1. Soil conservation is
(a) conversion of sterile soil into fertile one
(b) aeration of soil
(c) erosion of soil
(d) protection against loss
2. Deforestation will decrease
(a) soil erosion
(b) land slides
(c) soil fertility
(d) rainfall
3. A non-renewable resource is
(a) non-renewable non-conventional energy source
(b) non-renewable conventional energy source
(c) renewable non-conventional energy source
(d) renewable conventional energy source
4. Renewable source of energy is
(a) Biomass
(b) Coal
(c) Petroleum
(d) Kerosene
5. Fertility of soil is measured by its ability to
(a) retain nutrients
(b) hold organic materials
(c) hold water
(d) support life
6. Petroleum is a
(a) synthetic product
(b) renewable resource
(c) non-renewable resource
(d) inconvenient resource
7. Minerals and metals are
(a) biodegradable resources
(b) renewable
(c) non-renewable
(d) renewable and non-renewable resources
8. Soil fertility is reduced by
(a) crop rotation
(b) nitrogen fixing bacteria
(c) decaying organic matter
(d) intensive agriculture
9. Water is a resource
(a) nondegradablenonmaintainable
(b) degradable maintainable
(c) renewable
(d) non-renewable
10. American water plant that has become a troublesome water weed in India is
(a) Cyperusrotundus
(b) Eichhorniacrassipes
(c) Trapalatifolia
(d) Trapabispinosa
11. Wildlife is destroyed most when
(a) there is lack of proper care
(b) mass scale hunting for foreign trade
(c) its natural habitat is destroyed
(d) natural calamity
12. Deforestation does not lead to
(a) quick nutrient cycling
(b) soil erosion
(c) alteration of local weather conditions
(d) destruction of natural habitat of wild animals
13. Largest amount of fresh water is found in
(a) lakes and streams
(b) underground
(c) polar ice and glaciers
(d) rivers
14. Bulk fixation of carbon through photosynthesis takes place in
(a) tropical rain forests
(b) tropical rain forest and crop plants
(c) crop plants
(d) oceans
15. Which animal has become extinct from India?
(a) Snow Leopard
(b) Hippopotamus
(c) Wolf
(d) Cheetah
16. Ranthambore National Park is situated in
(a) Maharashtra
(b) Rajasthan
(c) Gujarat
(d) U.P.
17. National Park associated with Rhinoceros is
(a) Kaziranga
(b) Ranthambore
(c) Corbett
(d) Valley of Flowers
18. Species diversity increases as one proceeds from
(a) high altitude to low altitude and high latitude to low latitude
(b) low altitude to high altitude and high latitude to low latitude
(c) low altitude to high altitude and low latitude to high latitude
(d) high altitude to low altitude and low latitude to high latitude.
19. Which of the following is the main factor of desertification?
(a) Tourism
(b) Irrigated agriculture
(c) Over- grazing
(d) All of these
20. Which of the following is the correct matching pair of a sanctuary and its main protected wild animal?
(a) Gir-Lion
(b) Sariska-Tiger
(c) Sunderban- Rhino
(d) Kaziranga-Musk deer
21. A number of natural reserves have been created to conserve specific wild life species. Identify the correct combination from the following
(a) Gir forest – Tiger
(b) Kaziranga – Elephants
(c) Rann of Kutch – Wild Ass
(d) Manas wild life Sanctuary – Musk deer
22. If the forest cover is reduced to half, what is most likely to happen on a long term basis?
(a) Tribals living in these areas will starve to death
(b) Cattle in these and adjoining areas will die due to lack of fodder
(c) Large areas will become deserts
(d) Crop breeding programmes will suffer due to a reduced availability of variety of germplasm
23. MAB stands for
(a) Man and Biology Programme
(b) Man and Biosphere Programme
(c) Mammals and Biosphere Programme
(d) Mammals and Biology Programme
24. At present, the most significant cause of dwindling biodiversity is probably
(a) the deterioration of ozone layer
(b) the destruction of habitat
(c) niological magnification of DDT
(d) global warming
25. Which animal has gone extinct in recent times in India?
(a) Pantheraleo
(b) Acinonyxjubatus
(c) Antilopecervicapra
(d) Rhinoceros unicornis
26. A high density of a protected animal in a National Park can result into
(a) mutualism
(b) intraspecific competition
(c) emigration
(d) predation
27. The endangered largest living lemur Idriidri is found in
(a) Sri Lanka
(b) Madagascar
(c) Mauritius
(d) India
28. An institution where valuable plant material likely to become irretrievably lost in the wild or in cultivation is preserved in a viable condition is known as
(a) Genome
(b) Herbarium
(c) Gene library
(d) Gene bank
29. Reason of diversity in living beings is due to
(a) mutation
(b) long term evolutionary change
(c) gradual change
(d) short term evolutionary change
30. Which group of vertebrates comprises the highest number of endangered species?
(a) Birds
(b) Mammals
(c) Fishes
(d) Reptiles
31. In your opinion, which is the most effective way to conserve the plant diversity of an area?
(a) By tissue culture method
(b) By creating biosphere reserve
(c) By creating botanical garden
(d) By developing seed bank
32. In which one of the following pairs is the specific characteristic of a soil not correctly matched?
(a) Laterite – Contains aluminiumcompound
(b) Terra rossa – Most suitable for roses
(c) Chernozems – Richest soil in the world
(d) Black soil – Rich in calcium carbonate
33. Diversification in plant life appeared
(a) due to long periods of evolutionary changes
(b) due to abrupt mutations
(c) suddenly on earth
(d) by seed dispersal
34. According to IUCN Red List, what is the status of Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)?
(a) Critically endangered species
(b) Vulnerable species
(c) Extinct species
(d) Endangered species
35. At which latitude, heat gain through insolation approximately equals heat loss through terrestrial radiation? [2005]
(a) 22 1 2 ° North and South
(b) 40° North and South
(c) 42 1 2 º North and South
(d) 66° North and South
36. One of the most important functions of botanical gardens is that
(a) they provide a beautiful area for recreation
(b) one can observe tropical plants there
(c) they allow ex-situ conservation of germ plasm
(d) they provide the natural habitat for wildlife
37. Biodiversity Act of India was passed by the parliament in the year
(a) 1992
(b) 1996
(c) 2000
(d) 2002
38. Which one of the following is the correct matched pair of an endangered animal and National Park?
(a) Rhinoceros – Kaziranga National Park
(b) Wild ass – Dudhwa National Park
(c) Great Indian -Keoladeo National Park bustard
(d) Lion – Corbett National Park
39. Which one of the following is not included under in-situ conservation?
(a) Botanical garden
(b) Biosphere reserve
(c) National park
(d) Sanctuary
40. Which of the following is considered a hot-spot of biodiversity in India?
(a) Indo-Gangetic Plain
(b) Eastern Ghats
(c) Aravalli Hills
(d) Western Ghats
41. Which of the following pairs of an animal and a plant represents endangered organisms in India?
(a) Tamarind and Rhesus monkey
(b) Cinchona and leopard
(c) Banyan and black buck
(d) Bentinckianicobarica and Red Panda
42. One of endangered species of Indian medicinal plants is that of
(a) Ocimum
(b) Garlic
(c) Nepenthes
(d) Podophyllum
43. Identify the odd combination of the habitat and the particular animal concerned.
(a) Sunderbans – Bengal Tiger
(b) Periyar – Elephant
(c) Rann of kutch – Wild Ass
(d) Dachigam – Snow National park Leopard.
44. The table below gives the population (in thousands) of ten species (A-J in four areas (a-d) consisting of the number of habitats given within brackets against each. Study the table and answer the question which follows: Which area out of a to d shows maximum species diversity?
(a) b
(b) c
(c) d
(d) a
45. Which one of the following is not observed in biodiversity hotspots?
(a) Endemism
(b) Accelerated species loss
(c) Lesser inter-specific competition
(d) Species richness
46. Quercus species are the dominant component in
(a) Temperate deciduous forests
(b) Alpine forests
(c) Scrub forests
(d) Tropical rain forests
47. Which one of the following has maximum genetic diversity in India?
(a) Mango
(b) Wheat
(c) Tea
(d) Teak
48. Tiger is not a resident in which one of the following national park?
(a) Sunderbans
(b) Gir
(c) Jim Corbett
(d) Ranthambhor
49. Which one of the following is an example of Exsitu conservation?
(a) Wildlife sanctuary
(b) Seed bank
(c) Sacred groves
(d) National park
50. Eutrophication is often seen in
(a) deserts
(b) fresh water lakes
(c) ocean
(d) mountains
51. A collection of plants and seeds having diverse alleles of all the genes of a crop is called
(a) herbarium
(b) germplasm
(c) gene library
(d) genome
52. Which one of the following shows maximum genetic diversity in India?
(a) Groundnut
(b) Rice
(c) Maize
(d) Mango
53. Consider the following statements (A)-(D) each with one or two blanks. (A) Bears go into __(1)__ during winter to __(2)__ cold weather (B) A conical age pyramid with a broad base represents __(3)__ human population (C) A wasp pollinating a fig flower is an example of __(4)___ (D) An area with high levels of species richness is known as __(5)___ Which one of the following options give the correct fill ups for the respective blank numbers from (1) to (5) in the statements
(a) (2) – stable (4) commensalism, (5) marsh
(b) (1) – aestivation, (5) – escape, (3) – stable, (4) – mutualism
(c) (3) – expanding, (4) – commensalism, (5) biodiversity park
(d) (1)- hibernation, (2) – escape, (3) – expanding, (5) hot spot
54. Biodiversity of a geographical region represents
(a) endangered species found in the region.
(b) the diversity in the organisms living inthe region.
(c) genetic diversity present in the dominant species of the region.
(d) species endemic to the region.
55. Which one of the following areas in India, is a hotspot of biodiversity
(a) Eastern Ghats
(b) Gangetic Plain
(c) Sunderbans
(d)Western Ghats
56. The highest number of species in the world is represented by
(a) Fungi
(b) Mosses
(c) Algae
(d) Lichens
57. Sacred groves are specially useful in
(a) preventing soil erosion.
(b) year-round flow of water in rivers.
(c) generating environmental awareness.
(d) conserving rare and threatened species.
58. Select the correct statement about biodiversity.
(a) Large scale planting of Bt cotton has no adverse effect on biodiversity.
(b) Western Ghats have a very high degree of species richness and endemism.
(c) Conservation of biodiversity is just a fad pursued by the developed countries.
(d) The desert areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat have a very high level of desert animal species as well as numerous rare animals.
59. Which of the following re present maximum number of species among global biodiversity?
(a) Lichens
(b) Fungi
(c) Mosses and Ferns
(d) Algae
60. Which organization publishes the Red Data Book?
(a) GEF
(b) IUCN
(c) UNEP
(d) WWF
61. The largest tiger reserve in India is
(a) Nagarhole
(b) Valmiki
(c) Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam
(d) Periyar
62.Where the knowledge of biodiversity is applicable ?
(a) To study, classification of animals and plants.
(b) To study, Ecosystem
(c) To study, Biogeological region
(d) all the given
63.Alexander von Humboldt described for the first time
(a) laws of limiting factor
(b) ecological biodiversity
(c) species area relationships
(d) population growth equation
64.What is important of gene diversity ?
(a) Maintenance of species
(b) speciation
(c) Research of genetic code
(d) Maintenance and research of spices
65.Which of the following is correctly matched?
(a) Stratification – Population
(b) Aerenchyma – Opuntia
(c) Age pyramid – Biome
(d) Parthenium – Threat to hysterophorus biodiversity
66.Which is the most appropriate method for conservation of wild life ?
(a) Vaccination
(b) Hybridization
(c) conservation in natural habitat
(d) Killing of predator
67.Biosphere reserves differ from National parks and Wildlife sanctuaries because in the former
(a) plants are paid greater attention than the animals.
(b) human beings are not allowed to enter.
(c) people are an integral part of the system.
(d) living organisms are brought from all over the world and preserved for posterity.
68.Biodiversity of which organism is more in Eastern Ghat in comparison to Western Ghat ?
(a) Reptilia
(b) Amphibian
(c) Aves
(d) Mammals
69.Which is the national aquatic animal of India?
(a) Gangetic shark
(b) Blue whale
(c) Seahorse
(d) River dolphin
70. The species confined to a particular region and not found elsewhere is termed as
(a) keystone
(b) endemic
(c) rare
(d) alien
71.Which rock species of Western Ghat is extinct due to quarrying?
(a) Tectona and Terminalia
(b) Bamboo and Boswelia
(c) Bignonia and Habanera
(d) Madhuea and Acacia
72.Cryopreservation of gametes of threatened species in viable and fertile condition can be referred to as
(a) in situ conservation of biodiversity
(b) advanced ex situ conservation of biodiversity.
(c) in situ conservation by sacred groves
(d) in situ cryoconservation of biodiversity
73.The organization which publishes the Red list of species is
(a) UNEP
(b) WWF
(c) ICFRE
(d) IUCN
74.Which one of the following pairs of geographical areas show maximum biodiversity in our country ?
(a) Sunderbans and Rann of Kutch
(b) Kerala and Punjab
(c) Eastern Ghats and West Bengal
(d) Eastern Himalaya and Wester Ghats
75. Which pair contains maximum diversity and endemic species in India ?
(a) Sunderban and runn of Kutch
(b) Eastern Ghat and West Bangal
(c) East Himalaya and Western Ghat
(d) Kerala and Punjab
76.Which of the following has maximum genetic diversity in India?
(a) Mango
(b) Wheat
(c) Groundnut
(d) Rice
77.In which zone there is no disturbance.
(a) Buffer zone
(b) Core Zone
(c) Transition zone
(d) All the given
78.Which one of the following areas in India, is a hotspot of biodiversity?
(a) Sunderbans
(b) Eastern Ghats
(c) Gangetic Plain
(d) Western Ghats
79.Which is the main cause of extinction of wild life ?
(a) Destruction of habitat
(b) Hunting for flesh
(c) Pollution of medicine and water
(d) All the given
80.Which of the following is the most important cause of animals and plants being driven to extinction?
(a) Overexploitation
(b) Habitat loss and fragmentation
(c) Coextinctions
(d) Alien species invasion
81.Red list contains data or information on
(a) all economically important plants
(b) plants whose products are in international trade
(c) threatened species
(d) marine vertebrates only
82. Which one of the following is related to Ex-situ conservation of threatened animals and plants ?
(a) Biodiversity hot spots
(b) Amazon rainforest
(c) Himalayan region
(d) Wildlife safari parks
83. Alexander Von Humbolt described for the first time:
(a) Laws of limiting factor
(b) Species area relationships
(c) Population Growth equation
(d) Ecological Biodiversity
84. The region of Biosphere Reserve which is legally protected and where no human activity is allowed is known as:
(a) Buffer zone
(b) Transition zone
(c) Restoration zone
(d) Core zone
85. All of the following are included in ‘ex-situ conservation’ except
(a) Wildlife safari parks
(b) Sacred groves
(c) Seed banks
(d) Botanical gardens
86. Pollen grains can be stored for several years in liquid nitrogen having a temperature of
(a) –120°C
(b) –80°C
(c) –160°C
(d) –196°C
87.The Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 was called
(a) to reduce CO2 emissions and global warming
(b) for conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilization of its benefits
(c) to assess threat posed to native species by invasive weed species
(d) for immediate steps to discontinue use of CFCs that were damaging the ozone layer
88. Which of the following is the most important cause for animals and plants being driven to extinction?
(a) Habitat loss and fragmentation
(b) Drought and floods
(c) Economic exploitation
(d) Alien species invasion
89. Which one of the following is not a method in situ conservation of biodiversity?
(a) Biosphere Reserve
(b) Wildlife Sanctuary
(c) Botanical Garden
(d) Sacred Grove
90. Which of the following regions of the globe exhibits highest species diversity?
(a) Himalayas
(b) Amazon forests
(c) Western Ghats of India
(d) Madagascar
91. According to Robert May, the global species diversity is about
(a) 50 million
(b) 7 million
(c) 1.5 million
(d) 20 million
Solutions :
1. Solution: (d)
Soil conservation is to conserve fertile soil from the losses like, heavy rainfall, drainage, high wind, flood, draught etc.
2.Solution: (d)
Transpiration will be decreased, air temperature will increase and water content will decrease hence rainfall decreases.
3.Solution: (b)
Non-renewable sources of energy are generally conventional (traditional) sources.
4.Solution: (a)
Coal, kerosene and petroleum are nonrenewable while biomass is renewable source of energy. The term ―biomass‖ is especially useful for plants, where some internal structures may not always be considered living tissue, such as the wood (secondary xylem) of a tree.Biofuels include bioethanol, biobutanol, biodiesel & biogas. Biomass is grown from several plants, including switchgrass, hemp, corn, poplar, willow and sugarcane. The particular plant used is usually not very important to the end products, but it does affect the processing of the raw material. Production
of biomass is a growing industry as interest in sustainable fuel sources is growing.
5.Solution: (d)
How much ability to support life in soil is called its fertility.
6.Solution: (c)
Petroleum is a non-renewable resource.
7.Solution: (d)
Due to shorter recycling in case of biogenetic nutrients (minerals) they are renewable and due to very long recycling in case of metals and same minerals they are non-renewable.
8.Solution: (d)
During intensive agriculture most of the nutrients and minerals are exhausted from the soil so fertility decreases.
9.Solution: (c)
Water is a renewable resource but can become non renewable if they are not used properly.
10.Solution: (b)
Eichhorniacrassipes is an American origin plant and now water weed in India.
11.Solution: (c)
If natural habitat is destroyed, wild life is affected worstly.
12.Solution: (a)
Deforestation causes the depletion of wood and nutrients from an ecosystem and hence nutrient cycling gets slowed down.
13.Solution: (c)
Polar ice & glaciers have the largest amount of pure and fresh water without any dissolved salt or impurity.
14. Solution: (d)
Bulk fixation of carbon through photosynthesis takes place in oceans, due to presence of majority of phytoplanktons.
15.Solution: (d)
The ‗Cheetah‘ has become extinct from India. The endangered subspecies Acinonyx jubatusvenaticus lives in Asia (Iran). In 1990, there were reports in the Times of India of a cheetah sighting in eastern India. There is a chance some cheetahs remain in India, though it is doubtful. There have also been reports of Asiatic cheetahs in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan, though these continue to be unverified. The cheetah prefers to live in an open biotope, such as semi-desert, prairie, and thick brush.
16.Solution: (b)
Rajasthan
17.Solution: (a)
Kaziranga National Park in Assam is associated with rhinoceros.
18.Solution: (a)
At low altitude and latitude more habitat is found and environment conditions are also more suitable i.e. more species and individuals occur at lower latitude and altitude places.
19.Solution: (c)
Desertification is the process leading to the formation of desert. The main factor of desertification of land is over-grazing by herbivorous animals.
20.Solution: (a)
Gir forest is important for protecting lion. The ecosystem of Gir, with its diverse flora and fauna, is a result of the efforts of the Government, forest department, wildlife activists and NGOs. The forest area of Gir and its lions were declared as ―protected‖ in the early 1900‘s by the then Nawab of the princely state of Junagadh. This initiative assisted in the conservation of the lions whose population had plummeted to only 15 through slaughter for trophy hunting.
21.Solution: (c)
Gir forest – Lion Kaziranga – Rhinoceros Manas – Elephant, Rhinoceros Manali – Musk deer
22.Solution: (c)
If the forest cover is reduced to half, large areas will become deserts.
23.Solution: (b)
MAB, Man and Biosphere Programme, was launched by UNESCO in 1971. There are 14 projects under this programme, which focus on Research and Training with emphasis on ecological approach to the study of inter-relationship between man and the environment.
24.Solution: (b)
Habitat destruction affects the survival of populations and reduces biodiversity.
25.Solution: (a)
Pantheraleo has gone extinct in recent times in India.
26.Solution: (b)
Competition between organisms of the same species is called intraspecific competition. Mutualism is obligatory and mutually beneficial relationship occurring between two interacting organisms. Predation is the act of capturing, killing and eating. It is a negative interaction
between two organisms. Migration is a permanent outward movement of individuals from a population for settling into a new area.
27.Solution: (b)
The Lemurs are the inhabitants of Madagascar and the Comoro Islands.
28. Solution: (d)
An institution where valuable plant material likely to become irretrievably lost in the wild or in cultivation is preserved in a viable condition is known as Gene Bank.
29.Solution: (b)
Diversity is due to the long term evolutionary changes. Adaptability to continuous changes in environmental conditions is important for natural
selection of variants and variations generation after generation leading to emergence of diverse descendants.
30. Solution: (b)
Mammals
31.Solution: (d)
Tissue culture method is used to propagate plant. Creating biosphere reserve conserves both flora and fauna. Botanical gardens can conserve only a few specific varieties of plants.
32.Solution: (d)
Option (d) is not the correct match as black soil is rich in alluvial and not in calcium carbonate.
33.Solution: (a)
According to Darwin gradual accumulation of small variations gives rise to new species. Abrupt mutations do not give rise to new species. Plants arose by gradual adaptation to diverse habitats and not suddenly on earth. Seeded plants are just one group in the plant kingdom.
34.Solution: (d)
IUCN is International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural resources which is now called world conservation union (WCU). It maintains a
red databook or red list which is a catalogue of taxa facing risk of extinction. Endangered Species are those facing a high risk of extinction in the wild in Biodiversity and its Conservation 385 the near future due to decrease in its habitat, excessive predation or poaching. The percentage
number of endangered species in the list of threatened ones is 19% mammals, 17% birds, 21% reptiles, 22% amphibians and 19% angiosperms. In India their no. is 54 animals and 113 plants e.g Red Panda, Bentinckianicobarica. Critically Endangered: The taxon is facing very high risk of extinction in the wild and can become extinct any moment in the immediate future, e.g. Sus salvinus (Pigmy Hog), Berberisnilghiriensis. Vulnerable: Presently the population is sufficient but is undergoing depletion due to some factors so that it is facing risk of extinction in
medium term future e.g. Antelope cervi carpa. Extinct: The taxon has been completely eliminated or died out from earth e.g. Dodo.
35. Solution: (b)
At 40º North and South.
36.Solution: (c)
Ex-situ conservation means off site conservation. It is the process of protecting an endangered species of plant or animal by removing it from an unsafe or threatened habitat and placing it or part of it under the care of man. Botanical garden is one of the method of exsitu conservation.
37.Solution: (d)
Biodiversity Act of India was passed by the parliament in the year 2002.
38.Solution: (a)
Kaziranga National Park in Assam is famous as a protection environmental park for rhinoceros.
39.Solution: (a)
In situ means keeping endangered species of animals or plants into natural environment and not in the environment that looks like natural but man made, like zoological & botanical gardens. In situ includes, national parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserve.
40.Solution: (d)
Hot spot are those areas which were rich in biodiversity but now under threat due to direct or indirect interference of human activites. These regions are on the edge to get some of their species extinct due to humans. Western Ghats in India are under threat due to continuous evelopmental activities and Doon valley is under threat due to continuous mining activities.
41.Solution: (d)
Endangered plant is Bentinckianicobarica & endangered animal is Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens).
42.Solution: (d)
Podophyllum is one of the endangered species of Indian medicinal plants. It is used to remove benign (not cancer)growths, such as certain kinds of warts. It works by destroying the tissue of the growth.
43.Solution: (d)
Dachigam national park is for conservation of Hangul which is one of India’s most scenically beautiful wildlife reserves. It is located only 22 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital city of the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. It covers an area of 141 square kilometers.
44. Solution: (c)
Area (d) and numbr of habitats (12) shows the maximum species diversity.
45.Solution: (b)
Lesser inter-specific competition is not observe in biodiversity hotspots, levels of species richness and high degree of endemism. Initially 25 biodiversity hotspots were identified but subsequently nine more have of biodiversity hotspots in the world to
46. Solution: (a)
Quercusspecies is a dominant component in temperate deciduous forests. The common name of Quercus is cork oak belongs to family Fabaceae. Cork used as a bottle stoppers, soles for shoes, insulating material and for manufacture of linoleum.
47. Solution: (b)
Wheat genetics is more complicated than that of most other domesticated species. Some wheat species are diploid, with two sets of chromosomes, but many are stable polyploids, with four sets of chromosomes (tetraploid) or six (hexaploid).
48.Solution: (b)
Tiger is not resident in Gir national park. Gir has a large population of marsh crocodile or mugger, which is among the 40 species of reptiles and amphibians recorded in the sanctuary. According to official census figures, Gir has about 300 lions and 300 leopards, making it one of the major
big-cat concentrations in India. Sambar and spotted deer (chital), blue bull (nilgai), chousingha (the world‘s only four-horned antelope), chinkara (Indian gazelle) and wild boar thrive in Gir. Jackal, striped hyena, jungle cat, rusty-spotted cat, langur, porcupine, black-naped Indian hare are among the other mammals of Gir.
49. Solution: (b)
Ex-situ conservation is the conservation of selected organism in places outside their natural homes. They include off site collection and gene banks. In situ conservation, on the other hand, is the conservation of endangered species in their natural habitat. Biosphere reserves,
National parks, wildlife sanctuaries and sacred groves all are examples of In situ conservation.
50.Solution: (b)
Eutrophication is often seen in fresh water lakes. The main causes of eutrophication in these water systems are sediments and thermal stratification, with agricultural run-off from fertilizers and manure, containing nitrates and phosphates and discharge of partially treated or untreated sewages or phosphate containing detergents.
51. Solution: (c)
Gene library contains DNA fragments representing the entire genome of an organism. So collection of alleles of the genes of a crop is called gene library.
52.Solution: (b)
In India maximum genetic diversity is seen in rice. Total of 23 variety of irrigated ecology and 8 varieties of rainfed ecology has been invented in India.
53.Solution: (d)
54.Solution: (b)
Biodiversity is the number of variety of organism found within a specified geographic region.
55.Solution: (d)
Hots are the geographical area where biodiversity is maximum. Two hotspots in India are Western Ghats and North eastern himlayan region.
56.Solution: (a)
57.Solution: (d)
An area with particular types of trees dedicated to local deities or ancestral spirits that are protected by local communities through social traditions and taboos incorporating spiritual and ecological values are called as sacred groves. Sacred groves act as an ideal centre for biodiversity conservation. Several plants and animals that are threatened in the forest are still well conserved in some of the sacred groves. It has been observed that several medicinal plants that are not to be found in the forest are abundant in the sacred groves. Further, rare, endangered,
threatened and endemic species are often concentrated in sacred groves.
58.Solution: (b)
Western ghat is biodiversity rich zone along with endemism. The forests of the Western Ghats are some of the best representatives of non-equatorial tropical evergreen forests in the world. The Western Ghats have evolved into one of the richest centers of endemism owing to their
isolation from other moist areas.
59.Solution: (b)
The no. of species of fungi is 72000 that is maximum in respect to other options. The number of fungus species in the world is more than the combined total of species of fishes, amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
60.Solution: (b)
IUCN or WCN maintains a red data book which is a catalogue of threatened plants and animals facing risk of extinction. The IUCN red list (2004) documents the extinction of 784 species (including 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants) in the last 500 years.
61.Solution: (c)
Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam Tiger Reserve is the largest Tiger reserve in India and the only Tiger Reserve in Andhra Pradesh state.
62. (d) all the given
63. (c) species area relationships
64. (b) speciation
65. (d) Parthenium hysterophorus (carrot grass) is an alien species introduced inadvertently for some economic use, turned invasive causing decline or extinction of the indigenous species. The other options are wrong because (a) Aerenchyma is found in aquatic plants (Vallisneria, Hydrilla), but Opuntia is a xerophytic plant. (b) Biome is total sum of all ecosystem present in the planet earth whereas age pyramid ts the graphical representation of age of organisms of one population at a specific time. (c) Stratification is related to different layers of vegetation in an ecosystem (like forest/grassland) and the population is a term referred to a group of the same kind of organisms which can freely interbreed.
66. (c) conservation in natural habitat
67. (c) Biosphere reserves differ from National parks and Wildlife sanctuaries because in the former people are an integral part of the system.
68. (b) Amphibian
69. (d) River dolphin or gangetic dolphine is national aquatic animal of India
70. (b) Endemic means a disease that occurs in a certain place or group of people.
71. (b) Bamboo and Boswelia
72. (b) Advanced techniques are being used now for ex situ conservation. Gametes of threatened species can be preserved in viable and fertile condition for long periods using cryopreservation techniques
73. (d) The International Union for Conservation of Nature is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education.
74. (d) Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats are the geographical areas in India which shows the maximum diversity.
75. (c) East Himalaya and Western Ghat
76. (d) Genetic diversity is the diversity in the number and types of genes as well as chromosomes present in different species and the variation in the genes and their alleles in the same species. India has more than 50,000 genetically diverse varieties of rice and 1000 varieties of mango.
77. (b) Core zone includes protected areas, as they act as reference points on the natural state of the ecosystems represented by the biosphere reserves. Core zone is where the actual forest exists and there are no villages inside this core zone.
78. (d) Western Ghats
79. (a) Destruction of habitat
80. (b) Habitat loss and fragmentation is the most important cause driving animals and plants to extinction. When large habitats are broken into small fragments due to various human activities, mammals and birds requiring large territories and certain animals with migratory habitats are badly affected, leading to population declines. The same can be applicable to the plant (forest) loss and degradation as millions of species are being cut and cleared for the expansion of agricultural land, harvesting timber, forest fire, as well as overgrazing.
81. (c) Red data book contains list of threatened species
82 (d)The ex-situ conservation strategies include botanical gardens, zoological gardens, conservation stands and gene, pollen, seed, seedling, tissue culture and DNA banks. Seed gene banks make the easiest way to store germplasm of wild and cultivated plants at low temperature.
83. (b) Every area has different species of plants and animals. It is important to note that the relation between species richness with area of wide variety of taxa (birds, plants, freshwater fishes and bats) turns out to be rectangular hyperbola.
On a logarithmic scale
log S = log C + Z log A
S= Species richness
A= Area
Z = slope of the line (regression coefficient)
C=Y-intercept
84. (d) In many biosphere reserves the buffer zone is regarded as an area in which human use is less intensive than what might be found in the transition zone. The transition area is the outermost part of a biosphere reserve. This is usually not delimited one and is a zone of cooperation where conservation knowledge and management skills are applied and uses are managed in harmony with the purpose of the biosphere reserve.
Core zone is where No human activity is permitted in this zone.
85 (b) Ex situ conservation is the technique of conservation of all levels of biological diversity outside their natural habitats through different techniques like zoo, captive breeding, aquarium, botanical garden, and gene bank. Sacred groves of India are forest fragments of varying sizes, which are communally protected, and which usually have a significant religious connotation for the protecting community. Hunting and logging are usually strictly prohibited within these patches. So it is “in situ conservation.”
86 (d) The process of cooling and storing cells, tissues, or organs at very low temperatures to maintain their viability is called Cryopreservation
87 (b) The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), also known as the ‘Earth Summit’, was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 3-14 June 1992. The Summit called upon all nations to take appropriate measures for conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilisation of its benefits.
88 (a) Habitat loss and Fragmentation limits wildlife mobility. Individuals struggle to move between habitat patches, which can lead to inbreeding and a loss of genetic diversity. This reduces the long-term health of a population, making it more vulnerable to disease and at greater risk of extinction.
89 (c) In-situ conservation aims to enable biodiversity to maintain itself within the context of the ecosystem in which it is found. In-situ management approaches can either be targeted at populations of selected species (species-centred) or whole ecosystems (ecosystem-based). Biosphere reserves are areas of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems promoting solutions to reconcile the conservation of biodiversity with its sustainable use. They are internationally recognized, nominated by national governments and remain under sovereign jurisdiction of the states where they are located. The wildlife sanctuaries are established to protect the endangered species. It is in situ conservation of biodiversity. A botanical garden is a controlled and staffed institution for the maintenance of a living collection of plants under scientific management for purposes of education and research, together with such libraries, herbaria, laboratories, and museums as are essential to its particular undertakings. Botanic gardens conserve plant diversity ex situ and can prevent extinction through integrated conservation action. Sacred groves are the smaller areas of religious belief where a particular plant species is grown and is considered sacred. Having religious content, these plants species are protected from the local communities and thereby helps in the conservation of the species.
90 (b)Highest species diversity exhibits in Amazon Rainforest.
91 (d) 7 million Although India has only 2.4 per cent of the world’s land area, its share of the global species diversity is an impressive 8.1 per cent. That is what makes our country one of the 12 mega diversity countries of the world. Nearly 45,000 species of plants and twice as many of animals have been recorded from India.
