Environment and Ecology: UPSC Previous Year Questions (Prelims)

Explanation

Central Ground Water Authority has been constituted under Section 3 (3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to regulate and control development and management of groundwater resources in the country. Central Ground Water Authority takes care of regulation and control, management and development of groundwater in the country and issues necessary regulatory directions for the purpose. Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 was enacted in the aftermath of Bhopal Gas Tragedy (1984) for protecting, improving environment & reducing pollution. The Act authorises the central government to control & reduce pollution from all sources. It also provides procedures for setting standards of emission or discharge of environmental pollutants.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: As per Section 39 of Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, every Wild Animal shall be the property of the State Government, and, where such animal is hunted in a sanctuary or National Park declared by the Central Government, such animal or any animal article, trophy, uncured trophy or meat [derived from such animal, or any vehicle, vessel, weapon, trap or tool used in such hunting] shall be the property of the Central Government.

Statement 2 is correct: The law governing the subject of wild-life, the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, provides for equal protection for wild animals irrespective of where they are found. It does not discriminate between wild animals found in protected areas and outside.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Mere apprehension or fear that a wild animal could endanger human life is not a ground for capture or killing. As per Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, only if the wild animal becomes a danger to human life or is deceased or disabled beyond recovery can it be allowed to be captured or killed by the competent authority, (Chief Wildlife Warden of the State).

Explanation

Miyawaki method is a method of urban afforestation by turning backyards into mini-forests. It includes planting trees as close as possible in the same area which not only saves space, but the planted saplings also support each other in growth and block sunlight from reaching the ground, thereby preventing the growth of weeds. Thus the saplings become maintenance-free (self-sustainable) after the first three years. It helps to create a forest in just 20 to 30 years while through conventional methods it takes anywhere between 200 to 300 years. In the Miyawaki Process:

The native trees of the region are identified and divided into four layers -- shrub, sub-tree, tree, and canopy. The quality of soil is analysed and biomass which would help enhance the perforation capacity, water retention capacity, and nutrients in it, is mixed with it. The ground is covered with a thick layer of mulch. A mound is built with the soil and the seeds are planted at a very high density -- three to five sapling per square meter.

Explanation

Wetlands Location and Significance Hokera Wet-land Jammu and Kashmir. A perennial natural wetland that is part of the Jhelum basin. Renuka Wet-land Himachal Pradesh A naturally occurring wetland that receives freshwater springs and underground karst formations from the lower Himalayas and the Giri river. Rudrasagar lake Melaghar, Tripura A lowland sedimentation reservoir in the northeastern highlands that receives water from three enduring streams that empty into the River Gomti. Sasthamkotta lake Kollam district, Kerala Being Kerala’s largest freshwater lake, it has long been a popular destination for travellers.

Explanation

Natural wetlands are often called "earth’s kidneys" because they effectively filter pollutants from water, much like our kidneys filter waste and excess fluid from our bodies. Just as kidneys maintain a healthy balance of water, salts, and minerals, wetlands absorb and store excess nutrients, heavy metals, and chemicals from runoff. Aquatic plants and microorganisms help absorb heavy metals, excess nutrients, while sediment settles at the bottom in areas of slow-moving water, preventing it from reaching open water.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: Guchhi mushroom is a species of fungus in the family Morchellaceae of the Ascomycota. They are prized for their unique, honeycomb-like appearance.

Statement 2 is correct: It is grown in the foothills of Himalayas mostly in the temperate forests of Himachal Pradesh, Uttaranchal, and Jammu and Kashmir.

Statement 3 is incorrect: These mushrooms cannot be cultivated commercially due to their specific growth conditions. Found in conifer forests of temperate regions, they grow only in high mountain areas after the snow melts and are harvested wild by local communities.

Explanation

Golden Mahseer is also known as the tiger of Indian rivers. It is a species of the genus Tor. The Golden Mahseer, the longest-living freshwater fish, is native to mountain and sub-mountain regions found in the Himalayan Rivers (Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra). The Pong Dam reservoir supports an ample population of the golden Mahseer. IUCN Conservation Status: Endangered. The Indian Nightjar (Caprimulgus asiaticus), Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia), and White Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus) are all bird species found in India.

Explanation

Lichens and Mosses do not need soil to grow and survive. Lichens are generally found on rock, tree bark, soil (but can survive without soil as well), houses, tombstones, cars, old farm equipment, etc. Thus, lichen can be found surviving on surfaces without soil. Mosses are non-vascular plants. They do not need soil to survive. They have a rhizoid multi-cell anchoring structure that is used to climb and grip over rocky surfaces. Moss thrives in moist and shady areas. Ferns and Mushrooms generally need soil to grow. Ferns are vascular plants and typically require soil for anchorage and to absorb water and nutrients. While they can grow in places like cracks in rocks, they usually still need some form of substrate (soil or organic material) to thrive. A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus. They typically require organic matter to decompose as a source of nutrients. Mushrooms are unlikely to grow on a surface without soil unless there is some decaying organic material available.

Explanation

Primary Producers are organisms like plants and algae that produce their own food through photosynthesis or chemo-synthesis. They form the base of the food chain in marine eco-systems. Cyanobacteria and Diatoms are primary producers. Cyanobacteria (also known as blue-green algae) are photosynthetic bacteria that play a significant role in marine ecosystems by converting sunlight into energy and producing oxygen. They are particularly important in nutrient-poor (oligotrophic) oceanic regions. Diatoms are a type of phytoplankton that perform photosynthesis. They are among the most important primary producers in the oceans which contribute significantly to global carbon fixation. They are a key food source for zooplankton and other marine organisms. Copepods and Foraminifera are consumers. Copepods are small crustaceans that are not primary producers. They are zooplankton that feed on phytoplankton (primary producers) and other small organisms. They play a crucial role in marine food webs as a link between primary producers and higher trophic levels. Foraminifera are not primary producers. They are single-celled protists that belong to the zooplankton group. They feed on phytoplankton, detritus, and other small organisms. They are important in marine ecosystems as indicators of environmental conditions.

Explanation

Detritivores also known as detritivores, detritophag-es, detritus feeders, or detritus eaters are heterotrophs that obtain nutrients by consuming detritus (decomposing plant and animal parts as well as feces). By doing so, all these detritivores contribute to decomposition and the nutrient cycles.

Option (c) is correct: Earthworms, Millipedes and Woodlice are Detritivores. Detritivores are an important aspect of many ecosystems. They can live on any type of soil with an organic component, including marine ecosystems, where they are termed interchangeably with bottom feeders. Typical detritivorous animals include earth-worm, millipedes, springtails, woodlice, dung flies, slugs, many terrestrial worms, sea stars, sea cucumbers, fiddler crabs, and some sedentary polychaetes such as worms of the family Terebellidae.