Unit I - Geomorphology

As Per Updated Syllabus

 Unit I - Geomorphology

Fundamental Concepts

Geography is essentially an earth science which studies the earth and its environs
as the home of mankind. The physical geography is that part of the broader field
which focuses upon the study of the physical environment, from a geographical
viewpoint, in which the mankind live. The conditions affecting the well-being of
the mankind include not only the physical conditions of the earth's surface but
also the conditions in the immediate surroundings of the earth in the atmosphere
and the interior of the earth. These factors also, form an important part of the
subject matter of the physical geography

Evolution of Geomorphological Thoughts

After year 1950, there are so many changes in geomorphology. In this the Davison
model of cyclic development of landforms was rejected. There was entry of
introduction of quantitative methods in geomorphological study and postulation
of dynamic equilibrium theory of landscape development based on the concept of
time-independent series of landform evolution, more emphasis on process
geomorphology.

The Earth and its relation in solar System

EARTH, OUR HOME planet, is a world unlike any other. The third planet from the
sun, Earth is the only place in the known universe confirmed to host life.

With a radius of 3,959 miles, Earth is the fifth largest planet in our solar system,
and it's the only one known for sure to have liquid water on its surface. Earth is
also unique in terms of monikers. Every other solar system planet was named for
a Greek or Roman deity, but for at least a thousand years, some cultures have
described our world using the Germanic word “earth,” which means simply “the
ground.”

Earth orbits the sun once every 365.25 days. Since our calendar years have only
365 days, we add an extra leap day every four years to account for the difference.

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Though we can't feel it, Earth zooms through its orbit at an average velocity of
18.5 miles a second. During this circuit, our planet is an average of 93 million
miles away from the sun, a distance that takes light about eight minutes to
traverse. Astronomers define this distance as one astronomical unit (AU), a
measure that serves as a handy cosmic yardstick.

Earth rotates on its axis every 23.9 hours, defining day and night for surface
dwellers. This axis of rotation is tilted 23.4 degrees away from the plane of Earth's
orbit around the sun, giving us seasons. Whichever hemisphere is tilted closer to
the sun experiences summer, while the hemisphere tilted away gets winter. In the
spring and fall, each hemisphere receives similar amounts of light. On two specific
dates each year—called the equinoxes—both hemispheres get illuminated
equally.

Many layers, many features

About 4.5 billion years ago, gravity coaxed Earth to form from the gaseous, dusty
disk that surrounded our young sun. Over time, Earth's interior—which is made
mostly of silicate rocks and metals—differentiated into four layers.

At the planet's heart lies the inner core, a solid sphere of iron and nickel that's
759 miles wide and as hot as 9,800 degrees Fahrenheit. The inner core is
surrounded by the outer core, a 1,400-mile-thick band of iron and nickel fluids.
Beyond the outer core lies the mantle, a 1,800-mile-thick layer of viscous molten
rock on which Earth's outermost layer, the crust, rests. On land, the continental
crust is an average of 19 miles thick, but the oceanic crust that forms the seafloor
is thinner—about three miles thick—and denser.

Like Venus and Mars, Earth has mountains, valleys, and volcanoes. But unlike its
rocky siblings, almost 70 percent of Earth's surface is covered in oceans of liquid
water that average 2.5 miles deep. These bodies of water contain 97 percent of
Earth's volcanoes and the mid-ocean ridge, a massive mountain range more than
40,000 miles long.

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Earth's crust and upper mantle are divided into massive plates that grind against
each other in slow motion. As these plates collide, tear apart, or slide past each
other, they give rise to our very active geology. Earthquakes rumble as these
plates snag and slip past each other. Many volcanoes form as seafloor crust
smashes into and slides beneath continental crust. When plates of continental
crust collide, mountain ranges such as the Himalaya are pushed toward the skies.

Protective fields and gases

Earth's atmosphere is 78 percent nitrogen, 21 percent oxygen, and one percent

other gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and argon. Much like a
greenhouse, this blanket of gases absorbs and retains heat. On average, Earth's
surface temperature is about 57 degrees Fahrenheit; without our
atmosphere, it'd be zero degrees. In the last two centuries, humans have added
enough greenhouse gases to the atmosphere to raise Earth's average
temperature by 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit. This extra heat has altered Earth's
weather patterns in many ways.

The atmosphere not only nourishes life on Earth, but it also protects it: It's thick
enough that many meteorites burn up before impact from friction, and its gases—
such as ozone—block DNA-damaging ultraviolet light from reaching the surface.
But for all that our atmosphere does, it's surprisingly thin. Ninety percent of
Earth's atmosphere lies within just 10 miles of the planet's surface.

Latitude

While lines of latitude run across a map east-west, the point of latitude makes the
n0rth-south position of a point on earth. Lines of latitude start at 0 degrees at the
equator and end a 90 degrees at the North and South Poles. Everything north of
the equator is known as the Northern Hemisphere and everything south of the
equator is known as the Southern Hemisphere.

Lines of latitude are called parallels and in total there are 180 degrees of
latitude. The distance between each degree of latitude is about 69 miles (110
kilometers).

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The five major parallels of latitudes from north to south are called: Arctic Circle,
Tropic of Cancer, Equator, Tropic of Capricorn, and the Antarctic Circle.

On a map where the orientation of the map is either due north or due south,
latitude appears as horizontal lines.

Lines of latitude

Longitude

Longitude lines run north-south and mark the position east-west of a point.
Lines of longitude are known as meridians. These lines run from pole to pole,
crossing the equator at right angles.

There are 360 degrees of longitude and the longitude line of 0 degrees is known
as the Prime Meridian and it divides the world into the Eastern Hemisphere and
the Western Hemisphere (-180 degrees degrees of longitude west and 180
degrees of longitude east).

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The distance between longitudes narrows the further away from the equator.

The distance between longitudes at the equator is the same as latitude, roughly
69 miles. At 45 degrees north or south, the distance between is about 49 miles
(79 km).

The distance between longitudes reaches zero at the poles as the lines of
meridian converge at that point.

Lines of longitude

Continental Drift Theory

To explain the present distribution of oceans and continents, various theories

have been proposed. Continental Drift Theory is considered a pivotal theory
which provided various conclusive proof to establish the movement of the earth
crust but the theory failed to establish the mechanism behind the process.
People for a very long time, till the early 20th century, thought that the continents
were fixed land masses. But it was in 1912, Alfred Wegener, a geologist came up
with the theory of continental drift. He further expanded the idea in his book The

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 Unit I - Geomorphology

Origin of Continents and Oceans which was published in 1915. Though Abraham
Ortelius, a Dutch cartographer was the first one to work on ideas of symmetric
coastlines on the sides of Atlantic ocean.

Continental Drift Theory

Continental drift means the movement of the continents across the ocean bed.
This drifting happens very, very slowly, over hundreds of million years!
 According to Alfred Wegener, all the continents formed a single continental
mass known as Pangea (Pan=all + Gea=earth).
 Pangea was surrounded by a mega-ocean, Panthalassa (Pan=all +
Thalassa=ocean).
 Wegener further argued that about 225 million years ago, Pangea began to
split. It first broke into two large continental masses- Laurasia (the northern
component) and Gondwanaland (the southern component).
 The intertwining part between Laurasia and Gondwanaland was known as
Tethys Sea, a shallow and meandering waterbody.
 Subsequently, Laurasia and Gondwanaland continued to break into smaller
continents that we see today.

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Figure showing different stages of Continental Drift

Stages of Continental Drift

1. First stage - During the Carboniferous period in which a supercontinent
Pangea was surrounded by mega-ocean, Panthalassa.
2. In the second stage - Around 200 million years ago, Flight of continents
took place, continents began to drift gradually and broke into pieces,
Laurasia (Angaraland) and Gondwanaland. ( India was a part of
Gondwanaland.)
3. In the third stage - During the Mesozoic era, the space between Laurasia
and Gondwanaland got filled with Tethys Sea and it gradually got widened.
4. Fourth stage - around 100 million years ago-Westward drift of North
America and South America led to the opening of Atlantic Ocean.
5. Fifth stage is the Orogenetic Stage-in which mountain building activity took
place. While Himalayas and Alps were formed with the folding of sediments
of Tethys Sea, and westward drift of North and South America led to folded
edges and formation of Rockies and Andes.

Forces responsible for Continental Drift

 Due to the cumulative effect of gravitational forces, 'pole-fleeing force' and
force of buoyancy, the continental drift was equator wards. The 'pole-
fleeing force' is due to increase in centrifugal force from poles towards the
equator as the earth is not perfectly round but there is a bulge at the
equator.
 Due to tidal currents resulting from rotation of the earth, the continental
drift was westwards. Tidal currents are due to the attraction of moon.
However, later, these two forces were found to be insufficient reasons for drifting
of the continents which is counted as the criticism of Wegener's theory.

Evidence in support of the Continental Drift Theory

To justify his theory, Alfred Wegener came up with some evidence which are
listed below.

 Jig-Saw Fit evidence or the Matching of continents- the shorelines of South

America and Africa when are facing each other shows a remarkable fit.
Similarly, Africa, Madagascar and east coast of India fit into each other
when matched.

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Unit I – Geomorphology
MCQs

As per Updated Syllabus

DIWAKAR
EDUCATION HUB
 Unit I – Geomorphology MCQs

1. Alfred Wegener called the 3. Evidence of glacial scratches

supercontinent continents found near the
equator.
1. Pangaea
4. The fit of the continents.
2. Wegenerland
3. Eurasia Answer: 1
4. All lands
4. The slow movement of land over
Answer: 1 the earth's surface called?

2. Most geologists rejected Alfred 1. Continental Wandering

Wegener’s idea of continental drift 2. Continental Drift
because 3. Sea-floor spreading
4. Subduction
1. Wegener could not identify a
force that could move the Answer: 2
continents.
5. Evidence that supports the theory
2. Wegener was interested in
of continental drift has been provided
what Earth was like millions of
by
years ago.
3. they were afraid of a new idea. 1. coal fields
4. Wegener used several different 2. all of these
types of evidence to support 3. fossils
his hypothesis. 4. glacial deposits

Answer: 1 Answer: 2

3. Which of the following was not 6. Continental crust is

used by Wegener as evidence of
1. thinner than oceanic crust
continental drift?
2. denser oceanic crust
1. Magnetic reversals on the 3. floats on top of the oceanic
seafloor. crust
2. Fossils that were found on 4. less dense than oceanic crust
different continents.
Answer: 4

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7. Ocean crust is made up mainly of 4. Albert Einstein

1. granite Answer: 2
2. molten material
10. What evidence proved that South
3. basalt
America, Africa, India, and Australia
4. iron
were once covered by glaciers?
Answer: 3
1. glacial deposits and rock
8. How does the Mesosaurus fossil surfaces scarred by glaciers
evidence support the continental 2. enormous valleys formed by
drift theory? glaciers
3. leftover portions of glaciers
1. because it's unlikely that the
4. cold climates
Mesosaurus could swim
between continents Answer: 4
2. The Mesosaurus fossil evidence
11. Volcanic earthquakes are rarely
does not support the
felt outside the regions of inactive
continental drift theory. It
volcanoes.
proves it wrong.
a) True
3. because it's unlikely that the
b) False
Mesosaurus existed on both
continents. Answer: 1
4. because the Mesosaurus lived Explanation: In volcanic eruptions,
millions of years ago, when huge quantities of lava are thrown
scientists believe the out suddenly under great pressure
continents began to and with a big bang, causing tremors
all around volcanic earthquakes, as
Answer: 1
these are called, are rarely felt
9. Who first proposed the theory of outside the regions of active
continental drift? volcanoes.

1. Galileo Galilee 12. Which earthquake is local in

2. Alfred Wegener nature and rarely occurring?
3. Harry Hess a) Volcanic earthquake

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 Unit I – Geomorphology MCQs

b) Shallow earthquake 14. The phase during which the

c) Collapse earthquake stored elastic energy is released is
d) Intermediate earthquake __________
a) Preparatory phase
Answer: 3
b) Rupture phase
Explanation: The collapse
c) Post failure phase
earthquakes are invariably of local
d) Tertiary phase
nature and rare occurrence. These
are caused when a portion of ground Answer: 2
collapses suddenly because of Explanation: The rupture phase takes
removal of support from below due place along the fault and all or part
to the natural processes of rock the stored elastic energy is released
wastage. as seismic waves and also
transformed into heat or potential
13. Which theory is acclaimed as a
energy. Main shock is the
satisfactory explanation about the
characteristic of this phase.
cause of earthquakes?
a) Elastic Rebound theory 15. Foreshocks are often recorded in
b) Clastic theory which phase?
c) Tremors theory a) Preparatory phase
d) Seismology theory b) Rupture phase
c) Post failure phase
Answer: 1
d) Tertiary phase
Explanation: The Elastic Rebound
Theory propounded originally by Answer: 1
H.F.Reid in 1906 is, at present, widely Explanation: The preparatory phase is
acclaimed as a satisfactory the phase in which a non-hydrostatic
explanation. It was proposed by him, stress field is created in a certain
on the basis of elaborate studies of region around a fault; the direction of
San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 the preparatory phase is to ultimately
that it was related to displacement define the size of the actual
along the San Andres fault. earthquake. A number of
“foreshocks” are often recorded
during this phase.

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 Unit II - Climatology

As Per Updated Syllabus

 Unit II - Climatology

Atmosphere

Atmosphere is the vast expanse of air which envelops the earth all around. It is
composed of a mixture of gases which surround the earth.

It contains life giving gases like oxygen for man and animals and carbon dioxide
for plants. It extends to thousands of kilometres but it has no clear cut upper limit
and gradually merges with the outer space.

The atmosphere is the thin layer of gases separating earth from the outer space.
The lower atmosphere is a mixture of molecules of three important gases —
Oxygen (O2), Nitrogen (N2) and Carbon dioxide (CO2) — along with water vapor
and trace amounts of several other gases that have no immediate biological
importance.

The gases in the atmosphere are normally stable but under some circumstances
they react chemically to form new compounds. The atmosphere is a major source
of carbon and oxygen for all organisms and a source of nitrogen for a few
organisms.

The gaseous mixture of the troposphere lowest layer of atmosphere in which

living organisms operate) is called air containing oxygen, nitrogen and carbon
dioxide, all of which cycle in nature through biogeochemical cycles.

Most of the organisms make use of these gases not only to liberate chemical
energy from food during respiration but in different ways, e.g. plants use CO2 in
photosynthesis and nitrogen is used by nitrogen fixing bacteria of the roots of
some plants.

An imbalance in the mixture of these gases will, therefore, affect the processes
that are involved in reduced aeration of soil bringing about a number of mor-
phological and physiological effects on plants. Excess of CO2 in soil and air may
result in the production of such toxins which are lethal to soil organisms and
plants. All this explains the ecological significance of air.

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The entire world and its materials can be grouped into non-living (abiotic) and
living (biotic) components. The abiotic environment can further be classified into
atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere whereas biotic environment is called as
biosphere.

The gaseous envelope, held to the planet by gravitational attraction of the earth
is called atmosphere. The total mass of the atmosphere amounts to 5.7 x
1016 tons of air. It blends at about 1000 km or so above the surface of the earth.
Atmosphere is a reservoir of several life supporting elements that serve many
functions such as filtration of radiant energy from the sun, insulation of heat to
check loss from earth’s surface and stabilization of climatic conditions.

Origin of Atmosphere:

The origin of atmosphere is related to the origin of earth itself. The earth was
formed by the accretion of solid materials that condensed from the solar nebula.
The atmosphere at that time was totally different from the atmosphere today.

In the first stage, the earth by its gravitational force attracted gaseous constitu-
ents of the cosmic dust viz. hydrogen, methane, ammonia, water vapor and noble
gases. There was no oxygen at this stage and it was a reducing or hydrogen rich
atmosphere. It lasted about 3.5 x 109 years ago.

The second stage of evolution of atmosphere lasted about 2 x 109 years ago.
Volcanic eruptions took place during this period. Large quantities of magma,
saturated with dissolved gases moved towards the surface of the earth. They
passed over iron present in the mantle.

The gases such as nitrogen, hydrogen, hydrogen sulphide, carbon monoxide and
water vapor existed in a reduced state. Any free oxygen that escaped from the
interior of the earth combined with hydrogen, residual methane or ammonia. In
the second stage also there was no free oxygen in the atmosphere.

In the third and present day atmosphere oxygen production began to exceed
oxygen consumption. Two atmosphere phenomena contributed in the induction
of oxygen. Firstly, it was the photo chemical dissociation of water molecules.

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Water molecules absorbed ultraviolet rays and spitted into hydrogen and oxygen.
The major part of oxygen was inducted by photosynthesis.

This process began after the advent of life on the earth. Multi-cellular marine
organisms appeared during this period. They consumed phyto-plankton and
floated on water. With the decrease of phytoplankton, the number of
heterotrophic bacteria also declined. This led to increase in the oxygen in
atmosphere.

Composition:

The major constituents of air in the atmosphere are Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen
(21%), Argon (0.93%) and Carbon dioxide (0.03%). Besides water vapour, dust
particles, smoke, salts and other impurities are present in air in varying quantities.
The composition of air is never constant and it varies from time to time and place
to place.

Atmosphere is the thick protective gaseous mantle surrounding earth which

sustains life on earth and saves it from hostile environment of outer space. It is a
thick layer of odourless, colourless and tasteless gases held to the earth by the
force of gravity. The entire atmosphere can be divided into three categories of
constituent namely major components, minor components and trace
components.

According to Barry and Chorley (1976), the major components mainly contain
nitrogen, oxygen and water vapours, the minor components contain argon and
carbon dioxide, and trace components contain gases like neon, helium, methane,
krypton, nitrous oxide, hydrogen, xenon, sulphur dioxide, ozone, ammonia,
carbon monoxide, iodine etc.

The quantity of different gases vary considerably with attitude. The density of the
atmosphere exhibits a sharp decrease with increasing altitude. Pressure
decreases from one atmosphere at the sea level to 3 x 10-7 atmosphere at 100 km
above sea level.

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Similarly temperature varies from -100°C to 1200 ° C. The total mass of the
atmosphere is approximately 5x 1015 tonnes which is nearly about one millionth of
the earth’s total mass. The temperature profile of atmosphere is shown in Fig.
7.1.

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 Unit II - Climatology

The atmosphere is composed of gases, water vapour and dust particles. Table 8.1
shows details of various gases in the air, particularly in the lower atmosphere. The
proportion of gases changes in the higher layers of the atmosphere in such a way
that oxygen will be almost in negligible quantity at the height of 120 km. Similarly,
carbon dioxide and water vapour are found only up to 90 km from the surface of
the earth.

Table 8.1 : Permanent Gases of the Atmosphere

Gases

Carbon dioxide is meteorologically a very important gas as it is transparent to the

incoming solar radiation but opaque to the outgoing terrestrial radiation. It
absorbs a part of terrestrial radiation and reflects back some part of it towards
the earth’s surface. It is largely responsible for the green house effect. The
volume of other gases is constant but the volume of carbon dioxide has been
rising in the past few decades mainly because of the burning of fossil fuels. This
has also increased the temperature of the air. Ozone is another important
component of the atmosphere found between 10 and 50 km above the earth’s
surface and acts as a filter and absorbs the ultra-violet rays radiating from the sun
and prevents them from reaching the surface of the earth.
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 Unit II - Climatology

Water Vapour

Water vapour is also a variable gas in the atmosphere, which decreases with
altitude. In the warm and wet tropics, it may account for four per cent of the air
by volume, while in the dry and cold areas of desert and polar regions, it may be
less than one per cent of the air. Water vapour also decreases from the equator
towards the poles. It also absorbs parts of the insolation from the sun and
preserves the earth’s radiated heat. It thus, acts like a blanket allowing the earth
neither to become too cold nor too hot. Water vapour also contributes to the
stability and instability in the air.

Dust Particles

Atmosphere has a sufficient capacity to keep small solid particles, which may
originate from different sources and include sea salts, fine soil, smoke-soot, ash,
pollen, dust and disintegrated particles of meteors. Dust particles are generally
concentrated in the lower layers of the atmosphere; yet, convectional air currents
may transport them to great heights. The higher concentration of dust particles is
found in subtropical and temperate regions due to dry winds in comparison to
equatorial and polar regions. Dust and salt particles act as hygroscopic nuclei
around which water vapour condenses to produce clouds.

Structure:

On the basis of temperature, the atmosphere is divided into five layers.

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1. Troposphere:

It is the lowest layer and lies close to earth’s surface. The average height is 16 km
over equator and 6 km over the poles. It is the zone where all atmospheric
processes leading to climatic and weather conditions take place.

Hence, it is considered as the most significant layer. In-fact, Troposphere is not

suitable for aviation due to bumpy air pockets. So aviators of jet aero planes avoid
this layer and fly above it. Temperature decreases with increasing height at the
rate of 1°C for 165 metres of ascent which is known as “normal lapse rate”.

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Unit II – Climatology
MCQs

As per Updated Syllabus

DIWAKAR
EDUCATION HUB
 Unit II – Climatology MCQs

1. At what concentration (in ppm), is 2. Specific humidity

nitrogen present in the atmosphere? 3. Relative humidity
1. 780,840 4. Approximate humidity
2. 390,420
Answer: b
3. 78,084
Explanation: Specific humidity is the
4. 900,000
mass of water vapour per unit mass
Answer: a of air mixture.
Explanation: Nitrogen constitutes
4. What is the region of mild and
78% of the atmosphere. So 78% of
irregular wind in the equatorial
one million = 780,840 ppm – is the
region known as?
concentration of nitrogen gas in the
1. Trade winds
atmosphere.
2. Westerlies
2. In the lower layers of atmosphere, 3. Doldrums
what range of wavelengths of light is 4. Easterlies
predominant?
Answer: c
1. Less than 100 nm
Explanation: Doldrums are the
2. Greater than 300 nm
irregular winds and their exact
3. Between 100-300 nm
location is hard to analyse. Ships in
4. All wavelengths are equally
the region of doldrums might restrict
present
its movement due to a lack of proper
Answer: b wind.
Explanation: In the lower layers of
5. “Roaring forties” is the term used
atmosphere, light of wavelengths
to describe which of the following
greater than 300nm are present and
winds?
it is because of this reason, there is
1. East-to-west air winds in the
generally no ozone formation at the
southern hemisphere
ground level.
2. West-to east air winds in the
3. What does the ratio of the mass of northern hemisphere
water vapour to mass of air indicate? 3. East-to-west air winds in the
1. Absolute humidity northern hemisphere

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 Unit II – Climatology MCQs

4. West-to-east air winds in the air circulation which is classified as a

southern hemisphere hurricane/typhoon/cyclone if wind
speed exceeds 120km/hr.
Answer: d
Explanation: Roaring forties found in 7. Which of the following statements
the southern hemisphere are strong is true?
westerly winds caused by air 1. Troposphere is equally thick across
displaced from the equator to the different parts of the world
South Pole and aid yachtsmen in on 2. Troposphere contains the ozone
competitions and voyages. layer
3. Troposphere is thinner at the
6. Match the following.
equator than at the poles
1. Hurricane 1.Indian Ocean 4. Troposphere is thicker at the
and South Pacific equator than at the poles

2. Typhoon 2.Low level air Answer: d

circulation Explanation: Troposphere is nearly
16-17km thick at the equator and
3. Cyclone 3.Northeastern
thins down to approximately 8km at
Pacific and Atlantic
the poles.
4. Tropical Cyclone
8. The temperature decreases with
4.Northwestern Pacific
altitude in the stratosphere layer.
1. A-1; B-3; C-2; D-4 1. True
2. A-3; B-4; C-1; D-2 2. False
3. A-2; B-3; C-4; D-1
Answer: b
4. A-3; B-2; C-1; D-4
Explanation: Temperature slightly
Answer: b increases with altitude in the
Explanation: Hurricane, typhoon, stratosphere due to absorption of UV
cyclone are all used to categorise the radiations from the sun, by the ozone
same type of storm but differ based layer present in the stratosphere.
on their locations across the worl4.
9. Which of the following indicates
Tropical cyclone is a low level closed
the correct order of the principal

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 Unit II – Climatology MCQs

layers of the earth’s atmosphere day time and is responsible for aurora
from top to bottom? – natural light display in the sky in
1. Troposphere – Stratosphere – high altitude region.
Mesosphere – Thermosphere –
11. Which of the following mentioned
Exosphere
layers is NOT a homosphere?
2. Thermosphere – Stratosphere –
1. Exosphere
Troposphere – Mesosphere –
2. Troposphere
Exosphere
3. Ionosphere
3. Exosphere – Thermosphere –
4. Mesosphere
Mesosphere – Stratosphere –
Troposphere Answer: a
4. Exosphere – Mesosphere – Explanation: Homospheric layers of
Thermosphere – Stratosphere – atmosphere include layers where
Troposphere chemical composition is independent
of molecular weight of gases due to
Answer: c
mixing by turbulence. Hence the
Explanation: Exosphere is the
lower layers such as troposphere,
outermost layer of the atmosphere
ionosphere and mesosphere are
followed by mesosphere,
homospheres.
thermosphere, stratosphere and
troposphere. 12. Turbopause is highest layer of the
homosphere.
10. Which layer of the atmosphere is
1. True
responsible for aurora formation?
2. False
1. Ozone layer
2. Stratosphere Answer: a
3. Exosphere Explanation: Turbopause marks the
4. Ionosphere height at which homogenous layer,
the homosphere ends. Below the
Answer: d
turbopause, turbulent mixing of air
Explanation: Ionosphere is a
dominates.
secondary layer of the atmosphere
which extends through mesosphere, 13. The planetary boundary layer
thermosphere and exosphere during belongs to which of the following

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Unit III- Oceanography

As Per Updated Syllabus

 Unit III- Oceanography

Oceanography is the study of the physical, chemical, and biological features of the
ocean, including the ocean’s ancient history, its current condition, and its future.
In a time when the ocean is threatened by climate change and pollution,
coastlines are eroding, and entire species of marine life are at risk of extinction,
the role of oceanographers may be more important now than it has ever been.

Indeed, one of the most critical branches of oceanography today is known

as biological oceanography. It is the study of the ocean’s plants and animals and
their interactions with the marine environment. But oceanography is not just
about study and research. It is also about using that information to help leaders
make smart choices about policies that affect ocean health. Lessons learned
through oceanography affect the ways humans use the sea for transportation,
food, energy, water, and much more.

For example, fishermen with the Northwest Atlantic Marine Alliance (NAMA) are
working with oceanographers to better understand how pollutants are reducing
fish populations and posing health risks to consumers of the fish. Together, NAMA
and ocean scientists hope to use their research to show why tighter pollution
controls are needed.

Oceanographers from around the world are exploring a range of subjects as wide
as the ocean itself. For example, teams of oceanographers are investigating how
melting sea ice is changing the feeding and migration patterns of whales that
populate the ocean’s coldest regions. National Geographic Explorer Gabrielle
Corradino, a North Carolina State University 2017 Global Change Fellow, is also
interested in marine ecosystems, though in a much warmer environment.
Corradino is studying how the changing ocean is affecting populations of
microscopic phytoplankton and the fish that feed off of them. Her field work
included five weeks in the Gulf of Mexico filtering seawater to capture
phytoplankton and protozoa—the tiniest, but most important, parts of the sea’s
food chain.

Of course, oceanography covers more than the living organisms in the sea. A
branch of oceanography called geological oceanography focuses on the formation

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of the seafloor and how it changes over time. Geological oceanographers are
starting to use special GPS technology to map the seafloor and other underwater
features. This research can provide critical information, such as seismic activity,
that could lead to more accurate earthquake and tsunami prediction.

In addition to biological and geological oceanography, there are two other main
branches of sea science. One is physical oceanography, the study of the
relationships between the seafloor, the coastline, and the atmosphere. The other
is chemical oceanography, the study of the chemical composition of seawater and
how it is affected by weather, human activities, and other factors.

About 70 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by water. Nearly 97 percent of that

water is the saltwater swirling in the world’s ocean. Given the size of the ocean
and the rapid advancements in technology, there is seemingly no end to what can
and will be uncovered in the science of oceanography.

Surface area of earth is 510,072,000 km². It comprises of 148,940,000 km² land

(29.2 %) & 361,132,000 km² water (70.8 %). Relief features of oceans are quite
different from those of the continents. Please note that much of the oceanic crust
is less than 60 million years old, while the great bulk of the continental crust is of
Proterozoic age—mostly over 1 billion years old. Thus, the young age of the
oceanic crust is quite remarkable.

Ocean is blue because water shows slightly blue color and that is because of the
fact that it absorbs the Red photons of the light. Because the absorption which
gives water its color is in the red end of the visible spectrum, one sees blue, the
complementary color of red, when observing light that has passed through
several meters of water.

Some Extreme Points in Oceans

 The deepest point in the ocean is the Mariana Trench, located in the
Pacific Ocean near the Northern Mariana Islands.
 Its maximum depth has been estimated to be 10,971 meters (plus or
minus 11 meters).

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 British naval vessel, Challenger II surveyed the trench in 1951 and

named the deepest part of the trench, the “Challenger Deep”.
 In 1960, the Trieste successfully reached the bottom of the trench,
manned by a crew of two men.

Relief of Oceans

The relief features of the oceans are quite different from the continental features
because the Oceanic crust is less than 60-70- million years old whereas
continental features are of Proterozoic age (Over 1 Billion years old).

Typology of Oceanic Topography

The Oceanic relief features are in the form of mountains, basins, plateaus, ridges,
canyons and trenches beneath the ocean water. These forms are called
Submarine Relief. The ocean relief can be divided into various parts such as
Continental Shelf, Continental Slope, Continental Rise or Foot, Deep Ocean basins,
Abyssal plains & Abyssal Hills, Oceanic Trenches, Seamounts and Guyots.

Oceanic Topography: Typology and Significance

The relief features of the oceans are quite different from the continental features
because the Oceanic crust is less than 60-70- million years old whereas
continental features are of Proterozoic age (Over 1 Billion years old). Here, we are

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giving easy-to-learn write-up on the Oceanic topography along with typology and
significance that will enhance the knowledge of aspirant who are preparing for
different competitive exams.

Oceanic Topography: Typology and Significance

Water covers 70% of the earth’s surface in which only 3% are fresh water (Of this,
2% is in polar ice caps and only 1% is usable water). Oceans make up around 67
percent of the Earth's surface. The relief features of the oceans are quite different
from the continental features because the Oceanic crust is less than 60-70- million
years old whereas continental features are of Proterozoic age (Over 1 Billion years
old). Here, we are giving easy-to-learn write-up on the Oceanic topography along
with typology and significance that will enhance the knowledge of aspirant who
are preparing for different competitive exams.

Typology of Oceanic Topography

The Oceanic relief features are in the form of mountains, basins, plateaus, ridges,
canyons and trenches beneath the ocean water. These forms are called
Submarine Relief. The ocean relief can be divided into various parts such as

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Continental Shelf, Continental Slope, Continental Rise or Foot, Deep Ocean basins,
Abyssal plains & Abyssal Hills, Oceanic Trenches, Seamounts and Guyots.

Continental Shelf

It is the submerged edge of a continent which is gently sloping plain. In other

words, it is an extension of the continents into the ocean; continental shelf land
would be exposed if sea level dropped. Siberian Shelf in the Arctic Ocean is the
largest continental shelf in the world. It is made up of granite rock.

It is a gently sloping plain that extends into the Ocean. The typical gradient is less
than 1°. Taken together, total area of the continental shelves is 18% of earth’s
dry land area. The width of the continental shelf varies considerably; there are
many places on earth where there is virtually no shelf at all. The largest

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continental shelf is the Siberian Shelf in the Arctic Ocean, which stretches to
1,500 kilometers in width. The average width of continental shelves is about 80
km. The depth of the shelf also varies, but is generally limited to water shallower
than 150 m. Continental shelf is made up of Granite rock overlain by the
sediments. Because of the gentle slope, the continental shelf is influenced by the
changes in the sea level.

Continental Slope & Continental Rise

It is the slope between the outer edge of the continental shelf and the deep
ocean floor, which are lying between 2 degrees and 5 degrees.

Continental slope is relatively steep descent from the shelf break to the deep sea
floor. Inclination of the typical continental slope is around 4° and usually between
2° to 5°. Shelf break is almost constant all over the globe and is around 150
meters, except the Antarctica and Greenland continental slopes. The slope
plunges down at least 1 kilometer and usually 2-3 kilometers.

Continental Rise or Foot

It connects the continental slope to the deep sea or abyssal plain which is around
100-1000 Km wide.

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The Continental Rise connects the Continental slope to the deep sea or abyssal
plain. Its width is around 100-1000 kilometers. Slope is gradual and around l/8th
of the continental slope. The transition from continental to oceanic crust
commonly occurs within the continental rise.

Deep Ocean basin & Oceanic Ridges

It is the lowest layer in the Ocean, which is covered by the sediments of basalt up
to 5 kilometres thick.

Deep Ocean Basin is the lowest layer in the ocean. The sea floor is like a covering
of sediments over a basalt rock which may be up to 5 kilometers thick. Oceanic
ridges or Mid-oceanic Ridges refer to the boundary between the diverging plates.
A mid-ocean ridge (MOR) refers to an underwater mountain system that consists
of various mountain ranges (chains), typically having a valley known as a rift that
runs along its spine, formed by plate tectonics. The midoceanic ridge of
submarine hills divides the basin in about half. Precisely in the center of the ridge,
at its highest point, is a narrow trenchlike feature called the axial rift. The location
and form of this rift suggest that the crust is being pulled apart along the line of
the rift.

The oceanic ridges present a mountainous chain of young rocks which stretch
around 65000 kilometers, i.e. 1.5 times of the earth’s circumference. Oceanic

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Unit III- Oceanography
MCQs

As per Updated Syllabus

DIWAKAR
EDUCATION HUB
 Unit III- Oceanography MCQs

1. Which among the following trench 4. Hikurangi Trench

is NOT in the Pacific Ocean?
Answer: 1
1. Java Trench
5. The challenger rise is located in-
2. Karmadec
3. Peru-Chile 1. The Pacific ocean
4. Aleutian 2. The Indian ocean
3. The Atlantic ocean
Answer: 1
4. The Arctic ocean
2. “Chukchi Sea” is the part of which
Answer: 3
among the following Oceans?
6. Which of the following is a
1. Pacific
continental shelf sea-
2. Indian
3. Atlantic 1. North sea
4. Arctic 2. Arabian sea
3. Red sea
Answer: 4
4. Mediterranean sea
3. The part of Earth’s lithosphere that
Answer: 3
surfaces in the ocean basins is called
? 7. Which of the following oceans
does not have a north south
1. Ocean floor
submarine ridge?
2. Ocean crust
3. Continental slope 1. Indian ocean
4. None of the above 2. Atlantic ocean
3. Arctic ocean
Answer: 2
4. Pacific ocean
4. The correct location of Milwaukee
Answer: 4
Deep is ___________?
8. An Atoll is-
1. Puerto Rico Trench
2. Cayman Trough 1. a ring shaped islands with a
3. Manila Trench lagoon at the centre.

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 Unit III- Oceanography MCQs

2. a lake in glaciated mountains . 1. Arctic Sea

3. a lagoon along the shores. 2. Hudson sea
4. a lake in the craters . 3. Japan Sea
4. Okhotsk Sea .
Answer: 1
Answer: 3
9. The ‘Water table’ refers to-
12. The largest reserves of fresh
1. The lower limit of the zone of
water on the Earth’s surface in-
saturation .
2. The upper limit of the zone of 1. North America
saturation . 2. South America
3. The contact zone of permeable and 3. Russia
impermeable rocks . 4. Africa
4. Seepage of water into fissures lying
Answer: 1
below the earth’s surface.
13. The coastline formed by the
Answer: 2
submergence of mountain ridges
10. Which of the following is correct running parallel to the coast is known
sequence of increasing depth- as-

1. Continental shelf, Continental 1. Dalmation Coast

slope, Deepsea plains, Ocean depths. 2. Ria Cost
2. Continental slope, Continental 3. Flord Coast
shelf, Deepsea plains Ocean depths. 4. Haff Coast
3. Continental shelf, Continental
Answer: 1
slope, Ocean depths, Deep sea plains.
4. Continental slope, Continental 14. The deepest oceanic trench
shelf, Ocean depths, Deep sea plains. Mariana is located in-

Answer: 3 1. Atlantic Ocean

2. Arctic Ocean
11. Which is the smallest among the
3. Pacific Ocean
following water bodies?
4. Indian Ocean

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Answer: 3 4. The contact zone of the

permeable and impermeable
15. Which one of the following
rocks
sequences of ocean trenches is
correct in terms of the ascending Answer: 2
order of their depths?
18. A nautical mile is equal to-
1. Aleutian Trench-Mindanao
1. 5060 feet
Trench-NewHerbides
2. 5280 feet
2. NewHerbides Trench-
3. 6060 feet
Mindanao Trench-Aleutian
4. 6080 feet
3. Aleutian Trench-New Herbides
Trench Answer: 2
4. NewHerbides Trench-Aleutian
19. Assertion 1. : A composite profile
Trench-Mindanao Trench
includes only the lowest parts of a
Trench Mindanao Trench Tren
series of parallel profiles.
Answer: 3
Reason (R): A composite profile is
16. Sargasso Sea is Characterized by: constructed to represent the overall
relief of an area as viewed from a
1. Very cold water
distance
2. Very warm water
3. Highly saline water Codes:
4. Typical marine vegetation
1. Both A and R are individually true
Answer: 4 and R is the correct explanation of A
2. Both A and R are individually true
17. ‘Water table’ refers to-
but R is not a correct explanation of A
1. The lower limit of the zone of 3. A is true but R is false 4. A is false
saturation but R is true
2. The upper limit of the zone of
Answer: 4
saturation
3. Seepage of water into fissures 20. Following relief zones are
lying underground characteristics of ocean basins-

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Unit IV- Geography of Environment

As Per Updated Syllabus

 Unit IV- Geography of Environment

Ecosystem

The ecosystem is the structural and functional unit of ecology where the living
organisms interact with each other and the surrounding environment. In other
words, an ecosystem is a chain of interaction between organisms and their
environment. The term “Ecosystem” was first coined by A.G.Tansley, an English
botanist, in 1935.

A unit that includes all the organisms (biological factor) in a given area interacting
with the environmental (physical factors) so that a flow of energy leads to a
clearly defined trophic (nutrient requiring) structure, biotic diversity, and material
cycles (i.e., exchange of materials between living and non-living sectors). Thus
ecosystem is a term applied to a particular relationship between living organism
and their environment.

Types of Ecosystem

An ecosystem can be as small as an oasis in a desert, or as big as an ocean,

spanning thousands of miles. There are two types of ecosystem:

1. Terrestrial Ecosystem
2. Aquatic Ecosystem

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Terrestrial ecosystems are exclusively land-based ecosystems. There are different

types of terrestrial ecosystems distributed around various geological zones. They
are as follows:

1. Forest Ecosystems
2. Grassland Ecosystems
3. Tundra Ecosystems
4. Desert Ecosystem
5. Mountain

Forest Ecosystem

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A forest ecosystem consists of several plants, animals and microorganisms that

live in coordination with the abiotic factors of the environment. Forests help in
maintaining the temperature of the earth and are the major carbon sink.

The forest ecosystem is most important for humankind. The tropical forests on
the earth’s surface comprise a precious ecosystem of varying habitats, species
and individual groups of plants interacting with each other. The world has
witnessed a major erosion of the forest ecosystem due to deforestation in
tropical Asia, Africa and Latin America.

It is estimated that as many as 25% of the species on the earth in the mid 1980s
would disappear by 2025 if the current deforestation rate continues. The forest
ecosystem is a source of continued biological productivity and important for
climatic stability. More than 500 million people inhabit in these areas.

The forests contribute to food security, fibre, medicine, and industrial products.
But the most important contribution is in the form of genetic diversity. The closed
tropical forests all over the world cover only about 7% of the earth’s land surface,
but contain at least half and probably up to 90% of the world species.

We still lack adequate knowledge of this natural wealth. Only about 10% of all the
tropical species have been described. The current estimate indicates that half of
all the vascular plants and vertebrate species occur in the tropical forests. There is
a striking difference between the tropical and the temperate forests in terms of
their diversity.

Miller and Barber have pointed out that species loss through extinction is not a
new phenomena in nature. The 10 million species on the earth today are the
survivors of the safe population that evolution has produced since life began. In
the history of the planet, there has been much mass extinction. The last mass
extinction was 65 million years ago. Since then, the global bio diversity has
reoriented and is almost close to an all time high.

Grassland Ecosystem

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In a grassland ecosystem, the vegetation is dominated by grasses and herbs.

Temperate grasslands, savanna grasslands are some of the examples of grassland
ecosystems.

The grassland ecosystem occupies about 10 percent of the earth’s surface which
includes tropical and temperate grassland. The abiotic components and the
nutrients present in the soil and aerial environment. The producers are mainly
grasses and small trees and shrubs. The primary consumers include cows,
buffaloes, sheep, goats, deer, rabbits and other animals, while secondary
consumers are animals like foxes, jackals, snakes, frogs, lizards and birds etc.

Tundra Ecosystem

Tundra ecosystems are devoid of trees and are found in cold climates or where
rainfall is scarce. These are covered with snow for most of the year. The
ecosystem in the Arctic or mountain tops is tundra type.

Desert Ecosystem

Deserts are found throughout the world. These are regions with very little rainfall.
The days are hot and the nights are cold.

The Indian deserts constitute 2% of the total land mass and comprise the sand
desert of Western Rajasthan, the salt desert of Kutch in Gujarat and the Alpine
cold desert of the Himalayas. They are characterised by variations in temperature,
low precipitations and high velocity winds and have different types of sand dunes
and unique plant and animal species. Sand dune stabilization through biomass is
one of the high priority tasks.

Mountains:

A large part of the forest area of the country and watershed region is included
under this category. There are 10 types which represent major formations and
biomes. These are the tropical wet evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist, and dry
deciduous, subtropical evergreen, temperate, Himalayan and sub-alpine forests. It

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 Unit IV- Geography of Environment

is estimated that these ecosystems harbour 50,000 species of plants and 72,000
animals and also a large number of unknown insects, microbes, etc.

Aquatic Ecosystem

Aquatic ecosystems are ecosystems present in a body of water.

These can be further divided into four types, namely:

1. Freshwater Ecosystem
2. Marine Ecosystem
3. Coastal
4. Mangroves

Freshwater Ecosystem

The freshwater ecosystem is an aquatic ecosystem that includes lakes, ponds,

rivers, streams and wetlands. These have no salt content in contrast with the
marine ecosystem.

The freshwater ecosystems are highly productive with rich biological diversity. In
India, wetlands cover a vast area and are of various categories, namely, tanks and
reservoirs, saline tracks, freshwater lakes, marshes, etc. They have a wide range
of habitats. The lifestyle of the population is tailored according to the nature of
the ecosystem.

Marine Ecosystem

The marine ecosystem includes seas and oceans. These have a more substantial
salt content and greater biodiversity in comparison to the freshwater ecosystem.

The open sea and wetlands include the continental shelf, estuarine backwaters,
continental slopes, exclusive economic zone of India, sandy beaches and
mangroves. The coral reefs are highly productive and are restricted to tropical
shallow waters of the sea and harbour rich biological diversity. One of the
ecosystems is the sea-grasses which play an important role in maintaining the
biodiversity and productivity. The open ocean is the least explored as yet.

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Coastal

In India, we have fairly vast coastline of 9000 km. There are 10 maritime states in
the country, namely, West Bengal, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
Pondicherry, Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Maharashtra and Gujarat. In addition, there
are two groups of Islands, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar.

The coastal zones represent a very specialized ecosystem which supports unique
flora and fauna. The developmental strategies for these have direct impact on the
life style of the people. Some of the main activities in this region are shipping,
fishing, oil and gas exploration and recreational activities.

For coastal zones, an appropriate monitoring system is very essential, especially

keeping in view the threat of frequent natural calamities, possible sea level rise
and the increasing migration of population from the rural areas to urban areas,
and particularly the coastal areas.

The efforts of the Departments of Space and Ocean Development are important
in this regard. A scientific biological monitoring system also needs to be evolved.
The coastal zone is an unique interface of land, sea and the atmosphere.

Mangroves:

Mangroves are specialized communities inhabiting intertidal zones of sheltered,

low-lying, tropical and subtropical coasts.

They are of two types:

(i) Swampy mangroves which occur below the level of high tides and are
covered by sea water twice a day, and
(ii) Tidal mangroves which are submerged only by spring tides and during
cyclones or by exceptional tides.

About 674,000 hectares of mangroves exist in India. The mangroves are a source
of livelihood for the people in Tamil Nadu and Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and
in Sunder-bans in West Bengal.

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Islands:

Islands are characterized by significant land-sea interaction, large extent of littoral

areas and exclusive economic zone. These features relate to their volcanic origins
or as coral atolls, degrees of isolation and need for transportation and interaction.

Tourism is the mainstay of their economy. Environmentally sound tourism,

marine related employment, relevant human resource development and
agricultural production plans are required for the development of islands.

Structure of the Ecosystem

The structure of an ecosystem is characterised by the organisation of both biotic

and abiotic components. This includes the distribution of energy in our
environment. It also includes the climatic conditions prevailing in that particular
environment.

The structure of an ecosystem can be split into two main components, namely:

1. Biotic Components
2. Abiotic Components

The biotic and abiotic components are interrelated in an ecosystem. It is an open

system where the energy and components can flow throughout the boundaries.

Structure of Ecosystem highlighting the biotic and abiotic factors

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 Unit IV- Geography of Environment

Biotic Components

Biotic components refer to all life in an ecosystem. Based on nutrition, biotic

components can be categorised into autotrophs, heterotrophs and saprotrophs
(or decomposers).

 Producers include all autotrophs such as plants. They are called autotrophs
as they can produce food through the process of photosynthesis.
Consequently, all other organisms higher up on the food chain rely on
producers for food.

 The green plants have chlorophyll with the help of which they trap solar
energy and change it into chemical energy of carbohydrates using simple
inorganic compounds namely water and carbon dioxide. This process is
known as photosynthesis. As the green plants manufacture their own food
they are known as Autotrophs (i.e. auto = self, trophos = feeder)
 The chemical energy stored by the producers is utilised partly by the
producers for their own growth and survival and the remaining is stored in
the plant parts for their future use.

 Consumers or heterotrophs are organisms that depend on other organisms

for food. Consumers are further classified into primary consumers,
secondary consumers and tertiary consumers.

 The animals lack chlorophyll and are unable to synthesise their own food.
Therefore, they depend on the producers for their food. They are known as
heterotrophs (i.e. heteros = other, trophos = feeder)
 Primary consumers are always herbivores that they rely on
producers for food. Examples are rabbit, deer, goat, cattle etc.
 Secondary consumers depend on primary consumers for energy.
They can either be a carnivore or an omnivore. Examples are cats,
foxes, snakes etc.
 Tertiary consumers are organisms that depend on secondary
consumers for food. Tertiary consumers can also be an omnivore.
Example are Wolves.

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Unit IV- Geography of
Environment MCQs

As per Updated Syllabus

DIWAKAR
EDUCATION HUB
 Unit IV- Geography of Environment MCQs

1. Which one of the following is not a 3. The type of ecosystem with the
gaseous biogeochemical cycle in an highest mean plant productivity is
ecosystem? _______________
1. Carbon cycle 1. Tundra
2. Phosphorous cycle 2. Temperate grassland
3. Sulfur cycle 3. Desert
4. Nitrogen cycle 4. Tropical rain forest

Answer: 2 Answer: 4
Explanation: Phosphorous cycle is not Explanation: A Tropical rain forest has
a gaseous biogeochemical cycle in an more kinds of trees than any other
ecosystem. It is also a biogeochemical area in the world. Seventy percent of
cycles but here atmosphere does not the plants in the rainforest are trees.
play a significant role in the There are many distinct layers of
movement of the phosphorous cycle. trees. These layers have been
identified as the emergent upper,
2. Transfer of energy from source of
canopy, understory and forest floor.
plants through a series of organism is
known as ________________ 4. An ecosystem which can be easily
1. Food web damaged but can recovered after
2. Energy cycle some time if damaging effect stops
3. Food chain will be having
4. Biological system ____________________
1. High stability and high resilience
Answer: 3
2. High stability and low resilience
Explanation: Food chain is a pathway
3. Low stability and low resilience
that represents the exchange of
4. Low stability and high resilience
energy from one organism to
another. Energy is transmitted all the Answer: 4
way from Sun to the other organisms Explanation: In any ecosystem the
by passing from producers to the condition of low stability and high
consumers. resilience makes it to damage easily
and after a certain amount of time
they recover from damaging effects.

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 Unit IV- Geography of Environment MCQs

Hence both stability and resilience and consumption of biomass are

play an important role in ecosystem. going on.

5. Pyramids of number in grassland 7. Which ecosystem produce the

ecosystem are inverted. highest annual net primary
1. True productivity?
2. False 1. Tropical evergreen forest
2. Tropical rain forest
Answer: 2
3. Tropical deciduous forest
Explanation: Pyramids of number in
4. Temperate evergreen forest
grassland ecosystem is erect. It is the
graphical representation which Answer: 2
depicts the number of organisms, Explanation: Tropical rain forest
biomass and productivity at each produce mean NPP of 2200(g/m2/yr)
tropic level. All ecological pyramids the world NPP is 37.4(109 tons/yr).
begin at the bottom with the Tropical rain forest produce mean
producer and goes into the upper biomass of 45(Kg/m2) and the world
level. biomass is 763(109 tones). Hence
tropical rain forest ecosystem
6. In ecosystem standing crop refers
produces the highest annual net
to________________
primary productivity(NPP).
1. All the green plants
2. All the non living materials 8. What flows through the ecosystem
3. All living and dead animals while matter cycles within them?
4. All the living materials both 1. Energy
animals and plants 2. Force
3. Pressure
Answer: 4
4. Wind
Explanation: Standing crop is the
amount of total biomass present in Answer: 1
an ecosystem. This is the amount of Explanation: Ecosystem maintains
total living matter. There is no themselves by cycling energy and
circulation in standing crop. In nutrients obtained from external
standing crop continuous synthesis sources. At the first tropic level,

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 Unit IV- Geography of Environment MCQs

primary producers are solar energy to productivity on the planet even

produce organic plant material though they have one of the lowest
through photosynthesis. average net primary productivities
which cover by far the most area on
9. Total primary production in an
earth.
ecosystem is known
as____________________ 11. Generally ecosystem consists of
1. Gross final production how many basic components?
2. Gross primary production 1. One
3. Gross middle production 2. Two
4. Net primary production 3. Three
4. Four
Answer: 2
Explanation: The total amount of Answer: 2
productivity in a region is gross Explanation: Generally ecosystems
primary productivity. Primary consist of two basic components,
productivity is the rate at which they are abiotic and biotic
energy is converted by components. Abiotic components
photosynthetic and chemosynthetic include basic inorganic and organic
autotrophy to organic substances. compounds. Biotic components
include producers, consumers and
10. Which type of ecosystem
decomposers.
accounts for most of the net primary
productivity on earth even though it 12. The three functional components
has a low average net primary interact with each other to
productivity? form__________________
1. Tropical rain forest 1. Environmental succession
2. Desert 2. Environmental depression
3. Tropical evergreen forest 3. Environmental system
4. Oceans 4. Ecology

Answer: 4 Answer: 3
Explanation: The open oceans Explanation: The three functional
account for most of the net primary components of an ecosystem which

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