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Topic Trophic Levels
Asked 2 times across 2 UPSC exams over 10 years (2014–2024), peaking in 2014.
Key insights
- Most tested in CSE — 1 of 2 PYQs
- Most asked in 2014
- Recurs across 2 years (2014–2024)
How it travelled across exams
First appearance in each exam — the same idea, reframed.
CSE 2014 → CAPF 2024
How the concept evolved
Long-running — most appearances (1 of 2) predate 2016, and it still returns.
Related concepts
Ideas UPSC tests alongside this one — keep exploring.
Sample questions
You've seen the pattern — here are a few of the actual PYQs.
CAPF2024
In an ecosystem why is the number of trophic levels of a food chain usually limited?
- A Lower trophic level has lesser energy than the higher trophic level
- B Because of the loss of energy at each trophic level ✓
- C Higher trophic level individual can control the lower ones more efficiently
- D Limited trophic level makes a food chain less vulnerable to parasites
✓ Correct answer: (B)
Environment & Ecology › Ecology & Ecosystems
CSE2014
Which one of the following is the correct sequence of a food chain?
- A Diatoms-Crustaceans-Herrings ✓
- B Crustaceans-Diatoms-Herrings
- C Diatoms-Herrings-Crustaceans
- D Crustaceans-Herrings-Diatoms
✓ Correct answer: (A)
Environment & Ecology › Ecology & Ecosystems
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