This page features NEET Questions from the topic Living World Diversity in the Living World Quiz 1/5 from the lesson The living world.


If you look around you, you will notice a remarkable diversity of living organisms — from potted plants, insects, and birds to your pets and other animals and plants. And yet, there are myriad organisms invisible to the naked eye that surround us all the time. As you broaden the area in which you make observations, the range and variety of organisms you encounter will increase. For instance, a visit to a dense forest would likely yield far more kinds of living organisms than a small backyard. Each distinct kind of plant, animal or micro-organism you observe corresponds to a species. The number of described species currently ranges between approximately 1.7 and 1.8 million. This range and variety of life forms is called biodiversity — the number and variety of organisms present on Earth. We must remember that as we explore new habitats and re-examine familiar ones, new species are continuously being discovered.


Key points from the paragraph

Living organisms occur in visible (plants, insects, birds, pets) and invisible (micro-organisms) forms around us.
The greater the area or more diverse the habitat sampled, the greater the observed variety (species richness).
A dense forest often supports more species and higher variety than a small, limited area.
Each distinct kind of organism is a species.
The number of described species is around 1.7–1.8 million (as per the text).
Biodiversity refers to the number and types of organisms present on Earth.
New organisms are continuously being identified as exploration and research continue.

Additional scientific information for the competitive examination context and beyond

Modern scientific studies indicate that the number of species described (~1.7–1.8 million) is only a fraction of the actual number of living species. For example, a major study estimated about 8.7 million ± 1.3 million eukaryotic species globally (of which roughly 2.2 million are marine) and noted that ~86 % of species still await description. 
A more recent review raised even broader potential ranges: estimates for global biodiversity may vary from 563 million to 2.2 billion species, particularly when cryptic, microbial and undescribed taxa are included. 
Why this matters for competitive exams (eg UG-NEET/NCERT Class 11–12):

The concept of biodiversity is central to the NCERT topic “Living World” and “Biodiversity and Conservation”. Students should know that biodiversity is not just about visible organisms but spans microbes, plants, animals, and fungi across habitats.
The idea that species richness increases with habitat area is a key ecological principle (related to “species-area relationship”), often tested in ecology portions.
The fact that many species remain undiscovered underscores the dynamic nature of biodiversity and the importance of taxonomy and exploration.

Interesting current research highlight:

A 2025 study introducing “deep SAR” (species-area relationship) modelling uses deep-learning to better estimate plant species richness across Europe at multiple spatial scales — showing how modern computational approaches are improving biodiversity estimates. 
For example, this research suggests that richer habitats yield more species not just because of area, but because of multi-scale processes of habitat heterogeneity, ecological interactions, and sampling bias corrections.

Exam-tip facts:

When you hear “describe biodiversity”, remember it includes genetic diversity (within species), species diversity (number and kinds of species) and ecosystem diversity (variety of habitats, ecological processes).
Know that known (described) species numbers are at ~2 million but actual species numbers might be several times higher — this discrepancy is a common topic in advanced ecology questions.
The principle “larger, more complex habitats support more species” is a recurring theme in multiple choice and assertion-reason questions.

Linking back to your paragraph:

Your statement about “if you increase the area you make observations in, the range and variety of organisms … increases” aligns with the species-area principle (that species richness increases with sampling area/habitat). Students should connect this to ecology modules.
Mentioning that “new organisms are continuously being identified” is valid and important — taxonomy and discovery remain active fields, reinforcing that biodiversity is greater than the number of species currently described.

Additional insight:

Because many species remain undescribed (especially microbes, fungi, small arthropods), biodiversity assessments are still incomplete. The gap between described species and actual species means conservation efforts sometimes miss key taxa.
Habitat types matter: You cited potted plants, insects, birds, pets and other habitats. For exams, it helps to recognise extreme habitats too (deep sea, deserts, hot springs) where unique species contribute to global biodiversity.
Biodiversity is foundational to ecosystem services — supporting pollination, nutrient cycling, ecological stability — so appreciating the sheer variety of organisms (visible and invisible) underscores its functional importance.


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This MIUN page features NEET Questions from the topic Living World Diversity in the Living World Quiz 1/5 from the lesson The living world.
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