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Practice biomes-and-habitats with 20 free MCQ questions covering environment-and-ecology. Detailed explanations in English and Hindi, perfect for UPSC, SSC, and competitive exam preparation.
Attempt the quiz above first, then review every question with its correct answer and a short explanation below.
Q1.What is the primary defining characteristic of all desert biomes, whether hot or cold?
Explanation: According to NCERT Geography, deserts are defined by their aridity. They receive very low annual precipitation (typically less than 25 cm) and have high rates of evaporation, regardless of whether they have hot or cold temperatures.
Q2.Which of the following deserts is a classic example of a cold desert located in the rain shadow of high mountain ranges?
Explanation: The Gobi Desert in Central Asia (Mongolia/China) is a cold desert. It is located in a rain shadow formed by the Himalayan range and Tibetan plateau, which block rain-carrying clouds from the Indian Ocean, resulting in extreme cold and dryness.
Q3.Desert plants that germinate, grow, flower, and set seed within a very short wet period following rain, surviving the dry season as seeds, are called:
Explanation: As per NCERT concepts, ephemerals (or drought evaders) are desert annual plants that avoid drought. They have extremely short life cycles (often 2-4 weeks). They grow rapidly only when it rains, produce seeds, and die, leaving the seeds dormant in the soil until the next rainfall.
Q4.Desert plants with exceptionally long roots that grow deep down into the soil to tap the water table are classified as:
Explanation: Phreatophytes (such as Prosopis / Mesquite tree) have long taproot systems that penetrate deep into the ground (often up to 30-50 meters) to draw water directly from the permanent water table, allowing them to remain green through dry seasons.
Q5.Which of the following cold deserts is located in India, characterized by high altitude, low temperatures, and sparse vegetation?
Explanation: Ladakh is a cold desert in India located in the rain shadow of the Great Himalayas. It sits at a high altitude (above 3000m), experiences freezing winter temperatures (down to -40°C), and has very low precipitation, making it arid with sparse vegetation (NCERT Class 7 Geography).
Q6.Which soil order is characteristic of desert regions, characterized by low organic matter and accumulation of calcium carbonate?
Explanation: Aridisols are dry soils typical of arid/desert regions. They have very low organic matter because of sparse vegetation. Due to high evaporation and low leaching, soluble salts and calcium carbonate (often forming hard kankar pans) accumulate in the soil profiles.
Q7.The wild donkey species (Equus hemionus khur), locally known as 'Khur' or Indian Wild Ass, is endemic to which unique desert habitat in India?
Explanation: The Indian Wild Ass (Khur) is endemic to the Little Rann of Kutch, a saline flat desert in Gujarat. It is adapted to survive in extreme heat and feed on dry grasses and halophytic vegetation of the salt flats (NCERT Geography).
Q8.Why do desert soils in arid regions of India (like Western Rajasthan) have high salinity?
Explanation: NCERT Geography explains that in arid regions, the rate of evaporation is much higher than precipitation. This water deficit causes capillary action, drawing groundwater containing dissolved mineral salts upward. When water evaporates, the salts are left behind on the surface soil.
Q9.Which of the following is a key physiological adaptation of camels that allows them to survive for long periods without drinking water?
Explanation: Camels do not store water in their humps (the hump stores fat). They adapt by allowing their body temperature to rise during the day (reducing the need to sweat to cool down) and by excreting highly concentrated urine and dry feces to minimize water loss.
Q10.Desert plants that have fleshy, water-storing tissues in their stems or leaves are called:
Explanation: Succulents (like Cactus, Aloe vera, and Agave) are plants adapted to arid climates. They store water in their thick, fleshy stems or leaves. A thick waxy coating on their surface also prevents water from evaporating.
Q11.Which plant species is a highly characteristic shrub of the cold desert of Ladakh and is valued for its nutritional berries and soil-binding roots?
Explanation: Seabuckthorn is a deciduous shrub native to the cold desert of Ladakh. It produces orange-yellow berries rich in vitamin C. Because it has an extensive root system that binds soil and fixes nitrogen, it is used for checking soil erosion in cold dry regions.
Q12.What is the ecological term for the process where fertile land in semi-arid regions degrades and becomes desert due to overgrazing, deforestation, or climate change?
Explanation: Desertification is the process of land degradation in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid areas, resulting from various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. It transforms productive land into unproductive desert.
Q13.Why do most desert rodents and reptiles remain underground in deep burrows during the daytime?
Explanation: Deep burrows have a microclimate that is significantly cooler and more humid than the desert surface. Remaining in burrows during the day helps animals avoid heat stress and reduces the amount of moisture lost through breathing.
Q14.The Atacama Desert in South America, known as one of the driest places on Earth, is formed primarily due to which factor?
Explanation: The Atacama Desert is located in the rain shadow of the Andes Mountains, which block moisture from the east. In addition, the cold Humboldt (Peru) Current flowing along the coast cools the air, preventing it from holding moisture and forming rain clouds.
Q15.Which of the following adaptations is found in cold desert mammals (like the Snow Leopard and Wild Yak) to survive sub-zero temperatures?
Explanation: Cold desert mammals have dense underfur and long outer guard hairs that trap air, providing excellent insulation. They also have large nasal passages that warm cold air before it reaches their lungs, protecting their internal organs.
Q16.Cryptobiotic soil crusts, which are common in desert ecosystems, are composed of:
Explanation: Cryptobiotic (or biological) soil crusts are highly specialized communities of cyanobacteria, mosses, and lichens. They form a cohesive layer on the desert floor, protecting the soil from wind and water erosion and fixing nitrogen.
Q17.Which of the following desert plants has broad, flat green stem segments called cladodes that perform photosynthesis?
Explanation: Opuntia is a classic xerophytic cactus. Its leaves are modified into spines to reduce transpiration, and its stem is modified into flat, green, photosynthetic structures called cladodes (or phylloclades) that store water.
Q18.Desert annual plants (ephemerals) survive the extremely long drought periods primarily as:
Explanation: During long dry seasons, adult ephemeral plants die completely. They leave behind highly resistant, dormant seeds in the soil that can survive heat and dryness for years, germinating only when sufficient rainfall occurs.
Q19.In India, the Indira Gandhi Canal has transformed parts of the Thar Desert. However, it has also led to which major environmental problem typical of poorly drained irrigated arid soils?
Explanation: While canal irrigation brought water to the Thar Desert, the lack of proper drainage in the clayey underground layer has caused the water table to rise (waterlogging). Due to high evaporation rates, dissolved salts accumulate on the topsoil, leading to soil salinization and making land unfit for cultivation.
Q20.The Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum), one of the few venomous lizards in the world, is adapted to survive in the deserts of North America by:
Explanation: The Gila Monster spends most of its life in underground burrows to avoid heat and dry air. It stores fat in its thick tail, which serves as an energy and water source during periods of food scarcity.
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