Environment and Ecosystems

Ecosystem, food chains, biodiversity and conservation.

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5 real MAHA TET questions with instant answers — no signup, ~3 minutes.

Environment and Ecosystems

Overview

Environment and Ecosystems is a core topic in the Science section of MAHA TET Paper II, bridging biology and environmental awareness. Questions typically test your understanding of how living organisms interact with each other and their physical surroundings, the flow of energy through food chains and webs, and the importance of conserving biodiversity.

This topic connects directly to NCF 2005's emphasis on environmental sensitivity and forms the conceptual foundation for teaching upper-primary students about their natural world. Expect 2–4 questions covering ecosystem components, energy flow, types of ecosystems, and conservation measures. Mastery here also helps with pedagogy questions on EVS integration.

The key skill tested is your ability to distinguish between related concepts (habitat vs niche, food chain vs food web, in-situ vs ex-situ conservation) and apply them to real-world examples from Indian contexts.

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Key Concepts

**Ecosystem** — A functional unit of nature where living organisms (biotic) interact with non-living components (abiotic) through energy flow and nutrient cycling. Examples: pond, forest, grassland, desert.

**Biotic Components** — All living organisms classified as producers (green plants), consumers (herbivores, carnivores, omnivores), and decomposers (bacteria, fungi).

**Abiotic Components** — Non-living factors including sunlight, temperature, water, soil, air, and minerals that influence living organisms.

**Food Chain** — A linear sequence showing transfer of energy from one organism to another. Energy decreases at each level (typically only 10% transfers to the next trophic level).

**Food Web** — Interconnected food chains in an ecosystem showing multiple feeding relationships; more realistic than a single food chain.

**Trophic Levels** — Feeding positions in a food chain: T1 (producers) → T2 (primary consumers/herbivores) → T3 (secondary consumers) → T4 (tertiary consumers) → T5 (decomposers).

**Biodiversity** — The variety of life at three levels: genetic diversity (within species), species diversity (between species), and ecosystem diversity (variety of habitats).

**Conservation** — Protection and management of biodiversity through in-situ methods (national parks, sanctuaries) and ex-situ methods (zoos, seed banks, botanical gardens).

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Formulas / Key Facts

| Concept | Key Fact | |---------|----------| | 10% Law | Only 10% of energy transfers from one trophic level to the next (proposed by Lindeman) | | Biodiversity Hotspots | India has 4 hotspots: Western Ghats, Himalayas, Indo-Burma, Sundaland | | India's Position | India is one of 17 megadiverse countries; has about 8% of world's biodiversity | | First National Park | Jim Corbett National Park (1936) — India's first national park | | Biosphere Reserves | India has 18 biosphere reserves; Nilgiri was the first (1986) | | Endemic Species | Species found only in a particular region (e.g., Lion-tailed macaque in Western Ghats) | | IUCN Red List | Categories: Extinct, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Near Threatened, Least Concern | | Producers | Always form the first trophic level; maximum energy and biomass | | Decomposers | Break down dead organic matter; return nutrients to soil |

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Q1 · Environment and Ecosystems · EASY
In a grassland ecosystem, grass is eaten by grasshoppers, grasshoppers are eaten by frogs, frogs are eaten by snakes, and snakes are eaten by hawks. What is the position of the frog in this food chain?
Q2 · Environment and Ecosystems · EASY
A forest has many different types of trees, shrubs, insects, birds, and mammals living together. This variety of life forms in the forest is an example of:
Q3 · Environment and Ecosystems · MEDIUM
In an aquatic ecosystem, phytoplankton (tiny floating plants) are eaten by zooplankton (tiny floating animals), which are eaten by small fish, which are eaten by large fish, which are eaten by birds. If a disease kills most of the zooplankton, what is the most likely immediate effect?
Q4 · Environment and Ecosystems · MEDIUM
A government has declared a certain forest area as a protected zone where hunting and tree cutting are banned. Local communities are given training to earn livelihood through eco-tourism and sustainable harvesting of non-timber forest products. This is an example of:
Q5 · Environment and Ecosystems · MEDIUM
In an ecosystem, organisms that break down dead organic matter and return nutrients to the soil are known as:

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Notes generated on 27 Jun 2026

Environment and Ecosystems

Environment and Ecosystems

Overview

Key Concepts

Formulas / Key Facts

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