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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Most of the volcanoes are present at the places where the tectonic plates crush against each other or pull apart. Sixty percent of all active volcanoes occur at the boundaries between tectonic plates.

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Biopiracy refers to the theft of genetic materials especially plants and other biological materials by the process of patent. It is a situation where indigenous knowledge of nature, originating with indigenous people, is exploited for commercial gain without permission and compensation.

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Water is one of the abiotic factors that are nonliving chemical and physical parts of the environment that affect living organisms and the functioning of ecosystems. They affect living organisms in terms of growth, maintenance, and reproduction. A biotic factor is any living component that affects the population of another organism, or the environment.

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Reverse osmosis (RO) is a water purification technology that uses a semipermeable membrane to remove ions, molecules, and larger particles from drinking water. It can remove many types of dissolved and suspended species from water, including bacteria, and is used in both industrial processes and the production of potable water (Desalination of marine water). It is most commonly known for its use in drinking water purification plants particularly in countries of middle east.

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Biological magnification is the increase in concentration of certain fat-soluble chemicals in successively higher trophic levels of a food chain or food web. In other words, as chemical compounds move up through the various links of a food chain by being consumed by different organisms, the toxic effect of these compounds is magnified. It plays a devastating role in certain types of pollution.

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The Taj Mahal, is slowly turning brownish-yellow because of air pollution, also called “Marble cancer”. The Industries located in and around Agra especially the Mathura oil refinery have been responsible for producing pollutants. Emissions of sulphur dioxide around the Taj Mahal are twice the permissible levels. Now, researchers found 3% of the deposits to be black carbon, around 30% organic carbon (or brown carbon) and most of the rest dust. Black carbon is emitted by vehicles and other machines that burn fossil fuels.

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The Kyoto Protocol was an international treaty which extended the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that commits state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, based on the scientific consensus that global warming is occurring and that human-made CO2 emissions are driving it. 

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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 Heard and McDonald Islands are located in the sub-Antarctic region and serve as external territories of Australia. These volcanic islands, discovered in the 1850s by American mariners John Heard and William McDonald, were proclaimed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. These islands, recognized for their unique wildlife and geology (including active volcanoes), are considered one of the world’s most remote places. Initially claimed by the UK in 1910, they were transferred to Australia in 1947, hence, the land boasting the highest mountain under Australian sovereignty.