Part 6 – Biodiversity Hotspots in India (25 MCQs)

Part 6 – Biodiversity Hotspots in India (25 MCQs)

Q1. How many biodiversity hotspots are there globally?

a) 17
b) 25
c) 34
d) 12

Answer: c) 34

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → 17 = megadiverse countries.
• (b) Incorrect → Earlier estimate was 25.
• (c) Correct → 34 biodiversity hotspots worldwide.
• (d) Incorrect → Not 12.

Q2. How many biodiversity hotspots are found in India?

a) 2
b) 3
c) 4
d) 5

Answer: c) 4

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Too few.
• (b) Incorrect → India has more than 3.
• (c) Correct → Himalaya, Indo-Burma, Indo-Malayan (Nicobar), and Western Ghats.
• (d) Incorrect → Not 5.

Q3. Which of the following is NOT a biodiversity hotspot of India?

a) Himalaya
b) Western Ghats
c) Indo-Burma region
d) Thar Desert

Answer: d) Thar Desert

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Himalaya hotspot.
• (b) Correct → Western Ghats hotspot.
• (c) Correct → Indo-Burma hotspot.
• (d) Correct answer → Thar desert is species-poor, not hotspot.

Q4. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot includes the entire Indian Himalayas and Indo-Burma region?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Indo-Malayan
d) Western Ghats

Answer: a) Himalaya

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Himalaya includes entire Indian Himalayas.
• (b) Incorrect → Covers North-East & Andaman.
• (c) Incorrect → Refers to Nicobar Islands.
• (d) Incorrect → Western Ghats is separate hotspot.

Q5. Which biodiversity hotspot includes the Andaman & Nicobar Islands?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Indo-Malayan (Nicobar)
d) Western Ghats

Answer: c) Indo-Malayan (Nicobar)

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = northern region.
• (b) Incorrect → Indo-Burma = NE India, not Nicobar.
• (c) Correct → Nicobar belongs to Indo-Malayan hotspot.
• (d) Incorrect → Western Ghats = peninsular India.

Q6. Which biodiversity hotspot includes North-East India except Andaman & Nicobar?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Indo-Malayan

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = northern states.
• (b) Correct → Indo-Burma = NE India except Nicobar.
• (c) Incorrect → Western Ghats = southern India.
• (d) Incorrect → Indo-Malayan = Nicobar only.

Q7. Which is a criterion for a region to qualify as a biodiversity hotspot?

a) At least 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics
b) 70% of habitat lost
c) High degree of species richness
d) All of the above

Answer: d) All of the above

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → 1,500 endemic vascular plants needed.
• (b) Correct → ≥70% habitat loss.
• (c) Correct → Species richness is essential.
• (d) Correct → All criteria apply.

Q8. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot is known for evergreen forests, amphibian diversity, and endemism?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: c) Western Ghats

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = temperate/alpine species.
• (b) Incorrect → Indo-Burma = NE India, not most amphibians.
• (c) Correct → Western Ghats = highest amphibian endemism.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar has marine biodiversity.

Q9. Which biodiversity hotspot is called the “cradle of speciation” in India?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: c) Western Ghats

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = high altitude adaptations.
• (b) Incorrect → Indo-Burma = diverse but not cradle.
• (c) Correct → Western Ghats = speciation hotspot.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = marine biodiversity.

Q10. The Himalaya hotspot is rich in which type of species?

a) Alpine flora and fauna
b) Marine fish
c) Desert reptiles
d) Tropical amphibians

Answer: a) Alpine flora and fauna

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Himalaya = alpine vegetation, snow leopards, yak.
• (b) Incorrect → Not marine.
• (c) Incorrect → Not desert species.
• (d) Incorrect → Amphibians dominate Western Ghats.

Q11. The Indo-Burma hotspot extends into which neighboring countries?

a) Bangladesh and Myanmar
b) Nepal and Bhutan
c) China and Pakistan
d) Sri Lanka and Maldives

Answer: a) Bangladesh and Myanmar

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Indo-Burma extends into Bangladesh & Myanmar.
• (b) Incorrect → Nepal/Bhutan in Himalaya hotspot.
• (c) Incorrect → China/Pakistan = Himalayan zone.
• (d) Incorrect → Sri Lanka not part of Indo-Burma.

Q12. Which of the following regions is part of the Himalaya biodiversity hotspot?

a) Sundarbans
b) Arunachal Pradesh
c) Andaman Islands
d) Western Ghats

Answer: b) Arunachal Pradesh

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Sundarbans = Indo-Burma.
• (b) Correct → Arunachal = eastern Himalaya.
• (c) Incorrect → Andamans = Indo-Burma.
• (d) Incorrect → Western Ghats is separate hotspot.

Q13. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot harbors one of the world’s largest mangrove ecosystems (Sundarbans)?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya has no mangroves.
• (b) Correct → Sundarbans (Indo-Burma).
• (c) Incorrect → Western Ghats = evergreen forests.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = marine.

Q14. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot is the richest in freshwater fish species?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = alpine fish but not richest.
• (b) Correct → Indo-Burma has richest freshwater fish.
• (c) Incorrect → Western Ghats = amphibian richness.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = marine fish.

Q15. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot is part of the Indo-Malayan region?

a) Western Ghats
b) Nicobar Islands
c) Himalaya
d) Indo-Burma

Answer: b) Nicobar Islands

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Peninsular India hotspot.
• (b) Correct → Nicobar belongs to Indo-Malayan.
• (c) Incorrect → Himalaya = separate hotspot.
• (d) Incorrect → NE India, not Nicobar.

Q16. Which biodiversity hotspot of India has the highest number of endemic flowering plants?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: c) Western Ghats

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = alpine endemism, but less than Ghats.
• (b) Incorrect → Indo-Burma = high diversity, not highest endemic plants.
• (c) Correct → Western Ghats = endemic flowering plants.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = marine biodiversity.

Q17. Which is the smallest biodiversity hotspot in India by area?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Nicobar Islands
d) Western Ghats

Answer: c) Nicobar Islands

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya large.
• (b) Incorrect → Indo-Burma = NE India, very large.
• (c) Correct → Nicobar is the smallest hotspot.
• (d) Incorrect → Western Ghats > Nicobar.

Q18. Which biodiversity hotspot is known for the Great Indian Rhinoceros?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = snow leopard, yak.
• (b) Correct → Indo-Burma (Kaziranga, Assam) = Indian rhino.
• (c) Incorrect → Western Ghats = lion-tailed macaque.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = marine fauna.

Q19. The lion-tailed macaque is an endemic species of which hotspot?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: c) Western Ghats

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Not Himalayan.
• (b) Incorrect → Not NE India.
• (c) Correct → Endemic to Western Ghats.
• (d) Incorrect → Not in Nicobar.

Q20. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot is home to the snow leopard?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: a) Himalaya

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Snow leopard in high Himalayas.
• (b) Incorrect → Not Indo-Burma.
• (c) Incorrect → Not in Ghats.
• (d) Incorrect → Not in Nicobar.

Q21. Which biodiversity hotspot includes the entire Indian Eastern Himalaya and Bhutan?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: a) Himalaya

Explanation:

• (a) Correct → Eastern Himalaya + Bhutan included.
• (b) Incorrect → NE plains, not Bhutan.
• (c) Incorrect → Ghats are southern.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = islands.

Q22. Which biodiversity hotspot has the largest mangrove forest (Sundarbans)?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya no mangroves.
• (b) Correct → Sundarbans (India-Bangladesh) in Indo-Burma.
• (c) Incorrect → Ghats = rainforests.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = coral reefs.

Q23. Which biodiversity hotspot is most threatened due to shifting cultivation (jhum)?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = less jhum.
• (b) Correct → NE India (Indo-Burma) faces jhum cultivation.
• (c) Incorrect → Ghats face deforestation, not jhum.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = island threats.

Q24. Which biodiversity hotspot is also called “Sahyadri Hills”?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: c) Western Ghats

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya different.
• (b) Incorrect → Indo-Burma different.
• (c) Correct → Western Ghats = Sahyadri Hills.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar not Ghats.

Q25. Which Indian biodiversity hotspot is the richest in reptilian diversity?

a) Himalaya
b) Indo-Burma
c) Western Ghats
d) Nicobar

Answer: b) Indo-Burma

Explanation:

• (a) Incorrect → Himalaya = alpine species.
• (b) Correct → Indo-Burma = reptiles, amphibians, freshwater fish.
• (c) Incorrect → Ghats = amphibians.
• (d) Incorrect → Nicobar = marine fauna.

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