Target Prelims 2021 Environment & Ecology based Current Affairs: 2
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Target Prelims 2021
Environment & Ecology based Current Affairs: 2
Q1. The term ‘Bathynomus raksasa’, recently seen in the news is related to:
a) Traditional religious ritual practiced by the tribes in Arunachal Pradesh.
b) Microscopic algae that caused mass deaths of elephants in Botswana.
c) Super giant isopod species found in the Indian Ocean.
d) Tree frog that is endemic to western Ghats.
Bathynomus raksasa
Q2. The term ‘Gynandromorphism’ was recently in the news. Which among the
following best describes the concept of Gynandromorphism?
a) It is characteristic of an organism that has both male and female tissues.
b) It is the mechanism through which an organism enters into hibernation.
c) It is a process in which an organism uses another organism’s body as a host to lay
eggs.
d) It is the form of adaptation mechanism by certain organisms in response to climate
change.
Q3. Term Dickinsonia, recently seen in the news, is related to which of the following?
a) It is an extinct species or subspecies of archaic humans that ranged across Asia
during the Middle Paleolithic.
b) The oldest species of dinosaurs recently found in South America.
c) It is an extinct genus of basal animals that lived during the late Ediacaran period.
d) Newly discovered invasive species of plant.
Dickinsonia
Palaeobiologists believe that these earliest living creatures were used to live in shallow
warm seas, as early as 570 million years ago, and are representative of earliest complex
life form in animal kingdom
Recovery Programme for endangered Species
Q4. Which of the following species are part of the Recovery Programme for Critically
Endangered Species ?
1. Caracal
2. Snow Leopard
3. Malabar Civet
4. Northern River Terrapin
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 2, 3 and 4 only
b) 2 only
c) 1, 2, 3 and 4
d) 1 and 4 only
It is one of the components of the Integrated Development of Wildlife Habitats
(IDWH).
IDWH was started in 2008-09 as a Centrally sponsored Scheme.
It is meant for :
• Providing support to protected areas
• Protection of wildlife outside protected areas and
• Recovery programmes for saving critically endangered species and habitats.
Species
Species such as Asian Wild Buffalo, Asiatic Lion, Brow Antlered or Sangai Deer,
Dugong, Edible Nest Swiftlet, Gangetic River Dolphin, Great Indian Bustard, Hangul,
Indian Rhino, Jerdon’s Courser, Malabar Civet, Marine turtles, Nicobar Megapode,
Nilgiri Tahr, Snow Leopard, Northern River Terrapin, Swamp Deer, Vultures had been
included in the programme.
Caracal
Wetlands & Ramsar Sites
Wetlands are areas where water covers the soil, or is present either at or near the surface
of the soil all year or for varying periods of time during the year, including during the
growing season.
Ramsar Convention
• The Convention on Wetlands is the intergovernmental treaty that provides the
framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
• The Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into
force in 1975.
• On 30 August 2021, the 75th session of the United Nations (UN) General
Assembly adopted a resolution proclaiming 2 February of each year, as World
Wetlands Day.
India currently has 46 sites designated as Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar
Sites).
• Bhindawas Wildlife Sanctuary, the largest wetland in Haryana .
• Sultanpur National Park from Haryana supports more than 220 species of
migratory waterbirds.
• Thol Lake Wildlife Sanctuary in Gujarat lies on the Central Asian Flyway and
more than 320 bird species can be found here.
• Wadhwana Wetland from Gujarat is internationally important for its birdlife as
it provides wintering ground to migratory waterbirds, including over 80 species
that migrate on the Central Asian Flyway.
Q5. With respect to the physical attributes of Wetlands, consider the following
statements:
1. The substrate in the wetland is covered by water or has waterlogged soil for at least
a few days during the growing season of each year.
2. The wetland substrate is predominantly undrained hydric soil.
3. Thermal stratification occurs in all the wetlands.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q6. With respect to the recently declared Ramsar wetland sites, consider the following
statements:
1. The total number of Ramsar Wetlands in India has gone up to 45.
2. Chandertal became the first Ramsar wetland site in Maharashtra.
3. Uttar Pradesh has the most number of Ramsar Sites in India.
Which of the above given statements is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q7. With reference to the Tso Kar wetland complex, which of the following statements
is/are incorrect?
1. It is an A1 Category Important Bird Area (IBA) as per BirdLife International and a
key staging site in the Central Asian Flyway.
2. It consists of Startsapuk Tso and Tso Kar lakes.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
Q8. Consider the following statements: 1. Gharials are found in Girwa and Gandak rivers. 2. Salt-water crocodiles are found only in Andaman and Nicobar islands. 3. Mugger crocodiles are not found in coastal saltwater lagoons of Kerala. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 1 and 2 only c) 2 and 3 only d) 1 and 3 only
• Gharial population in India can be found within the tributaries of the Ganges river system. • The saltwater crocodiles live in the mangroves of Bhitarkanika and Sunderbans, Mahanadi Delta, and in the swamp lands in Odisha and West Bengal (including rivers) and other coastal areas of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands in India. • The range of the Mugger crocodile encompasses most of India except for a small part of northern India. They live in freshwater as well as coastal saltwater lagoons.
Golden Tiger Q9. India’s only Golden Tiger is found in which the following Protected Areas:- a) Kaziranga National Park b) Panna Tiger reserve c) Jim Corbett National Park d) Sathyamangalam Tiger reserve Q10. With reference to Brahma Kamal flower, consider the following statements: 1. It is known as the King of Himalayan Flowers. 2. It is the state flower of Uttarakhand. 3. It blooms just once a year. Which of the above-given statements is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Q11. ‘Ooceraea joshii’ which was recently in the news, is related to which of the
following?
a) It is a new species of ant.
b) It is a newly discovered medicinal plant species.
c) It is a non-venomous snake species discovered in Arunachal Pradesh.
d) It is a type of subterranean fish found in the caves of Meghalaya.
Indicator Species
Examples include crayfish as indicators of freshwater quality; corals as indicators of
marine processes such as siltation, seawater rise and sea temperature fluctuation;
peregrine falcons as an indicator of pesticide loads and lichens can be used as air
pollution indicators, especially of the concentration of sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere.
Keystone species
• A keystone species is a species that plays an essential role in the structure,
functioning or productivity of a habitat or ecosystem at a defined level (habitat,
soil, seed dispersal, etc).
• Disappearance of such species may lead to significant ecosystem change or
dysfunction which may have knock on effects on a broader scale.
Flagship Species
A flagship species is a species selected to act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a
defined habitat, issue, campaign or environmental cause.Indicator Species
Q12. Which of the following are indicator species of an ecosystem?
1. Lichens
2. Tiger
3. Peregrine falcons
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q13. Consider the following statements with respect to Lichens:
1. They are composite organisms that live in a symbiotic relationship between algae
and fungi.
2. They grow fast and are short lived.
3. Uttarakhand has become the first state to develop India’s first lichen park.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q14. Consider the following passage:
“Such species are selected to act as an ambassador, icon or symbol for a defined
habitat, issue, campaign or environmental cause. By focusing on and achieving
conservation of that species, the status of many other species which share its
habitat or are vulnerable to the same threats may also be improved.”
Which of the following species is depicted in the above passage?
a) Flagship species
b) Keystone species
c) Indicator species
d) Foundation species
Q15. Recently, the Chilika Development Authority has designated which of the following
species as ambassador of Chilika Lake?
a) Fishing Cat
b) Olive Ridley Turtle
c) Gharial
d) Irrawaddy dolphinFishing Cat They are nocturnal animals which prey on fish, frogs, crustaceans, snakes, birds and scavenges on carcasses of larger animals. Their main habitats are Wetlands and hence they are mainly found in the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans, around Chilika Lake, foothills of the Himalayas along Ganga and Brahmaputra river valleys and in the Western Ghats. Q16. Consider the following statements about Whale Sharks, recently in the news: 1. They feed only on tiny planktons. 2. It is listed as endangered on the IUCN Red List. 3. It is found in all tropical oceans of the world. Which of the given above statements are correct? a) 1 and 2 only b) 2 and 3 only c) 1 and 3 only d) 1, 2 and 3
Q17. With reference to the ‘Sea buckthorn’, which was recently in the news, consider the
following statements:
1. It is a shrub found in the cold desert of India.
2. It helps in prevention of soil erosion.
3. Its fruits are rich in vitamins and omega fatty acids.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Q18. Consider the following pairs:
S.No State of Inactivity Animal
1. Aestivation Snail
2. Hibernation Bat
3. Diapause Insect
Which of the pairs given above is/are correctly matched?
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3Protected Areas
Q19. With reference to the Asia Protected Areas Partnership - APAP, which of the
following statements is/are correct?
1. India will be the co-chair of the Asia Protected Areas Partnership (APAP) for the
period of the next 3 years till November 2023.
2. It was launched by the United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP).
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
It is a National Park of the North East Indian region that has also been declared as the
‘Important Bird Area’. It is bordered by the Brahmaputra and Lohit rivers in the North
and Dibru River in the south. In 1997, it was also declared as a Biosphere Reserve.
Recently, the concerned State Government has set a deadline for its Forest Department to
rehabilitate the indigenous forest dwellers back to this protected area.
Q20. Which of the following protected areas is described in the above passage?
a) Kaziranga National Park
b) Dibru-Saikhowa National Park
c) Nameri National Park
d) Orang National Park
Q21. Consider the following pairs with reference to biosphere reserve:
S.No Zone Human activity allowed
1. Core Zone Non-destructive research
2. Transition Zone Ecotourism
3. Buffer Zone Agricultural activities
Which of the above pairs is/are correctly matched?
a) 1 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3Q22. Karlapat WildLife Sanctuary, which was recently in the news, is located in which one of the following States? a) Tamil Nadu b) Andhra Pradesh c) Chattisgarh d) Odisha Haemorrhagic Septicaemia Six elephants died of haemorrhagic septicaemia in Karlapat Wildlife Sanctuary in Odisha’s Kalahandi district.The pattern has led experts to suspect that the water there is contaminated with the bacteria Pasteurella multocida that cause the disease.
Q23. With reference to Hemis National park, consider the following statements: 1. It is spread over two states. 2. There are no human habitations inside the park. 3. It is the only national park of India situated north of the Himalayas. 4. It is one of the natural habitats of the Kashmir Stag. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? a) 2 and 3 only b) 3 only c) 2 and 4 only d) 1, 2 , 3 and 4 Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary Q24. Nargu Wildlife Sanctuary, which was recently in the news, is located in which of the following states? a) Uttarakhand b) Himachal Pradesh c) Uttar Pradesh d) Sikkim The Nargu wildlife sanctuary is spread across 132 square kilometres in Mandi and Kullu districts. It harbours animals such as leopards, barking deer, black bear, ghoral, jackal and flying squirrel and birds such as Himalayan monal, white crested kalij and chukor.
Biodiversity Hotspots
Q25.Which of the following criteria are considered by Conservation International to
decide a particular area as a biodiversity hotspot?
1. Extent of geographical area
2. Endemism
3. Annual rainfall
Select the correct answers using the codes given below:
a) 2 only
b) 1 and 2 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 2 and 3 only
A region must fulfil the following two criteria to qualify as a hotspot:
• The region should have at least 1500 species of vascular plants i.e., it should have
a high degree of endemism.
• It must contain 30% (or less) of its original habitat, i.e. it must be threatened.Q26. With reference to the Transport Initiative for Asia, which of the following
statements is/are incorrect?
1. It is an initiative of Asian Development Bank.
2. It aims to improve connectivity along the ancient route from Kolkata to Hanoi.
3. Borders Roads Organisation is the implementing partner in India.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 2 and 3 only
c) 1 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
Project Lion
Project Lion that was announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on the lines of
Project Tiger and Project Elephant. Six new sites apart from the Kuno-Palpur Wildlife
Sanctuary have been identified under this for relocation.
The six new sites identified for possible lion relocation in the future include:
• Madhav National Park, Madhya Pradesh
• Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan
• Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve, Rajasthan
• Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary, Madhya Pradesh
• Kumbhalgarh Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan
• Jessore-Balaram Ambaji WLS and adjoining landscape, GujaratQ27. With reference to Project Lion, which of the following statements is/are
incorrect?
1. It is a project to reintroduce African lion species in India.
2. Sitamata Wildlife Sanctuary, Rajasthan is one of the sites that have been chosen
for the lion relocation project.
Select the correct answer using the codes given below:
a) 1 only
b) 2 only
c) Both 1 and 2
d) Neither 1 nor 2
The Maldhari community is a tribe of herdsmen in a border state of India. They derive
their name Maldhari which means the owner of goods/wealth. In this case, cattle are their
goods/wealth. They have lived in a National Park, in the Banni Grasslands Reserve area
which emerged from the sea as a result of tectonic activities. There are continued attacks
by endangered carnivorous species on their cattle but still they manage to live in harmony
with that species.
Q28. The community mentioned in the above passage resides in which of the following
National Parks?
a) Jim Corbett National Park
b) Dudhwa National Park
c) Gir National Park
d) Keoladeo National Park
Q29. Consider the following passage about a national park:
"It was established as a wildlife sanctuary in 1981 and has received national park status in
2018. It is considered a possible site for Asiatic Lion relocation and Cheetah
reintroduction project.”
Which of the national parks is referred to in the above passage?
a) Gir National Park
b) Kuno National Park
c) Vansda National Park
d) Tadoba National ParkQ30. Recently, Asiatic Lions from Nehru Zoological Park, Hyderabad have tested
positive for COVID-19, in this regard consider the following statements:
1. The COVID-19 infection from Human to Asiatic lions has happened in India only.
2. The symptoms shown by Asiatic lions are completely different from Humans.
3. Wildlife Institute of India, has developed a vaccine against COVID-19 for Asiatic
Lions recently.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 2 only
b) 1 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 2 only
Snow Leopard
Q31. In the context of India’s first Snow leopard conservation centre, consider the
following statements:
1. It is being established in Uttarakhand under the SECURE Himalaya project.
2. It is built in partnership with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
3. The snow leopard is listed as “endangered” by the IUCN red list.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
a) 1 and 3 only
b) 2 only
c) 2 and 3 only
d) 1, 2 and 3
They are found in mountainous regions of central and southern Asia.
In India, their geographical range encompasses:
• Western Himalayas: Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh.
• Eastern Himalayas: Uttarakhand and Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.
• Hemis National Park has a good presence of Snow Leopard.You can also read
