Environment & Biodiversity MCQs

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Wildlife corridor or Green corridor is an area of habitat which connects wildlife populations separated by human activities. Wildlife corridors may be both natural or created. These corridors help animals that move between isolated patches on a daily basis and also those that migrate between habitats seasonally.

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Dead Animal–Maggots–Frog–Snake is an example of detritus food chain. In such a food chain, Primary consumers are ‘detritivores’ including protozoans, bacteria, fungi, etc which feed upon the detritus (dead organic matter such as fallen leaves, plant parts or dead animal bodies) saprophytically. They are in turn eaten by secondary consumers such as insect larvae, nematodes, etc. In nature, detritus food chains are indispensable as the dead organic matter of grazing food chain is acted upon by the detritivores to recycle the inorganic elements into the ecosystem.

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Solar energy does not generate waste or contaminate water, or cause any pollution—an extremely important factor given the scarcity of water. Unlike fossil fuels and nuclear power plants, wind energy has one of the lowest water-consumption footprints, which makes it a key for conserving hydrological resources.

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Biotic components are the living things that shape an ecosystem. Examples of biotic components include animals, plants, fungi, and bacteria. Abiotic components are non-living components that influence an ecosystem. Examples of abiotic factors are temperature, air currents, and minerals.

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The greenhouse effect is the process by which radiation from a planet’s atmosphere warms the planet’s surface to a temperature above what it would be without its atmosphere. It caused by the presence of water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, and certain other gases in the air.

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The Mudumalai National Park and Wildlife Sanctuary, now also declared a Tiger Reserve, lies on the northwestern side of the Nilgiri Hills, in Nilgiri District, about 150 km north-west of Coimbatore city in the westernmost part of Tamil Nadu, on the interstate boundaries with Karnataka and Kerala states in South India. The sanctuary is a haven for Bengal Tigers and Indian Leopards and other threatened species.

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Jim Corbett believed in the conservation of the ecosystem and wildlife, especially tigers and that is why Jim Corbett National Park was chosen as the venue for the inauguration of ‘Save the tigers’ project in India. Project tiger was launched in 1973. Basic intention of Project Tiger is to maintain the ecological balance of nature and conserve extant ecosystems. The project seeks to establish a natural link between the wildlife & flora of national parks and sanctuaries and the humans living on their peripheries.

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The Vikramashila Gangetic Dolphin Sanctuary (VGDS) resides in Bhagalpur district, Bihar, covering about 50 km along the Ganges. It holds the distinction of being India’s only sanctuary for its national aquatic animal, the Gangetic dolphin. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Control (MoEFCC) declared the Gangetic dolphin as the National Aquatic Animal of India and launched the Ganges River Dolphin Conservation Programme in 1997 – a testament to its dedication to preserving this unique species.

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The Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is the world’s largest coral reef system, spanning 2,300 kilometers and covering 344,400 square kilometers. It is home to 10% of the world’s fish species, 400 types of coral, and six of the seven species of marine turtles. The reef is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, with the widest sections reaching up to 65 kilometers. It is visible from space and supports a diverse array of marine life, including whales, dolphins, and sharks. The reef has been listed as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World since 1997. Despite its natural beauty, the reef faces threats from climate change, coral bleaching, and pollution, with UNESCO recommending it for the In Danger list due to these impacts.

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The Gondwana Rainforests, designated as a World Heritage Site, are located in southeast Queensland and northeast New South Wales in Australia. They personify extraordinary instances of Earth’s evolutionary phases, with over 50 sheltered areas playing host to more than 200 rare or endangered species. These rainforests are remnants from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana, evident through tree lineages such as Red and Yellow Carabeen. Unfortunately, they are threatened by climate change and provide important habitats for scarce species like the Hastings River Mouse and Parma Wallaby. Drawing around 2 million tourists each year, these vast rainforests cover an impressive 366,500 hectares.