UGC NET Questions (Paper – 1)

Carrying capacity refers to the largest population size that an environment can sustain indefinitely given the available resources and technology. If this limit is exceeded,resources are depleted and environmental degradation occurs. The stem clearly mentions a maximum sustainable population without degrading resources,which is precisely the idea of carrying capacity. Therefore this option correctly completes the statement.

Option A:
Carrying capacity is widely used in ecology and human ecology to discuss limits to growth. It reminds planners that development must respect environmental constraints. This matches the emphasis on sustainability in the question.

Option B:
Demographic bonus refers to potential economic gains from a favourable age structure and has nothing to do with physical resource limits. It does not answer what the maximum sustainable population is.

Option C:
Population pyramid is a graphical representation of age and sex composition. It shows structure,not the maximum population an environment can support,so it is not appropriate here.

Option D:
Dependency ratio compares dependants with working age people. It is an economic-demographic indicator rather than a measure of environmental limits.

Carrying capacity links population size with long-term availability of resources and waste-absorbing capacity. It asks how many individuals can be sustained while maintaining ecological balance. Beyond this limit, resource stocks are depleted and environmental quality declines, undermining future support capacity. The focus is therefore on indefinite support, not short-term crowding.

Option A:
Option A is incorrect because physical crowding alone does not indicate sustainability; a dense city may still operate within or beyond ecological limits depending on its metabolism.

Option B:
Option B is correct as it combines the idea of a maximum population with the requirement of not degrading underlying resources over time.

Option C:
Option C is incorrect since carrying capacity is not about keeping birth rate high; it is about sustainable support.

Option D:
Option D is incorrect because a zoo is a managed facility, not the kind of self-regulating ecosystem the concept usually addresses.

Integrated pest management is a holistic strategy that uses multiple compatible methods to keep pest populations below damaging levels. It emphasises biological control and cultural practices first,and uses chemicals only when necessary. This approach reduces environmental harm and maintains agricultural productivity. Thus the description in the question clearly refers to integrated pest management.

Option A:
Mono cropping is the practice of growing a single crop over a large area for many seasons. It can actually increase pest problems by providing continuous host plants. Therefore it is not the diversified pest control approach outlined in the stem.

Option B:
Integrated pest management stresses careful monitoring,threshold based interventions and use of least disruptive methods. It aims to balance economic viability with ecological safety. Because the stem mentions combining several methods in an ecologically sound way,IPM is the correct choice.

Option C:
Shifting cultivation involves clearing and cultivating a plot for a few years and then moving to another area. It is a land use system,not a pest management strategy. Hence it does not match the concept described.

Option D:
Precision farming uses information technology and sensors to optimise agricultural inputs like fertilisers and water. Although it can complement pest management,it is not specifically defined by the combination of biological,cultural and chemical methods described in the question.

The term carrying capacity describes the maximum population size that an environment can sustain over time. It assumes a balance between resource availability and population demands. If population exceeds this level,resources are degraded and sustainability is threatened. Hence carrying capacity is the most appropriate term for the situation in the question.

Option A:
Biotic potential refers to the maximum reproductive capacity of a population under ideal conditions. It does not consider resource limitations or environmental constraints. Therefore it cannot represent the sustainable maximum that the environment can support.

Option B:
Carrying capacity is defined as the largest population that an environment can maintain without long term degradation. It directly links population level with resource availability and ecosystem resilience. This makes it the correct concept for describing the sustainable limit mentioned in the stem.

Option C:
Demographic dividend describes the economic advantage derived from a larger working age population relative to dependants. It is an economic and demographic concept,rather than an ecological one. Thus it does not denote the resource based population limit described in the question.

Option D:
Population density simply indicates the number of individuals per unit area. High density may or may not exceed the environment’s sustainable limit. Therefore population density alone does not capture the idea of a maximum sustainable population.