Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
The Government of Tuvalu has become the 90th State Member of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Tuvalu, formerly the Ellice Islands, is a small island country in the west-central Pacific Ocean. It is the 4th smallest country in the world, covering 26 sq.km, located between Australia and Hawaii. Tuvalu consists of small islands and atolls made of coral reefs and volcanic rock, with no point above 4.5 meters, making it vulnerable to sea-level rise. The capital is Funafuti.

Notes:
Researchers recently discovered a new plant species named Tetrataenium manilalianum, adding to the biodiversity of the Western Ghats. It belongs to the carrot family (Umbelliferae/Apiaceae). The species was found in Eravikulam National Park, located in Idukki district of Kerala. It was named in honour of Prof. K.S. Manilal, founder president of the Indian Association for Angiosperm Taxonomy. The plant grows in grasslands bordering shola forests at high altitudes. It is the first of its kind identified globally and the 48th species in the carrot family. It bears white flowers, has underground rhizomes, and blooms during the monsoon.

Notes:
The spotted deer population is declining rapidly in the Konark-Balukhand Wildlife Sanctuary, Odisha. The sanctuary is located in Puri district, Odisha and was declared on 23 April 1984. It covers a sandy coastal tract between Puri and Konark, planted with casuarina and cashew trees. Spotted deer is the most common deer species in Indian forests. It is listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

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The Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) has sought records from the Forest and Revenue Departments and the Angul Collector regarding alleged irregularities in village relocation at Satkosia Tiger Reserve. Satkosia Tiger Reserve is located in central Odisha across Angul, Cuttack, Boudh, and Nayagarh districts. The reserve includes Satkosia Gorge Sanctuary and Baisipalli Wildlife Sanctuary, divided by the Mahanadi River. It is also part of the Mahanadi Elephant Reserve. It lies at the junction of the Deccan Peninsula and Eastern Ghats, creating rich biodiversity.

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Recently, scientists in Brazil launched the AmazonFACE (Free-Air CO₂ Enrichment) project near Manaus. The project aims to study how the Amazon rainforest will respond to future atmospheric CO₂ levels. It seeks to simulate future atmospheric conditions and observe forest adaptation to rising CO₂, temperature, and humidity. The main focus is to understand the forest’s carbon uptake capacity, photosynthesis rate, and resilience to climate change. The system enables continuous monitoring every 10 minutes to measure CO₂ absorption and ecosystem responses in real time.

Notes:
A flock of rare White Ibis, also known as Black-headed Ibis, was recently sighted in the salt pan regions of Thoothukudi district, Tamil Nadu. The Black-headed Ibis, also called the Oriental White Ibis or Indian White Ibis, belongs to the ibis family Threskiornithidae. It is a wader bird adapted to various aquatic environments. It is found across South and Southeast Asia, from India to Japan. It is listed as “Least Concern” on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recently rated Khangchendzonga National Park in Sikkim as “good” in its global review of natural World Heritage sites. It is located in Sikkim. The park is part of the Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve (KBR), India’s first “mixed” UNESCO World Heritage Site, recognized in 2016 for natural and cultural significance. It has 18 glaciers, the largest being Zemu Glacier, one of Asia’s largest.

Notes:
A 9-day wildlife census has recently started in the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary. Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary is a protected area in Chandigarh near Sukhna Lake at the foothills of the Shivalik range. The sanctuary developed through afforestation for soil conservation around the lake. The region is geographically unstable and faces high soil erosion during rains due to surface runoff. The soil is mainly sandy Shivalik soil with patches of clay.

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Bamboo shrimp (Atyopsis spinipes) has been rediscovered in India after 72 years, in Karnataka and Odisha. The rediscovery was by researchers from Centre for Climate Change Studies, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai. Bamboo shrimp are filter feeders, using fan-like limb structures to capture edible particles from flowing water. It is a medium-sized freshwater shrimp native to Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.

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Bioremediation means “restoring life through biology” using microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, algae, and plants to clean polluted land and water. These organisms break oil, pesticides, plastics, and heavy metals into safer products like water and carbon dioxide. In situ bioremediation treats pollution at the site, while Ex situ bioremediation treats removed soil or water in a facility. India needs it due to severe river, soil, and industrial pollution and the high cost of traditional cleanup methods. It is cheap, eco-friendly, job-creating, but needs strict safety rules for genetically modified (GM) microbes.