UPSC 2012 Environment and Ecology Questions with Answers

Explanation

Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) was initiated in 2001 by the United Nations. The objective of the MA was to evaluate how changing ecosystems might affect human well-being as well as the scientific foundation for any necessary action to improve the systems’ conservation and sustainable us-age, as well as their contribution to human well-being. Ecosystem services to the society are in the form of:

1. Provisioning services: food, raw materials, genetic resources, water, etc

2. Regulating services: carbon sequestration and climate regulation

3. Cultural services: tourism and religion

4. Supporting services: that are necessary for the production of all other ecosystem services such as nutrient recycling, crop pollination and soil formation, etc.

Explanation

Phytoplanktons are the primary producers in the marine food chain and hence they are called the ‘grass of the sea’. They contribute more than half of the oxygen in the environment and help in reducing global warming by absorbing human-in-duced carbon dioxide. They are important bioindicators regulating life in oceAns:

Statements 1 is correct: If phytoplankton are destroyed then less CO₂ will be absorbed thereby increasing atmospheric carbon and contributing to global warming. Phytoplankton are responsible for carbon fixation through photosynthesis. They absorb CO₂ from the atmosphere and convert it into organic matter. When phytoplankton die, some of this carbon sinks to the ocean floor, sequestering it for long periods. Statements 2 is correct: Phytoplankton are the primary producers in marine ecosystems forming the base of the food web. They are consumed by zooplankton which in turn are eaten by larger organisms like fish, marine mammals, and seabirds. The destruction of phytoplankton would disrupt the entire marine food chain and can lead to the collapse of fisheries and the decline of marine biodiversity.

Statement 3 is incorrect: The density of ocean water is primarily determined by temperature and salinity and not by the presence of phytoplankton. While phytoplankton can slightly affect water properties through their metabolic activities but their destruction would not cause a drastic decrease in ocean water density.

Explanation

Statement 1 is correct: The National Biodiversity Authority(NBA) plays a crucial role in preventing biopiracy which is the unauthorized use of biological resources or traditional knowledge without fair compensation or consent. The NBA ensures that access to India’s biological resources (including agricultural crops, medicinal plants, and traditional knowledge) is regulated. This helps protect India’s indigenous and traditional genetic resources from exploitation by foreign entities or corporations.

Statement 2 is incorrect: NBA does not directly supervise scientific research on genetic modification (GM) of crops. The regulation of Genetically Modified (GM) crops falls under the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) which functions under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change.

Statement 3 is correct: The NBA’s approval is mandatory before filing any Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) application for patents related to biological resources originating in In-dia. This prevents foreign companies from claiming patents on Indian plants, seeds, and traditional medicines without sharing benefits with local communities.

Explanation

Terrestrial Carbon sequestration is the process through which carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is absorbed by trees and plants through photosynthesis and stored as carbon in soil and biomass. Option 3 is correct: Zero Tillage is the process where the crop seed will be sown through drillers without prior land preparation and distributed in the soil where previous crop stubbles are present. Zero tillage not only reduces the cost of cultivation it also reduces the soil erosion, crop duration, irrigation requirement and weed effect which is better than tillage. Zero tillage is environmentally safe because it helps in reducing greenhouse effect through carbon sequestration. Options 1 and 2 are incorrect:

Contour bundling involves the construction of banks along the contours. Terracing and contour bunding divide the hill slope into numerous small slopes, check the flow of water, promote absorption of water by soil and save soil from erosion. Retaining walls of terraces control the flow of water and help in reducing soil erosion. Relay Cropping is the process of growing one crop, then planting another crop (usually a cover crop) in the same field before harvesting the first. This helps avoid competition between the main crop and the intercrop. It also uses the field for a longer time, since the cover crop usually continues to grow after the main crop is harvested.

Explanation

Chlorofluorocarbons, Hydrochlorofluorocarbons, Carbon tetrachloride, Methyl chloroform, Methyl chloroform, Ha-lons, Methyl bromide, etc. are Ozone Depleting Substances. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) also referred to as ozone depleting materials, are used to make plastic foams, cleaning electronic components, and pressurising aerosol cAns: They are non-toxic, nonflammable chemicals containing atoms of carbon, chlorine and fluorine. Statements 1, 3 and 4 are correct: Chlorofluorocarbons, known as ozone-depleting substances, are used in the production of plastic foams, in cleaning electronic components, and as pressurising agents in aerosol.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Chlorofluorocarbons are not used in the production of tubeless tyres. Tubeless tyre is basically a clincher tyre inflated onto a rim with no inner tube. Instead of an inner tube holding the air pressure, an airtight chamber is created with a tubeless-specific tyre, developed with a special (commonly carbon) bead, and a compatible rim.

Explanation

Greenhouse Effect is a naturally occurring phenomenon that warms and covers the lower atmosphere of the planet, keeping it at a temperature where life may survive. The earth’s cooling and warming are balanced by them. Without this, the current 15 degrees Celsius average temperature of the earth’s surface would be -19 degrees Celsius. Human-induced greenhouse gas emissions upset the natural balance & lead to increased warmth.

Option (d) is correct: Carbon dioxide absorbs the infrared (IR) radiation emitted by the Earth’s surface. When sunlight reaches the Earth it warms the surface, which then re-emits this energy as infrared radiation. CO₂ molecules absorb this IR radiation, trapping heat in the atmosphere and causing the temperature to rise.The increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the air is slowly raising the temperature of the atmosphere because it absorbs the infrared part of the solar radiation. It absorbs energy with a wavelength of 15 m (micrometres).

Explanation

National Green Tribunal (NGT) Act, 2010 aims at efficient & quick resolution of environmental disputes (within 6 months of appeal) in order to lessen the burden of litigation in the higher courts. The Act established National-Green Tribunal with jurisdiction over all civil cases involving substantial questions relating to the environment. Tribunal is guided by principles of natural justice & its order is executable as a decree of a civil court. Although the NGT’s orders are final, they may be contested in the SC within 90 days.

Statement 1 is correct: The NGT Act is grounded in the fundamental right to a clean and healthy environment, which is integral to the Right to Life under Article 21. Landmark judgments, such as Subhash Kumar v. State of Bihar (1991) and M.C. Mehta cases, have expanded the interpretation of Article 21 to include environmental protection. Statements 2 and 3 are incorrect: Provisions mentioned in statements 2 and 3 have no bearing upon National-Green Tribunal:

Article 275(1) of the Constitution of India guarantees grants-in-aid from the Consolidated Fund of India each year for promoting the welfare of Scheduled Tribes. Infrastructure development schemes like protected drinking water, road connectivity, electricity and housing are provided under this scheme. 243A provides that a Gram Sabha may exercise such powers and perform such functions at the village level as the Legislature of a State may, by law, provide.

Explanation

Project Tiger was initiated in 1973 under the Wild-life Protection Act, 1972, with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) overseeing the implementation. The project was launched with the primary goal to protect the Bengal tiger, enhance their population, and safeguard their habitats through the establishment of Tiger Reserves. The project has been highly successful, expanding to include a range of conservation efforts. A Tiger Reserve is a protected area legally designated for the conservation of striped big cats. It can also be classified as a national park or wildlife sanctuary. For example, Sariska Tiger Reserve is also a national park because it was initially established as a na-tional park before being dedicated to tiger conservation.

Explanation

According to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, a national park is defined as an area, whether within a sanctuary or not, that can be designated by the state government due to its ecological, faunal, floral, geomorphologi-cal, or zoological significance. The purpose of this designation is to protect, propagate, or develop the wildlife and its environment. In National Parks, local people are generally not allowed to collect and use the biomass or any resources for subsistence purposes. The primary objective of National Parks is the protection of biodiversity and preservation of ecosystems. These parks are strictly protected under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and human activities, including the collection of resources like firewood, grazing, and hunting, are prohibited unless specifically allowed for research or management purposes.

Explanation

The drastic decline in the vulture population in India is primarily attributed to the use of a veterinary drug called diclofenac. This drug was commonly administered to cattle to treat inflammation and pain. However, when vultures fed on the car-casses of cattle that had been treated with diclofenac, they suffered from kidney failure and fatal toxicity, leading to a sharp decline in their population.