The GATE EY Syllabus for the upcoming exam has been published by the IIT Roorkee on its official portal. The GATE Syllabus for Ecology and Evolution discipline includes five sections viz- Ecology, Evolution, Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology, Behavioral Ecology and Applied Ecology and Evolution. Applicants should note that the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus does not include Engineering Mathematics.
Aspirants choosing the GATE EY paper can also choose Life Sciences (XL) as an additional paper. In order to excel the exam preparation, candidates must go through an in-depth syllabus to get a better knowledge about what to study. In this article, we have discussed the detailed syllabus for GATE Ecology and Evolution Engineering for test takers' reference.
| Syllabus | |
|---|---|
| Ecology and Evolution Syllabus | Download PDF |
| General Aptitude Syllabus | Download PDF |
Detailed Syllabus for GATE Ecology and Evolution
The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering for Ecology and Evolution Engineering will be held in February month. Candidates must refer to the below section to find the topic-wise GATE EY Syllabus. Candidates can find the details of topics included in GATE EY Syllabus for Ecology section in the below table:
| Topics | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Fundamental Concepts | Abiotic and biotic components; scales (population, species, community, ecosystems, biomes); niches and habitats. |
| Population Ecology | Population growth rates (density-dependent/independent); metapopulation ecology (colonization, persistence, extinction, patches, sources, sinks); age-structured populations. |
| Interactions | Types (mutualism, symbiosis, commensalism, competition, parasitism, predation, etc); ecophysiology (physiological adaptations to the abiotic environment); prey-predator interactions (Lotka-Volterra equation, etc) |
| Community Ecology | Community assembly, organization, and succession; species richness, evenness and diversity indices, species-area relationships; theory of island biogeography |
| Ecosystems Structure and Function | Trophic levels and their interactions; nutrient cycles; primary and secondary productivity |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus for Evolution
The below table indicates the GATE EY Syllabus for Evolution section:
| Topics | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| History of Evolutionary Thought | Lamarckism; Darwinism; Modern Synthesis |
| Fundamentals | Variation; heritability; natural selection; fitness and adaptation; types of selection (stabilizing, directional, disruptive) |
| Diversity of Life | Origin and history of life on earth; diversity and classification of life; systems of classification (cladistics and phenetics) |
| Life history Strategies | Allocation of resources; tradeoffs; r/K selection; semelparity and iteroparity |
| Interactions | Co-evolution (co-adaptations, arms race, Red Queen hypothesis, co-speciation); prey-predator interactions (mimicry, crypsis, etc) |
| Population and Quantitative Genetics | Origins of genetic variation; Mendelian genetics; Hardy Weinberg equilibrium; drift; selection (one-locus two-alleles model); population genetic structure (panmixia, gene flow, FST); polygenic traits; gene-environment interactions (phenotypic plasticity); heritability |
| Molecular Evolution and Phylogenetics | Neutral theory; molecular clocks; rates of evolution; phylogenetic reconstruction; molecular systematics |
| Macroevolution | Species concepts and speciation; adaptive radiation; convergence; biogeography |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus for Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology
| Topics | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Mathematics and Statistics in Ecology | Simple functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, etc); the concept of derivatives and slope of a function; permutations and combinations; basic probability (probability of random events; sequences of events, etc); frequency distributions and their descriptive statistics (mean, variance, coefficient of variation, correlation, etc). |
| Statistical Hypothesis Testing | Concept of p-value; Type I and Type II error, test statistics like t-test and Chi-square test; basics of linear regression and ANOVA. |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus for Behavioral Ecology
| Topics | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Classical Ethology | Instinct; fixed action patterns; imprinting; learned behavior; proximate and ultimate questions |
| Sensory Ecology | Neuroethology; communication (chemical, acoustic and visual signaling); recognition systems |
| Foraging Ecology | Foraging behavior; optimal foraging theory |
| Reproduction | Cost of sex; sexual dimorphism; mate choice; sexual selection (runaway selection, good-genes, handicap principle, etc); sexual conflict; mating systems; parental care. Social living: Costs and benefits of group-living (including responses to predators); effect of competition (scramble and contest) on group formation; dominance relationships; eusociality; kin selection; altruism; reciprocity; human behavior |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus for Applied Ecology and Evolution
| Topics | Subtopics |
|---|---|
| Biodiversity and Conservation | Importance of conserving biodiversity; ecosystem services; threatsto biodiversity; invasive species; in-situ conservation (endemism, biodiversity hotspots,protected areas); ex-situ conservation; conservation genetics (genetic diversity, inbreeding depression); DNA fingerprinting and DNA barcoding |
| Disease Ecology and Evolution | Epidemiology; zoonotic diseases; antibiotic resistance; vector Control Plant and animal breeding: Marker-assisted breeding; genetic basis of economically important traits |
| Global Climate Change | Causes; consequences; mitigation |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus for General Aptitude
The general aptitude section is common for all the papers covers the four sections mainly to test the logical abilities and problem solving skills of the aspirants. It covers a range of topics to evaluate the analytical thinking and situation reaction test of the aspirant:
- Verbal Aptitude
- Analytical Aptitude
- Spatial Aptitude
- Numerical Aptitude
GATE Ecology and Evolution Exam Pattern
The GATE Ecology and Evolution Paper will comprise a total of 65 questions. Out of the total, 10 questions will be from General Aptitude and 55 questions from core subjects. The questions will MCQ, MSQ and Numerical answer type carrying 1 or 2 marks each. The exam will have a maximum of 100 marks and the time duration for paper will be 3 hours. A detailed GATE EY Syllabus is outlined below in the table format:
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Total number of questions | 10 (GA) + 55 (subject) = 65 Questions |
| Types of Questions |
|
| Maximum Marks | 100 |
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Sections | General Aptitude (GA) + Candidate’s Selected Subject |
| Weightage | General Aptitude: 15 Marks + Subject Questions: 85 Marks = Total: 100 Marks |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Marking Scheme
Candidates can check the marking scheme for GATE Ecology and Evolution Paper from the below table:
| Particulars | Negative Marking |
|---|---|
| For MCQs (1 or 2 marks) |
|
| For NATs (1 or 2 marks) | No Negative Marking |
Toppers Tips to Prepare for GATE EY Exam
To clear the GATE Ecology and Evolution Exam, candidates need to have an effective preparation plan with right approach. Here, we have outlined the key points to be followed by aspirants to prepare for GATE EY Exam:
- Understand the Syllabus and Exam Pattern - A crisp understanding of the syllabus and exam pattern is the most vital requirement to get an idea about what topics and chapters to study.
- Create Study Plan - Aspirants must prepare an effective study plan to cover the entire syllabus. They must allocate enough time for all the sections to make a balanced study plan.
- Relevant Study Material - An exam-oriented study material leads to preparation level. Candidates must choose the relevant study material like books, notes, online lectures, etc. as per the experts review.
- Previous Year Paper - The previous year question paper helps to familiarise with the exam format and difficulty level of the exam. Candidates are advised to regularly practice the previous year papers to boost their preparation.
GATE Previous Year Question Paper
| Session | Question Paper PDF |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Check Here |
| 2023 | Check Here |
| 2022 | Check Here |
| 2021 | Check Here |
| 2020 | Check Here |
GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus FAQs
Ques. What are the sections covered under GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus?
Ans. The GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus covers mainly five sections including Ecology, Evolution, Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology, Behavioral Ecology & Applied Ecology and Evolution.
Ques. When will the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus PDF out?
Ans. The IIT Roorkee has published the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus PDF for the forthcoming exam @iitr.ac.in.
Ques. Where can I check the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus?
Ans. Candidates must refer to the above article to find the comprehensive GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus.
Ques. How many questions will be asked in the GATE EY Exam?
Ans. A total of 65 questions will be asked in the GATE Ecology and Evolution Exam from General Aptitude and core subjects.
Ques. Can GATE EY Syllabus be changed?
Ans. Usually the GATE EY Syllabus remains same, if there any changes made in the syllabus the authorities will notify the applicants.
Ques. How can I cover the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus?
Ans. To cover the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus, you must follow the strategic approach, effective planning and consistent practice.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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