Environment & Biodiversity Current Affairs MCQs

Notes:
A geologist reported that a hilly area near the Zagros Mountains in Iraq is being pulled into Earth. The Zagros Mountains are a major range in West Asia, stretching 1,500 km from Turkey and Iraq to southern Iran. They formed due to the Arabian Plate sliding under the Eurasian Plate during the Miocene and Pliocene Epochs. The highest peak is Mount Dena at 14,465 feet. The mountains mainly consist of limestone and shale from the Mesozoic Era. The region has a semi-arid climate with harsh winters and dry summers.

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The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, also called the Arctic Doomsday Vault, received over 14,000 new seed samples. It is located on the Norwegian Arctic Island and owned by Norway. It is managed by the Norwegian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, NordGen, and the Crop Trust. It stores duplicate seeds from global genebanks as a backup against disasters like nuclear war, conflict, or climate change.

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Tropical Cyclone Alfred hits Australia recently and it brings heavy rain and winds. It is strengthening as it nears southern Queensland and northern New South Wales. Warmer coastal waters and low wind shear have intensified the cyclone. Cyclones are large air masses rotating around a low-pressure center.

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Farmers in Punjab are demanding Bollgard-3 GM cotton ahead of the sowing season. Bollgard-3 is a pest-resistant genetically modified (GM) cotton, developed by Monsanto over a decade ago. It contains three Bt proteins (Cry1Ac, Cry2Ab, Vip3A) that kill pests by disrupting their gut function. Highly effective against lepidopteran pests like pink bollworm, ensuring better crop yield. Bollgard-1 (2002) and Bollgard-2 (2006) are still used, but they struggle against whitefly and pink bollworm, which emerged in Punjab in 2015-16 and 2018-19.

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Russia is launching repeated assaults to cross the Dnipro River in Kherson, despite heavy casualties, aiming to seize more territory before potential peace talks. The Dnipro River is one of Europe’s major transboundary rivers. It is the fourth-longest river in Europe, after the Volga, Danube, and Ural. The river flows through Eastern Europe, draining much of Belarus and Ukraine. Historically, it served as an important natural barrier, dividing Ukraine into right and left banks.

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Kanwar Lake (Kabartal), Asia’s largest freshwater oxbow lake in Bihar, is rapidly drying up in early March, which is alarming for its ecosystem. Despite its ecological significance, the Bihar government has not sanctioned its restoration plan, showing apathy toward saving this vital wetland. The lake is also known as Kabartal Jheel and is a rainfed water body. It was formed as a residual oxbow lake due to the meandering of the Gandak River, a tributary of the Ganga. It covers a large area of the Indo-Gangetic plains in northern Bihar and plays a crucial role in maintaining regional biodiversity. The wetland serves as an important stopover for 58 migratory bird species along the Central Asian Flyway, where birds rest and refuel during migration. It is also a valuable site for fish biodiversity, with over 50 species documented, making it a crucial habitat for aquatic life.

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India has identified the Northeast as the next saffron cultivation hub after Jammu & Kashmir’s Pampore. Mission Saffron was launched in 2010-11 to promote saffron farming with financial, technical, and infrastructural support. Since 2021, the initiative expanded to the Northeast (Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya) under the “Saffron Bowl Project” by NECTAR (North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach). The Northeast offers suitable agro-climatic conditions for saffron cultivation.

Notes:
Sagareshwar Wildlife Sanctuary in Sangli district, Maharashtra, has 536 sambars and 295 cheetals (spotted deer). It has one of the highest deer populations among manmade wildlife sanctuaries. The sanctuary covers 10.87 sq.km and has no permanent water supply. Most wildlife species, including 536 sambars and 295 cheetals, were introduced artificially. The sanctuary is known for a high deer population. It is named after the ancient Sagareshwar temple, with many other temples dedicated to Lord Shiva within the sanctuary.

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The Supreme Court criticized the Uttarakhand government for slow action against senior officers accused of illegal constructions in Corbett Tiger Reserve. Corbett Tiger Reserve is located in the foothills of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand. It was established in 1936 as Hailey National Park and renamed Corbett National Park in 1957 to honor Jim Corbett. The total area of the reserve is 1,288.31 sq. km, with undulating terrain and several valleys. Rivers Ramganga, Pallaen, and Sonanadi flow through it. The reserve lies in the Bhabar and lower Shivalik regions with a deep-water table and porous terrain.

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India exported Anthurium flowers from Mizoram to Singapore for the first time, boosting the floriculture sector. Anthurium is a tropical flowering plant known for its ornamental value and air-purifying properties. It removes toxins like formaldehyde, ammonia, toluene, xylene, and allergens from the air. NASA included Anthurium in its list of air-purifying plants for improving indoor air quality. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), under the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, promotes agricultural exports and facilitates global market linkages.