Environment Flashcards
onsider the following statements.
all species of turtle in indian coast
The Olive Ridley Turtle is listed as Critically Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list.
All five species of sea turtles found in India are included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
Olive Ridley Turtle’s mass nesting is called as arribada
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
- specie of turtle present and species present in india
sea turtle, green turtle, olive ridley, hawksbill, loggerhead
The Olive Ridley is listed as vulnerable under the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red list. All five species of sea turtles found in India are included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and in the Appendix I of the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which prohibits trade in turtle products by signatory countries.
The Olive Ridley has one of the most extraordinary nesting habits in the natural world, including mass nesting called arribadas.
Odisha coast has three arribada beaches at Gahirmatha, the mouth of the Devi river, and in Rushikulya,
More recently, a new mass nesting site has been discovered in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands
There are five species in Indian waters i.e. Olive Ridley, Green turtle, Loggerhead, Hawksbill, Leatherback.
The Olive Ridley, Leatherback and Loggerhead are listed as ‘Vulnerable’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
The Hawksbill turtle is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ and Green Turtle is listed as ‘Endangereed’ on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
In India, leatherback turtles nest mainly in the Andaman and Nicobar islands beaches.
Chelonia mydas (Green turtle) -This is the largest species found in the Indian waters. It occurs in the west and east coasts of India, Lakshadweep and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Kemp’s ridley Turtle - Found primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, but also as far north as Nova Scotia
Pyrostria laljii, tree that belongs to the genus of the coffee family was recently discovered in
a) Western Ghats
b) Eastern Ghats
c) Assam
d) Andaman Islands
A 15-meter-tall tree that belongs to the genus of the coffee family has recently been discovered from the Andaman Islands.
Pyrostria laljii has been assessed as ‘Critically Endangered’ based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List criteria.
what is polybezoar
tightly packed indigestible material which causes gastrointestial blockages in animal
1.Management Effectiveness Evaluation is a report of assessment of
2.Consider the following statements with reference to Red Panda:
1. It is the state animal of Arunachal Pradesh.
2. It is classified as a carnivore.
3. It is endangered, according to the IUCN red list.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
Protected Area (PA) Management Effectiveness Evaluation (MEE) is defined as the assessment of how well PAs are being managed- primarily, whether
they are protecting their values and achieving the goals and objectives agreed upon. Assessment of protected area management effectiveness has
emerged as a key tool for PA managers and the government well recognizes it over the past 1.5 decades. The term ‘management effectiveness’ reflects
the following three main themes of PA management:
• Design issues relating to both individual sites and PA systems
• The adequacy and appropriateness of management systems and processes
• Delivery of the objectives of PAs, including conservation of values
The assessment process of India’s NP&WLS was adopted from IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) framework of MEE
2.Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India (ZSI) have come to the conclusion that India is home to both the subspecies of Red Panda, Himalayan red
panda and the Chinese Red Panda (CRP). The Siang River in Arunachal Pradesh is the potential boundary between these two subspecies. They have
countered a Chinese study published in February 2020, claiming that the CRP is not present in India.
Red Panda
• Red pandas are elusive and rarely seen mammals.
• In Asia, these are found in mountain forests of Nepal, India, Bhutan, China and Myanmar.
• In India, it is found in Sikkim, western Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling district of West Bengal and parts of Meghalaya. It is also the state animal of Sikkim.
So, statement (1) is not correct.
• It is classified as a carnivore but mainly eats bamboo leaves. So, statement (2) is correct.
• These animals spend most of their lives in trees and even sleep aloft. When foraging, they are most active at night as well as in the gloaming hours of
dusk and dawn.
• IUCN status: Endangered and Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: Schedule I. S
1.List I – Report List II – Publishing Agency
1. Emission Gap Report : United Nation Environment Programme
2. Adaptation Gap Report : World Meteorological Organization
3. State of the Global Climate Report : Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change
Which of the pairs given above are not correctly matched?
1.Emission Gap Report:
• It is a report published by UNEP which tries to assess the gap between anticipated emissions in 2030 and levels consistent with the 1.5°C and two °C
targets of the Paris Agreement. So, pair (1) is correct.
• Every year, the report features ways to bridge the gap. This year, the report looked at the potential of the energy transition – particularly in the power,
transport and buildings sectors – and efficiency in the use of materials such as iron steel and cement.
• It considers different scenarios, from no new climate policies since 2005 to full implementation of all national commitments under the Paris Agreement.
• It provides the latest assessment of scientific studies on current and estimated future Green House Gases (GHGs) emissions. It compares these with the
emission levels permissible for the world to progress on a least-cost pathway to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement.
Adaptation Gap Report:
• UNEP and Technical University of Denmark have been publishing the Environment’s Adaptation Gap Report since 2014. So, pair (2) is not correct.
• The report aims to inform national and international efforts to advance adaptation.
State of the Global Climate Report:
• World Meteorological Organization issued the first state of the climate report in 1993. So, pair (3) is not correct.
• The report was initiated due to the concerns raised at that time about projected climate change.
1.Consider the following statements with reference to the International Protocols related to the Conservation of Biodiversity:
1. The Nagoya Protocol on Biodiversity seeks to protect Biodiversity from the potential risks caused by living modified organisms arising from modern
technology.
2. The Cartagena Protocol is related to the access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from their utilization.
Which of the statements given above is/are not correct?
The Nagoya Protocol:
• The Nagoya Protocol, entered into force in October 2014, on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from
their Utilization (ABS) is a supplementary agreement to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). So, statement (1) is not correct.
• The objective of the Protocol is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits coming from the utilization of genetic resources and helping in the
conservation & sustainable usage of Biodiversity. The Protocol creates obligations for members to incorporate measures in respect of access to genetic
resources, sharing of benefits and compliance.
The Cartagena Protocol:
• The full name of the treaty is Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity. It is a supplementary agreement to the CBD like
the Nagoya Protocol. It concerns the movement of LMOs (living modified organisms) resulting from modern technology from one nation to another.
LMOs are defined under the Protocol as living organisms that have a novel combination of genetic material secured from the use of modern technology.
The Cartagena Protocol on Biodiversity seeks to protect Biodiversity from the potential risks caused by LMOs arising from modern technology. So,
statement (2) is not correct.
• The Protocol was adopted because of the tremendous advancements in biotechnology and the associated concerns about its safety and usage with
respect to Biodiversity. It seeks to implement an internationally harmonized regime for biosafety in order to ensure the safe utilization of modern
biotechnology. The Protocol has provisions for an Advance Informed Agreement (AIA) procedure. The AIA is for ensuring that countries are given enough
information to make informed decisions before agreeing to import LMOs into their country
The Zoological Survey of India has recently reported a first-of-its-kind discovery of Morphological Phenotypic Plasticity (MPP) in the Kalinga cricket frog.
With reference to it, consider the following statements:
1. MPP is the ability of an organism to show drastic morphological variations in response to natural environmental variations or stimuli.
2. Cricket frogs are indicators of a healthy ecosystem and live in wide habitat ranges; in agricultural fields, streams, swamps and wetlands.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Morphological Phenotypic Plasticity:
• Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to change in response to stimuli or inputs from the environment. So, statement (1) is correct.
• The term “phenotype” refers to the observable physical properties of an organism, which include the organism’s appearance, development, and
behavior.
• The response may or may not be adaptive, and it may involve a change in morphology (MPP), physiological state, or behavior, or some combination of
these, at any level of organization, the phenotype being all of the characteristics of an organism other than its genes.
• MPP is the ability of an organism to show drastic morphological (physical features) variations in response to natural environmental variations or
stimuli.
• It is also known as phenotypic responsiveness, flexibility, and condition sensitivity
1.The 'Nongkhyllem Wildlife Sanctuary' is located in A. Arunachal Pradesh B. Tamil Nadu C. Meghalaya D. Assam
2.Consider the following statements with reference to the measurement of Biodiversity:
1. Alpha diversity is within a particular area, community or ecosystem, and is measured by counting the number of taxa within the ecosystem.
2. Beta diversity is species diversity between ecosystems and compares the number of taxa that are unique to each of the ecosystems.
3. Gamma diversity measures the rate at which species richness increases as one moves from one habitat to another habitat.
Which of the statements given above are correct?
1.The Sanctuary supports various fauna species like Royal Bengal Tiger, Clouded Leopard, Indian Bison, Himalayan Black Bear, etc.
• Among the birds, the rare species which can be spotted here are Manipur Bush Quail, Rufous Necked Hornbill and Brown Hornbill.
Other Wildlife Sanctuary in Meghalaya:
Nokrek National Park.
Baghmara Pitcher Plant Sanctuary.
Siju Wildlife Sanctuary.
Narpuh Wildlife Sanctuary.
2.Species richness indices: Species richness is a measure of the total number of species in a community. However, complete inventories of all species
present at a certain location is an almost unattainable goal in practical applications.
• Evenness indices: Evenness expresses how evenly the individuals in a community are distributed among the different species.
• Taxonomic indices: These indices take into account the taxonomic relationships between different organisms in a community. Taxonomic diversity, for
example, reflects the average taxonomic distance between any two organisms chosen at random from a sample. The distance can be seen as the length
of the path connecting these two organisms along the branches of a phylogenetic tree.
These three types of indices can be used on different spatial scales:
• Alpha diversity refers to diversity within a particular area, community or ecosystem, and is usually measured by counting the number of taxa within the
ecosystem (usually species level). Alpha diversity sometimes referred to as point diversity, is the species richness that occurs within a given area within a
region that is smaller than the entire distribution of the species. So, statement (1) is correct.
• Beta diversity is species diversity between ecosystems; this involves comparing the number of taxa that are unique to each of the ecosystems—for
example, the diversity of mangroves versus the diversity of seagrass beds. So, statement (2) is correct.
• Gamma diversity is a measure of the overall diversity for different ecosystems within a region. For example, the diversity within the coastal region of
Gazi Bay in Kenia. Gamma diversity is the species richness within an entire region. As the area being surveyed approaches that of the entire region, alpha
diversity approaches gamma diversity and beta diversity approaches zero.
• Beta diversity is the rate at which species richness increases as one move in a straight line across a region from one habitat to another habitat. In other
words, it is the rate of change in species richness that occurs with a change in spatial scale
- Consider the following statements with reference to the High Wilderness Biodiversity Areas (HBWA):
- HBWA approach has been developed by International Union for Conservation of Nature.
- HBWAs consists of 5 of the 24 major wilderness areas that hold globally significant levels of Biodiversity.
- One of the HBWA is the Western Ghats in India.
The High Biodiversity Wilderness Areas (HBWA) approach has been developed by Conservation International (CI). So, statement (1) is not correct.
HBWAs consists of 5 of the 24 major wilderness areas that hold globally significant levels of Biodiversity. So, statement (2) is correct.
5 HBWAs are:
• Amazonia,
• the Congo forests of Central Africa,
• New Guinea,
• the Miombo-Mopane woodlands of Southern Africa (including the Okavango Delta), and
• the North American desert complex of northern Mexico and the Southwestern part of the United States of America
Consider the following statements with reference to the Energy Efficiency Enterprise (E3) Certifications Programme:
- The E3 Certification Programme aims to recognize energy-efficient brick manufacturing.
- It is an initiative of Energy Efficiency Services Limited.
Recently, the Ministry of Power launched the Energy Efficiency Enterprise (E3) Certifications Programme for Brick manufacturing Sector. The program aims to tap huge energy efficiency potential in Brick manufacturing Sector. The adoption of the E3 Certification is currently voluntary which would be awarded by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency under the Ministry of Power for the Brick industry
Recently seen in news “Himal Sanrakshak” is related to:
(a) Campaign by the Indo Tibet Border Police in wake of the recent Glacial outbursts in Uttarakhand.
(b) Joint effort of Ministry of Tribal affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs for the upliftment of tribal communities in the Himalayan States.
(c) Community volunteer programme to protect snow leopards.
(d) Collaboration of WWF India and Government of Sikkim to promote organic farming across Himalayan States.
On the occasion of International Snow Leopard Day, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change launched a community volunteer program named “Himal Sanrakshak” which aimed at restoring the Snow Leopard habitat and increasing the number of Snow Leopards in the identified areas of the presence of Snow Leopard
1.Consider the following statements:
1. Malabar civet is found exclusively in the Western Ghats only.
2. Hoolock Gibbon is found in the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh only.
3. The lion-tailed macaque is endemic to the eastern Himalayas only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
1.Malabar Civet is endemic to India,is nocturnal, and found exclusively in the Western Ghats.It isas big as a village dog but with shorter legs and a banded
tail.The species seemed to be on the brink of extinction. In the late 1980s, the recovery of a few skins from a small town in Kerala rekindled hope of its
occurrence. So, statement 1 is correct.
The tailless Hoolock Gibbon is the only ape found in India. The primate is native to eastern Bangladesh, Northeast India and Southwest China. In India, it
inhabits specific pockets of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam. Western Hoolock Gibbon is endangered and eastern Hoolock Gibbon found in Arunachal
Pradesh and Assam is vulnerable according to the IUCN Red list. So, statement 2 is correct.
The lion-tailed macaque is an Old World monkey endemic to the Western Ghats of South India in Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. It is continuously in
the endangered category in the IUCN Red List of threatened species. Its population is expected to suffer an estimated decline of over 20% in the next 25
years due to varied reasons, including hunting, road kills and habitat los
Consider the following statements with reference to the ‘Blue Carbon Initiative’:
1. It is an initiative of the IUCN and the IOC-UNESCO.
2. It aims to increase carbon sequestration in coastal ecosystems to mitigate climate change.
3. It currently focuses on mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses on every continent.
4. It works to engage local, national, and international governments to promote coastal blue carbon conservation, management, and financing policies.
Which of the statements given above are correct
The Initiative is coordinated by Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Intergovernmental
Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (IOC-UNESCO). The Initiative works through two
working groups: the International Blue Carbon Scientific Working Group and the International Blue Carbon Policy Working Group. So, statement 1 is
correct.
The Blue Carbon Initiative works to:
• Develop management approaches, financial incentives and policy mechanisms for ensuring the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of
coastal blue carbon ecosystems;
• Engage local, national, and international governments in order to promote policies that support coastal blue carbon conservation, management and
financing; so, statement 4 is correct.
• Develop comprehensive methods for assessing blue carbon stocks and emissions;
• Implement projects around the world that demonstrate the feasibility of blue carbon accounting, management and incentive agreements; and
• Support scientific research into the role of coastal blue carbon ecosystems for climate change mitigation.
With reference to Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India, consider the following statements:
1. It proposes a gradual rollout of ethanol-blended fuel to achieve E10 fuel supply by 2022.
2. The Central Government has advanced the target for 20% ethanol blending in petrol to 2025 from 2030.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
The central government has released an expert committee report on the Roadmap for Ethanol Blending in India by 2025. The roadmap proposes a
gradual rollout of ethanol-blended fuel to achieve E10 fuel supply by April 2022 and a phased rollout of E20 from April 2023 to April 2025
The Government of India has advanced the target for 20% ethanol blending in petrol (also called E20) to 2025 from 2030. Currently, 8.5% of ethanol is
blended with petrol
Which of the following statements are correct with reference to Sea snot?
- It is marine mucilage formed when algae are overloaded with nutrients.
- It looks like a solid, viscous, reddish and sticky substance floating on the surface
Recently, Turkey’s Sea of Marmara, which connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, has witnessed the largest outbreak of ‘sea snot.’ It is marine
mucilage formed when algae are overloaded with nutrients due to water pollution combined with the effects of climate change.The nutrient overload
occurs when algae feast on warm weather caused by global warming. Water pollution adds to the problem. So, statement 1 is correct.
Sea snot’, is a slimy layer of grey or green sludge in seas, which can cause considerable damage to the marine ecosystem. It looks like a viscous, brown
and foamy substance
