Environment & Biodiversity MCQs

Notes:
The Gorumara National Park (GNP) is located in Jalpaiguri district, West Bengal. The park is located in the Dooars region of the Himalayan foothills, it is a medium-sized park with grasslands and forests. It is primarily known for its population of Indian rhinoceros. The park has been declared as the best among the protected areas in India by the Ministry of Environment and Forests for the year 2009. It has recorded 50 species of mammals, 194 species of birds, 22 species of reptiles, 7 species of turtles, 27 species of fish, and other macro and micro fauna. The park is rich in large herbivores including Indian rhinoceros, gaur, Asian elephant, sloth bear, chital and sambar deer.

Notes:
India’s first carbon dioxide measurement exchange tower was set up in Uttarakhand (Lamachaur). It has been installed by the Indian Institute of Remote Sensing. It will help to analyse issues related to global warming and climate change.

Notes:
The Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer was adopted in the conference at Vienna on 22 March 1985. The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer was an international treaty which was organized in 1987.

Notes:
February 2nd is World Wetlands Day. This day is celebrated annually to raise awareness about the importance of wetlands and how to restore them. It also commemorates the Ramsar Convention, which was signed on February 2nd, 1971 in Ramsar, Iran.

Notes:
Chilika Lake is a brackish water lagoon, which is situated in Odisha state at the mouth of the Daya River, covering an area of over 1,100 km. It is the largest wintering ground for migratory birds (Indian sub-continent). It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in India. Some species of IUCN Red List of threatened animals inhabit the Chilika lake for at least part of their life cycle.

Notes:
Bioversity International, a non-profit research organization for development, was established in 1974. The motto of the organization is “Agricultural biodiversity nourishes and sustains the planet”. It is headquatered at Rome, Italy.

Notes:
This feedback loop, known as the ‘ice-albedo feedback’, amplifies the initial warming caused by rising levels of greenhouse gases. Detecting, understanding and accurately quantifying climate feedbacks have been the focus of a great deal of research by scientists unraveling the complexities of Earth’s climate.

Notes:
In this food chain scenario, the snake occupies the position of a secondary consumer.

1. Primary producer: This role is usually played by plants or autotrophic organisms that can produce their own food through photosynthesis. They form the base of the food chain by converting sunlight into energy.
2. Primary consumer: The rabbit, in this case, is the primary consumer. It feeds on the primary producers (plants or vegetation) and is herbivorous.
3. Secondary consumer: The snake comes next in the food chain as a secondary consumer. It consumes the primary consumer, which is the rabbit. Snakes are generally carnivorous and prey on animals.
4. Tertiary consumer: The falcon, which preys on the snake, occupies the position of a tertiary consumer in this food chain. Falcons are carnivorous birds of prey that feed on other animals, including snakes.

So, the snake is the secondary consumer in this food chain, as it feeds on the primary consumer (rabbit) and is, in turn, consumed by the tertiary consumer (falcon).

Notes:
72% of the totally emitted greenhouse gases is carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide emissions therefore are the most important cause of global warming. CO2 is inevitably created by burning fuels like e.g. oil, natural gas, diesel, organic-diesel, petrol, organic-petrol, ethanol.

Notes:
Diversity is higher in the tropics (not just tropical rainforests) primarily because there are fewer ecological obstacles to higher biodiversity. In the tropics, plants and animals have the greatest access to consistent energy, water, and carbon, etc.