discuss the objectives and practices of watershed management.

15 How do you define pollution as per Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1974? What are
the salient features of the Act?

16 Write Short notes on

i Ozone layer depletion

ii Human Rights

iii Rain water harvesting

16 What is environmental science? Discuss the multidisciplinary nature of environmental science. How
would environment awareness help to protect our environment.

17 What are alternate sources of energy? Describe any two of them

18 Discuss the productive, consumptive and protective functions of forest. What are the major causes of
deforestation and its after effects?

19 Write short notes on

i Water conflicts in India

ii Impacts of Mineral extraction on environment.

20 What is ecological succession? Explain the causes, types and process of succession.

21 Define ecosystem. Explain the types, characteristic features, structure and functions of aquatic
ecosystem

22 What is food chain and food web? Explain with the help of suitable examples.

23 Differentiate between the

i National park and sanctuary

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ii In-situ and ex-situ conservation

iii Species and genetic biodiversity

iv Endangered and extinct species

24 How is biodiversity valuable for human beings? Explain in brief.

25 With the suitable examples explain how are poaching and human-wildlife conflicts responsible for
biodiversity depletion?

26 Discuss the salient features of the hot-spots of Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats.

27 India is a mega biodiversity region. Justify it.

28 Write a note on bio-geographical classification of India.

29 What are the major sources of thermal pollution? How can it be controlled?

30 How industrial, domestic, agricultural and other wastes affect the fertility of the soil? Discuss the
measures to check it.

31 What is BOD? How is domestic discharge responsible for increasing the BOD level into the stream?

32 What is Water Pollution. Discuss the sources of water pollution

33 Write a note on solid waste management practices.

34 Why do earthquake occur? Suggest the management plan for mitigate the effects of earthquake.

35 What is rainwater harvesting? What are the major objectives for rainwater harvesting? Explain some
methodologies for harvesting the rainwater.

36 Discuss the salient features of the

i Wildlife (protection) Act, 1972

ii Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974

iii Environment (Protection) Act, 1986

37 Write short notes on

i Wasteland reclamation

ii Population explosion
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iii Sustainable development

iv Acid rain

38 What are the main objectives of environmental studies?

39 What are the major causes of deforestation? Briefly explain the effects of deforestation on
environment.

40 Discuss the benefits and impacts of construction of big dams.

41 How individual efforts are helpful for resource conservation?

42 What is overgrazing and shifting cultivation? How these activities contribute to environmental
degradation?

43 Give a brief account of non-conventional resources of energy?

44 What is ecosystem? Discuss the biotic and abiotic components of an ecosystem.

45 What are food chains and food webs? Explain with the help of examples.

46 Discuss the models of energy flow in ecosystem

47 What are biogeochemical cycling? Explain the water cycle with the help of the diagram.

48 What is meant by ecological succession? Discuss the process of succession with the help of
hydrosphere.

49 With the help of diagrams explain the different types of ecological pyramids.

50 What is biodiversity? Explain genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Explain the consumptive and
productive value of biodiversity.

51 What are hotspots of biodiversity? Discuss the salient features of the hotspots found in India.

52 What are the major threats to biodiversity? Discuss the In-situ and Ex-situ conservation efforts.

53 Define air pollution? Discuss its sources and effects.

54 What is thermal pollution? Discuss its causes and effects. State the approaches to control it?

55 Write short notes on

i Causes, effects and control of flood

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ii Solid waste management practices

iii Sources, effects and control measures of noise pollution

56 What is global warming? What are its causes and effects? Discuss the measures to control it.

57 What do you mean by population explosion? What are the major reasons of population explosion?
What are its effects on environment and other human aspects?

58 Write short notes on the definition and objectives of the following program.

i Sustainable development

ii Rain water harvesting

iii Watershed management

iv Value education

59 Write a short notes on

i Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972

ii HIV/ AIDS

Biosphere
Define the term 1.
Name the major habitats present in the biosphere.
Energy
Write a short note on the classification of energy resources.
(classification criteria)
Distinguish between renewable and non-renewable sources of 1 w/suitableexamples.
What is fossil fuel and what are the harmful effects of the combustion of f f?
Discuss the statement “Large hydel projects are ecologically disruptive.”
Write a short note on OTEC- Ocean Thermal 1 Conversion Technology.
Write a few lines describing the generation of 1 from urban/municipal waste.
(Biomass, bioenergy)
(Geothermal energy, volcano, geysers/hot springs)
(Solar, perpetual)
(Coal, carbon, volatile matter)
(producer gas, methane, co2)
(wind energy)
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Distinguish between nuclear fission and nuclear fusion.

Explain the statement : ‘Urban people have more energy demand than rural people.’
(Resources, meaning of r)
Resources, Forest
What is the importance of 2 1?
(benefits)
What are the causes of deforestation
Resources, Land, Soil,
What is the importance of - - on Earth?
What are the major control measures of 3 erosion?
Write a short note on the effects of modern agriculture on the world f problem?
(Landslide)
(Earthquake)
(irrigation, overirrigation, water-logging, soil salinity)

Resources, Water
What type of degradation occurs due to extensive use of - - ?
What is the future threat to the avalability of fresh 2 on earth?
(Ocean, lake, river, underground water)
Resources, Food
What is 2 security?
(famine, reasons)
Resources, Mineral
(Mining phases, prospecting, exploration, development, exploitation)
(Mineral reserves)

Unlimited exploitation

(write a short note on man-engineered ecosystem)

(Explain the statement- Natural ecosystem is more stable than
man-engineered ecosystem)
Population Growth
Population aging
Define Population aging
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Define Birth rate

Define Growth rate
Justify the statement ‘1 2 in developing countries is more
compared to developed countries’

Fertility rate of reproductive women

Define 1 2 3 4.

Family welfare, Family planning

What are the different 1 2 and 3 4 programmes?
What are the major objective of 1 2 and 3 4 programmes undertaken by India?

Diseases
Water-borne 1
Air-borne 1
HIV, AIDS
Differentiate between HIV, AIDS

Women
Why are 1 considered the worst victims of environmental hazards

Value education
Describe how environmental values are emphasizes in the Indian Constitution

Information Technology
Name a few applications of 1 2 in environment and human health
Watershed
What is a 1?
How can 1 management solve the problem of depletion of the ground water
table?
Short note- 1 management

Rainwater harvesting
Short note- 1 2

Biodiesel generation
Short note- 1 2
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Cosumerism
Explain how 1 has affected the present society?

Environmental Ethics
What do you understand by the term 1 2?

Environmental movements
Short note- different 1 2 for the conservation of environmental resources

Environmental protection act, 1986

What are the powers provided to the central government by the 1 2 3 4?
How are the environment
and Environmental pollution defined in 1 2 3 4?
Name five important EPAs in India.

Human rights
What are the Indian Laws related to 1 2?

Climate Changes
What are the recent 1 2 noticed in the environment?

Acid rain
What is 1 2?
How is it formed?
Explain the steps taken to prevent 1 2?
What are the effects of acid rain?

Global warming
What are the effects of 1 2 on the environment
and what are the means to combat it?
Short note- Greenhouse gases
Short note- 1 2 and its control
Short note- Ozone layer depletion

Short note-
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Environmental policies
Discuss the 1 2 at the national and state level.

Environment impact assessment- EIA

What are the objectives of 4?

Nuclear energy
Explain the role of 1 2 for the betterment of human civilization

Agenda-21

Green Bench
What is 1 2?

Acts
Short note- Air Act
Short note- Water Act
Short note- Wild life Act

Smog, fog
Explain difference between 1 and 2

Precautionary principle
Codification in Earth Summit in 1992

Carbon Trading