Environment & Biodiversity MCQs

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REDD means Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation. The original objective of REDD is to reduce greenhouse gases but it can also deliver “co-benefits” such as biodiversity conservation and poverty alleviation.

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Green Buildings minimize the demand of non-renewable resources and maximizes their utilization efficiency. They maximize reuse and recycling of available resources in the environment. It benefits environment through the utilization of renewable resources.

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A biofuel is a fuel that is produced through contemporary processes from biomass (living or once-living material). They are a renewable source of energy and can be solid, liquid, or gaseous in nature.

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The International Tsunami Information Centre also termed as ITIC was established in November 1965 by the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It is located at Honolulu.

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In ecology, the trophic level is the position that an organism occupies in a food chain – what it eats, and what eats it. Ecosystem represents the most complex trophic level. Each species in an ecosystem is affected by the other species in that ecosystem. There are very few single prey-single predator relationships. Most prey are consumed by more than one predator, and most predators have more than one prey. It is also marked by multi trophic interactions that involve more than two trophic levels in a food web.

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Biodegradable waste is a type of waste which can be broken down, in a reasonable amount of time, into its base compounds by micro-organisms and other living things, regardless of what those compounds may be. Wool is the textile fibre obtained from sheep and certain other animal products are organic in nature and thus can be degraded and be used as substrates for keratinase production.

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A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs and emits radiant energy within the thermal infrared range, contributing to the greenhouse effect. The essential greenhouse gases in the Earth’s atmosphere include:

• Water vapor
• Carbon dioxide
• Methane
• Nitrous oxide
• Ozone

Here, Nitrogen is not considered a greenhouse gas.

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Mylo is a leather-like material made from mycelium, the underground root structure of mushrooms. Mylo is a sustainable alternative to leather because it can be grown without polluting substances. It is also more sustainable than synthetic leathers, which are usually made from petroleum-derived inputs.
Mylo is grown in a controlled indoor environment. The growing process is designed to be low impact and takes less than two weeks. It emits fewer greenhouse gases and uses less water and resources than animal-based leather.
Mylo is 80% bio-based and is completely biodegradable and compostable. However, when extra durability is needed, the mushroom leather is reinforced with polyurethane, which decreases its biodegradability.

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Glover’s Reef is a part of The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. This is the world’s second largest reef system, extending 300 km along the coast of Belize. It’s a host to seven protected areas inclusive of three atolls: Turneffe, Lighthouse, and Glover’s Reef. The complex supports 1,400 known species, among them 17 endangered ones such as the American crocodile, manatee, and different sea turtles. The system, notable for its pristine condition, was deemed by Charles Darwin as the “most remarkable reef in the West Indies”.

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The Pantanal Conservation Area, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, accounts for 1.3% of the vast Pantanal wetland in Brazil and spans across 187,818 hectares. It provides shelter for more than 650 bird species, 325 fish species, and 80 mammal species, including giant armadillo and jaguar. The area’s unique ecosystem extends from floodplains to the Amolar Mountains, supporting diverse habitats and maintaining regional fish stocks. Moreover, it is an all-important breeding ground for wetland birds and refuge for globally threatened species like the hyacinth macaw. Additionally, it is a Ramsar Wetland and a UNESCO Man & Biosphere Reserve.