Physics Wallah

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026, Section-Wise Topics

Explore the comprehensive GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 covering diverse topics in ecology, evolution, & behavioral sciences. Review the topic-wise GATE 2026 EY syllabus to ace your preparation.
authorImagePratibha Bohra14 Apr, 2025
Share

Share

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2025

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026: The Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati is going to administer the GATE examination in 2026. The exam will be conducted for 30 different branches including Ecology and Evolution (EY).

Candidates who are planning to take the GATE 2026 for Ecology and Evolution discipline are advised to thoroughly review the complete syllabus to prepare systematically.

The GATE Syllabus for EY is classified in different sections to assess the candidate's comprehensive knowledge across various core subjects of undergraduate level.

Reviewing the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus will provide candidates a detailed insight into the key topics and their weightage.

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering is a highly challenging entrance test which evaluates the knowledge of candidates in specific disciplines. Passing the exam with a good score provides admission to top institutions and job opportunities in PSUs.

Candidates who wish to prepare for the GATE EY Paper effectively for the upcoming exam must understand the in-depth syllabus to enhance their performance.

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026

In order to prepare the GATE syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026 effectively, candidates must have a thorough knowledge of the topics and key concepts to be asked. Moreover, the GATE 2026 syllabus for ecology and evolution revolves around the following five main sections:

  • Ecology
  • Evolution
  • Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology
  • Behavioral Ecology
  • Applied Ecology and Evolution

Let's discuss the important topics included in these five sections of the GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 in detail.

GATE EY Syllabus for Ecology

The GATE syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026 for its Ecology section, covers topics like ecosystem structure and function, abiotic and biotic components, and community ecology. Check out the table containing important topics in the Ecology section.

GATE Syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026 - Ecology
Topics Sub-topics
Fundamental Concepts
  • Scales: species, population, ecosystem, biomes, community
  • Abiotic and biotic components
  • Habitats and niches
Population ecology
  • Metapopulation ecology: colonization, persistence, extinction, patches, sources, and sinks
  • Population growth rates: density-dependent or independent Age-structured populations
Interactions
  • Prey-predator interactions
  • Types: mutualism, symbiosis, commensalism, competition, parasitism, predation, etc.
  • Ecophysiology: physiological adaptations to the abiotic environment
Ecosystem structure and function
  • Trophic levels and their interactions
  • Nutrient cycles
  • Primary and secondary productivity
Community ecology
  • Species-area relationships
  • Community assembly
  • Theory of island biogeography
  • Organization and succession
  • Species richness, evenness, and diversity indices

GATE EY Syllabus for Evolution

The GATE syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026, in its Evolution section, covers areas like the origin and history of life on Earth, diversity, classification of life, and the history of evolution. Refer to the details mentioned below to find more vital topics.

GATE Syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026 - Evolution
Topics Sub-topics
History of Evolutionary
  • Lamarckism, Darwinism, and Modern Synthesis
Fundamentals
  • Variation, heritability, natural selection, fitness and adaptation
  • Types of selection: stabilizing, directional, and disruptive
Diversity of Life
  • Origin and history of life on Earth
  • Diversity and classification of life
  • Systems of classification: cladistics, phenetics
Life history strategies
  • Resource allocation, trade-offs, r/K selection, semelparity and iteroparity
Interactions
  • Coevolution: co-adaptations, arms race, Red Queen hypothesis, co-speciation
  • Prey-predator interactions: mimicry, crypsis
Population and Quantitative genetics
  • Origins of genetic variation, Mendelian genetics, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, drift, and selection: one-locus two-alleles model
  • Population genetic structure: panmixia, gene flow, FST, polygenic traits, gene-environment interactions: phenotypic plasticity, heritability
Macroevolution
  • Species concepts and speciation, adaptive radiation, convergence, and biogeography

GATE EY Syllabus for Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology

The GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026 for Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology focuses on the mathematical and statistical aspects relevant to ecological research and analysis. All the required topics are listed below.

GATE Syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026 - Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology
Topics Sub-topics
Mathematics and statistics in ecology
  • Simple functions: linear, quadratic, exponential, logarithmic, etc.
  • Concept of derivatives and slope of a function, Permutations and combinations
  • Basic probability: random events, sequences of events
  • Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics: mean, variance, coefficient of variation, correlation, etc.
Statistical hypothesis testing
  • Concept of p-value, Type I and Type II errors
  • Test statistics: t-test and Chi-square test
  • Basics of linear regression

GATE EY Syllabus for Behavioral Ecology

The GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 for Behavioral Ecology explores the fascinating field of animal behavior and its ecological implications. It covers topics such as fixed action patterns, imprinting, learned behavior, and proximate, among others, as explained in the table below.

GATE Syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026 - Behavioral Ecology
Topics Sub-topics
Classical Ethology
  • Instinct, fixed action pattern, imprinting, learned behavior, proximate and ultimate questions
Sensory ecology
  • Neuroethology, communication (chemical, acoustic, and visual signaling), and 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), 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 EY Syllabus for Applied Ecology and Evolution

The GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 for Applied Ecology and Evolution is designed to help aspirants gain the necessary knowledge and skills to contribute to the practical applications of ecology and evolution. Moreover, topics like biodiversity and conservation, animal and plant breeding, and global climate change causes are covered in this section.

GATE EY Syllabus for Applied Ecology and Evolution
Topics Sub-topics
Biodiversity and conservation
  • Importance of conserving biodiversity, ecosystem services, threats to 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 and the genetic basis of economically important traits
Global climate change
  • Causes, consequences, and mitigation

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 PDF

The GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 PDF is a useful resource aspirants must add to their studies in addition to reference books. Not only does it allow them to read at their convenience, but it also provides a roadmap to developing a solid study plan, incorporating all important ecology and evolution topics. Refer to the link below to download the GATE 2026 syllabus for ecology and evolution paper.

GATE  Ecology and Evolution Syllabus PDF

Important Topics from GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus

It is important to note that all the aforementioned topics from the GATE 2026 syllabus for Ecology and Evolution are important from an exam point of view. However, following are the topics collected after past evaluations of GATE exams, which thus need the special attention of aspirants.

GATE EY Syllabus 2026 - Important Topics
Topics Sub-topics
Macroevolution
  • Evolutionary processes at a larger scale, including speciation, extinction, and adaptive radiation
Fundamental Concepts
  • Basic principles and concepts in ecology and evolution
Molecular evolution and phylogenetics
  • Evolution at the molecular level, molecular clocks, phylogenetic reconstruction, and molecular systematics
Sensory ecology
  • Sensory systems in organisms and their ecological implications
Foraging ecology
  • Foraging behavior, optimal foraging theory, and resource exploitation strategies
Population ecology
  • Dynamics and interactions of populations, including population growth, density-dependent processes, and community dynamics

GATE Ecology and Evolution Exam Pattern 2026

According to the GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution Exam Pattern, around 85% of questions will focus on only the main subjects of the GATE syllabus for ecology and evolution. However, the remaining 15% of questions are expected to arise from the common section, which is general aptitude.

  Check out the highlights of the GATE 2026 Ecology and Evolution exam pattern tabulated below:

GATE Ecology and Evolution Exam Pattern 2026
Total Number of Questions
  • 10 General Aptitude + 55 Core Subject Based
  • Total Questions: 65 Questions
Types of Questions
  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
  • Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)
  • Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
Total Marks 100
Duration of Exam 3 hours
Sections
  • General Aptitude (GA)
  • Core Subject i.e., Ecology and Evolution
Weightage
  • General Aptitude: 15 Marks
  • Core Subject Based Questions: 85 Marks
  • Total: 100 Marks

Elevate your GATE readiness with Physics Wallah’s GATE Online Courses . PW GATE Online Coaching offers comprehensive live sessions tailored to the syllabus, invaluable study materials, practice tests, and much more.

GATE Ecology and Evolution Syllabus 2026 FAQs

Q. Is engineering mathematics included in the GATE 2026 Syllabus for Ecology & Evolution?

Ans. No, Engineering mathematics is not included in the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026.

Q. How many sections are there in the GATE syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026?

Ans. The General Aptitude, Ecology, Evolution, Applied Ecology and Evolution, Mathematics and Quantitative Ecology, and Behavioral Ecology are all sections of the GATE syllabus for Ecology and Evolution 2026.

Q. What is the sectional weightage of the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus 2026?

Ans. The core disciplines of the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus will carry 85% of the weightage, while general aptitude will hold 15%.

Q. Where do I find the GATE Syllabus for Ecology and Evolution PDF?

Ans. Aspirants can either download the GATE Ecology and Evolution syllabus PDF from this page or from gate.iitg.ac.in.
Popup Close ImagePopup Open Image
Talk to a counsellorHave doubts? Our support team will be happy to assist you!
Popup Image
CTA Image
008448982616
Check out these Related Articles
BlogImage
GATE
Share
Mistakes to Avoid While Filling GATE Application Form 2026
Read Full Story
8 Sept 2025, 01:54 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE 2023 Question Paper, Download Subject-wise PDF
Read Full Story
5 Sept 2025, 06:20 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE Mechanical Engineering, Explore GATE ME Details
Read Full Story
9 Jul 2025, 07:09 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE Electronics and Communication Engineering, GATE ECE Details
Read Full Story
5 Sept 2025, 04:22 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE Instrumentation Engineering, Explore GATE IN Details
Read Full Story
10 Jul 2025, 12:18 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE EE Subject Wise Weightage 2026, Topics Wise Weightage
Read Full Story
12 Jul 2025, 03:39 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE Instrumentation Subject Wise Weightage 2026, Topic Wise Weightage
Read Full Story
12 Jul 2025, 04:02 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE Chemical Engineering Subject Wise Weightage 2026, Important Topics
Read Full Story
12 Jul 2025, 04:20 pm
BlogImage
GATE
Share
GATE Instrumentation Engineering Previous Year Papers with Solutions PDF
Read Full Story
11 Jul 2025, 07:18 pm
Join 15 Million students on the app today!
Point IconLive & recorded classes available at ease
Point IconDashboard for progress tracking
Point IconMillions of practice questions at your fingertips
Download ButtonDownload Button
Banner Image
Banner Image
Free Learning Resources
Know about Physics Wallah
Physics Wallah is an Indian edtech platform that provides accessible & comprehensive learning experiences to students from Class 6th to postgraduate level. We also provide extensive NCERT solutions, sample paper, NEET, JEE Mains, BITSAT previous year papers & more such resources to students. Physics Wallah also caters to over 3.5 million registered students and over 78 lakh+ Youtube subscribers with 4.8 rating on its app.
We Stand Out because
We provide students with intensive courses with India’s qualified & experienced faculties & mentors. PW strives to make the learning experience comprehensive and accessible for students of all sections of society. We believe in empowering every single student who couldn't dream of a good career in engineering and medical field earlier.
Our Key Focus Areas
Physics Wallah's main focus is to make the learning experience as economical as possible for all students. With our affordable courses like Lakshya, Udaan and Arjuna and many others, we have been able to provide a platform for lakhs of aspirants. From providing Chemistry, Maths, Physics formula to giving e-books of eminent authors like RD Sharma, RS Aggarwal and Lakhmir Singh, PW focuses on every single student's need for preparation.
What Makes Us Different
Physics Wallah strives to develop a comprehensive pedagogical structure for students, where they get a state-of-the-art learning experience with study material and resources. Apart from catering students preparing for JEE Mains and NEET, PW also provides study material for each state board like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and others
Privacy Policy
Terms of use
Copyright © 2025 Physicswallah Limited All rights reserved.