Biodiversity and Conservation
Appreciate the immense variety of life on Earth and the pressing need to protect our planet's ecological heritage. This section addresses the causes of biodiversity loss and explores vital strategies for global wildlife and habitat conservation.
1. Which of the following countries has the highest biodiversity?
a. South America
b. South Africa
c. Russia
d. India
Answer
Key Answer: a. South America
Explanation: South America contains vast tropical rainforests like the Amazon. These regions support extremely rich biodiversity.
2. Which of the following is not a cause for loss of biodiversity?
a. Destruction of habitat
b. Invasion by alien species
c. Keeping animals in zoological parks
d. Over-exploitation of natural resources
Answer
Key Answer: c. Keeping animals in zoological parks
Explanation: Zoological parks help conserve endangered species. They are not responsible for biodiversity loss.
3. Which of the following is not an invasive alien species in the Indian context?
a. Lantana
b. Cynodon
c. Parthenium
d. Eichhornia
Answer
Key Answer: b. Cynodon
Explanation: Cynodon is a common native grass species. The others are invasive alien species in India.
4. Where among the following will you find pitcher plant?
a. Rain forest of North-East India
b. Sunderbans
c. Thar Desert
d. Western Ghats
Answer
Key Answer: a. Rain forest of North-East India
Explanation: Pitcher plants grow in nutrient-poor soils of North-East India. They trap insects for nutrition.
5. Which one of the following is not a major characteristic feature of biodiversity hot spots?
a. Large number of species
b. Abundance of endemic species
c. Mostly located in the tropics
d. Mostly located in the polar regions
Answer
Key Answer: d. Mostly located in the polar regions
Explanation: Biodiversity hotspots are mainly tropical regions. Polar regions generally show low biodiversity.
6. Match the animals given in column I with their location in column II:
Column I | Column II
A. Dodo | i. Africa
B. Quagga | ii. Russia
C. Thylacine | iii. Mauritius
D. Stellar's sea cow | iv. Australia
Choose the correct match from the following:
a. A-i, B-iii, C-ii, D-iv
b. A-iv, B-iii, C-i, D-ii
c. A-iii, B-i, C-ii, D-iv
d. A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii
Answer
Key Answer: d. A-iii, B-i, C-iv, D-ii
Explanation: Dodo belonged to Mauritius and Quagga to Africa. Thylacine was found in Australia and Stellar’s sea cow in Russia.
7. What is common to the following plants: Nepenthes, Psilotum, Rauwolfia and Aconitum?
a. All are ornamental plants
b. All are phylogenic link species
c. All are prone to over exploitation
d. All are exclusively present in the Eastern Himalayas.
Answer
Key Answer: c. All are prone to over exploitation
Explanation: These plants are commercially valuable and heavily exploited. Overuse threatens their survival.
8. The one-horned rhinoceros is specific to which of the following sanctuary
a. Bhitar Kanika
b. Bandipur
c. Kaziranga
d. Corbett park
Answer
Key Answer: c. Kaziranga
Explanation: Kaziranga National Park in Assam is famous for one-horned rhinoceroses. It is a major conservation site.
9. Amongst the animal groups given below, which one appears to be more vulnerable to extinction?
a. Insects
b. Mammals
c. Amphibians
d. Reptiles
Answer
Key Answer: c. Amphibians
Explanation: Amphibians are highly sensitive to environmental changes. Pollution and habitat loss threaten them severely.
10. Which one of the following is an endangered plant species of India?
a. Rauwolfia serpentina
b. Santalum album (Sandal wood)
c. Cycas beddonei
d. All of the
Answer
Key Answer: d. All of the
Explanation: All listed plants face threats due to overexploitation and habitat destruction. Hence they are endangered.
11. What is common to Lantana, Eichhornia and African catfish?
a. All are endangered species of India.
b. All are keystone species.
c. All are mammals found in India.
d. All the species are neither threatened nor indigenous species of India.
Answer
Key Answer: d. All the species are neither threatened nor indigenous species of India.
Explanation: These are invasive alien species introduced into India. They negatively affect native biodiversity.
12. The extinction of passenger pigeon was due to:
a. Increased number of predatory birds.
b. Over exploitation by humans.
c. Non-availability of the food.
d. Bird flu virus infection.
Answer
Key Answer: b. Over exploitation by humans.
Explanation: Excessive hunting by humans caused passenger pigeon extinction. Human activities greatly reduced their population.
13. Which of the following statements is correct?
a. Parthenium is an endemic species of our country.
b. African catfish is not a threat to indigenous catfishes.
c. Steller’s sea cow is an extinct animal.
d. Lantana is popularly known as carrot grass.
Answer
Key Answer: c. Steller’s sea cow is an extinct animal.
Explanation: Steller’s sea cow became extinct due to overhunting. The other statements are incorrect.
14. Among the ecosystem mentioned below, where can one find maximum biodiversity?
a. Mangroves
b. Desert
c. Coral reefs
d. Alpine meadows
Answer
Key Answer: c. Coral reefs
Explanation: Coral reefs support enormous marine biodiversity. They are often called the “rainforests of the sea.”
15. Which of the following forests is known as the ‘lungs of the planet Earth’?
a. Taiga forest
b. Tundra forest
c. Amazon rain forest
d. Rain forests of North East India
Answer
Key Answer: c. Amazon rain forest
Explanation: Amazon rainforests produce huge amounts of oxygen. They also absorb large quantities of carbon dioxide.
16. The active chemical drug reserpine is obtained from:
a. Datura
b. Rauwolfia
c. Atropa
d. Papaver
Answer
Key Answer: b. Rauwolfia
Explanation: Rauwolfia serpentina produces reserpine alkaloid. It is used in treating hypertension.
17. Which of the following group exhibit more species diversity?
a. Gymnosperms
b. Algae
c. Bryophytes
d. Fungi
Answer
Key Answer: d. Fungi
Explanation: Fungi possess enormous species richness and adaptability. They occupy diverse ecological habitats.
18. Which of the below mentioned regions exhibit less seasonal variations?
a. Tropics
b. Temperates
c. Alpines
d. Both (a) & (b)
Answer
Key Answer: a. Tropics
Explanation: Tropical regions maintain relatively stable temperatures year-round. Seasonal fluctuations are minimal there.
19. The historic convention on Biological Diversity held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 is known as:
a. CITES Convention
b. The Earth Summit
c. G-16 Summit
d. MAB Programme
Answer
Key Answer: b. The Earth Summit
Explanation: The Earth Summit focused on global environmental protection and biodiversity conservation. It was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.
20. What is common to the techniques (i) in vitro fertilisation, (ii) Cryo preservation and (iii) tissue culture?
a. All are in situ conservation methods.
b. All are ex situ conservation methods.
c. All require ultra modern equipment and large space.
d. All are methods of conservation of extinct organisms.
Answer
Key Answer: b. All are ex situ conservation methods.
Explanation: These methods conserve organisms outside their natural habitats. They help preserve endangered species and genetic material.