Topic Food web
Asked 2 times across 2 UPSC exams over 12 years (2014–2026), peaking in 2014.
Key insights
- Most tested in CDS — 1 of 2 PYQs
- Most asked in 2014
- Recurs across 2 years (2014–2026)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CDS 2014 → GEO 2026
How the concept evolved
Long-running — most appearances (1 of 2) predate 2016, and it still returns.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
GEO2026
Consider the following statements
Statement ITrophic relationship within ecological communities tends to be complex and web-like
Statement IIMany consumers feed on more than one species and one species are fed upon by more than one species
Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?
- A Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I
- B Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I
- C Statement-I is correct but Statement-II is not correct
- D Statement-I is not correct but Statement-II is correct
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Environment & Ecology › Ecology & Ecosystems
CDS2014
In a forest, animals like voles and wood lice feed on plant roots and barks respectively. Among the other carnivores, foxes, shrews and owls are present in that forest. Following predictions are made by a group of observers who have visited the forest
- If the roots of the tree develop a disease, then voles and foxes will starve and not the owls
- Population of voles is dependent on wood lice population through food web
- If owl population declines, it will indirectly affect wood lice population
- If barks of tree are affected due to a disease, then reduction of wood lice will affect the shrew population forcing owls to eat more voles
Which of the above predictions is/are correct?
- A 1, 2 and 4
- B 2 only
- C 1 and 2 only
- D 2 and 4
Answer key not yet available (pending official release)
Environment & Ecology › Ecology & Ecosystems
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