UPSC 2020 Environment and Ecology Questions with Answers

Explanation

Option 1 is correct: Copper slag is a by-product obtained during smelting and refining of copper. The use of copper slag in cement and concrete provides potential environmental as well as economic benefits.

Option 2 is correct: Cold mix asphalt is produced by mixing unheated mineral aggregate with either emulsified bitumen or foamed bitumen. It is suitable for light to medium trafficked roads when used in base and surface courses.

Option 3 is correct: The Government has allowed the use of coir based geotextiles for construction of rural roads under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana in 2020. Options 4 and 5 are incorrect: Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) is a combination of approximately 95% stone, sand, or gravel bound together by asphalt cement, a product of crude oil. The wide use of hot mix technology leads to environmental pollution as these plants emit a huge amount of greenhouse gases. Portland cement is a major CO₂ emitter.

Explanation

Central Ground Water Board monitors groundwater levels throughout the country on a regional scale, four times in a year during the months of March/April/May, August, November and January. For monitoring of ground water level, CGWB has a dedicated network of about over 30000 monitoring stations called "National Hydrograph Network Stations (NHNS)", which comprises open dug wells and purpose built bore/tube wells for water level monitoring called piezometers.

Statement 1 is incorrect: 256 of our approximately 700 districts have groundwater levels which are "critical" or "overexploited" as per the latest data from the Central Ground Water Board (2017). As per the report ‘National Compilation on Dynamic Groundwater Resources of India, 2017 out of the total 6881 assessment units (Blocks/Mandals/ Talukas) in the country, 1186 units in various States (17%) have been categorized as ‘Over-Exploited’, 313 units (5%) are ‘Critical’. This adds to 22%.

Statement 2 is correct: The Central Ground Water Authority (CGWA), established under Section 3(3) of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. It operates under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Government of India. Its primary mandate is to regulate and control the development and management of groundwater resources across the country.

Statement 3 is correct: FAO research paper shows the countries with the largest extent of areas equipped for irrigation with groundwater, in absolute terms, are India (39 million ha), China (19 million ha) and the USA (17 million ha).

Explanation

Desert National Park is one of the biggest national parks in the country. The environment of the Thar Desert is well-illustrated by the Desert National Park. The main landform is made up of permanent dunes, jagged boulders, and compact salt lake bottoms.

Statement 1 is correct: Desert National Park, one of India’s largest, showcases the Thar Desert’s unique environment, featuring permanent dunes, jagged boulders, and salt lake bottoms. Located in Rajasthan, it spans the districts of Jaisalmer and Barmer.

Statement 2 is incorrect: Human activities are not allowed in National Park yet many villagers live inside Desert National park. There are several villages inside and outside the Desert National Park. The primary occupation of the villagers inside the Desert National Park is animal husbandry like goat, sheep, cattle, camel, donkey and followed by agriculture.

Statement 3 is correct: The Thar desert harbours a wide array of flora and faunal species. Desert National Park is one of the primary habitats of the Great Indian Bustard, a critically endangered bird species. The park is an important conservation area for this bird, which is native to the arid regions of Rajasthan.

Explanation

Nagarjunsagar-Srisailam is the largest tiger re-serve in India having a Core/ Critical Tiger Habitat of 2595.72 SqKm. The tiger reserve spans states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The reserve is home to the multifunctional reservoirs Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar. This reserve’s basin is bisected by the Krishna River. In addition to the Bengal Tiger, which serves as the area’s top predator, other species are also present here, including the leopard, rusty-spotted cat, pangolin, mugger crocodiles, Indian rock python, and countless different types of birds. A variety of wood-lands, from southern mixed deciduous tropical forest to southern thorn forest multiple types of hurbs and bamboo thickets also grow in this area.

Explanation

Kanha National Park is located in Madhya Pradesh’s Mandla and Balaghat districts. It officially introduced a mascot, "Bhoorsingh the Barasingha". Kanha National Park (Mandla and Balaghat districts, Madhya Pradesh) is home to the Hard Ground Barasingha, also known as the Swamp Deer(Rucervus duvaucelii). They are exclusively graminivorous, meaning their diet consists solely of grasses. It is the state animal of Madhya Pradesh and is only found in the Kanha Tiger Reserve. Tiger, Leopard, Dhole, Bear, Gaur, and Indian Python are some of the other species discovered. Evergreen Sal forests are the most famous feature (Shorea Robusta) of Kanha National Park’s flora. The Indian Swamp Deer (Rucervus duvaucelii), also known as Barasingha, is a large herbivorous mammal primarily found in India, with some populations in Nepal and Bangladesh. It is known for its distinctive long, branched antlers and yellowish-brown coat. The species is graminivorous, thriving on grasses in wetlands, marshes, and floodplains. The Hard Ground Barasingha, a subspecies, is notably found in Kanha National Park, where successful conservation efforts have helped prevent its extinction. These deer are mostly solitary but gather during the breeding season, and their diet is primarily grass, which they graze in marshy areas. The species faces threats from habitat loss, hunting, and human encroachment, leading to its vulnerable status.

Explanation

Option 1 is correct: To safeguard the critically endangered Musk Deer and its environment, the Askot Musk Deer Sanctuary was established. The refuge is sometimes referred to as "Green Paradise on Earth." It is situated in Askot, a tiny village in the Pithoragarh district of Uttarakhand. Snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, Himalayan tahr, blue sheep, musk deer, loong, monal, kalij pheasant, and cheer pheasant are some examples of the local fauna.

Option 2 is correct: Gangotri National Park is located in Uttar-kashi, Uttrakhand, in the Bhagirathi River’s upper watershed. Gangotri Glacier is situated inside the park. The park is completely surrounded by temperate coniferous forests. The typical vegetation includes chirpine, deodar, fir, spruce, oak, and rhododendron. The park is home to a number of rare and endangered animals, including the snow leopard, musk deer, Himalayan monal, Himalayan snowcock, and blue sheep (also known as bharal). Options 3 and 4 are incorrect: Kishanpur Wildlife Sanctuary is home to Tigers, Leopards, Pythons, Barking Deer, Ghariyal, Wild Boar and Swamp Deers, not musk deer. It lies along the banks of the Sharada river. Manas National Park in Assam is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a Project Tiger Reserve, an Elephant Re-serve as well as a Biosphere Reserve. Manas National Park is home to a varied species of Fauna of the likes of the Indian One Horned Rhinoceros, Asiatic Elephants, Indian Tigers, Clouded Leopards, Hoolock Gibbons, Barking Deer, etc.

Explanation

Asian Elephants come in three sub-species i.e. Indian, Sumatran, and Sri Lankan. The majority of the continent’s remaining elephants belong to the Indian subspecies, which has the largest range.

Statement 1 is correct: The leader of a group is the oldest female. She guides the herd in their search for food and water sources. These matriarchal units can occasionally divide into smaller, temporary groups.

Statement 2 is correct: The gestation period lasts for 22 months, yielding a single baby.

Statement 3 is incorrect: Although sexually mature in their early teens, elephants generally only start to mate at about 20 years and stop bearing calves at about 50.

Statement 4 is incorrect: Recent census showed Kerala as having 5,706 elephants, while Karnataka has 6049 elephants.

Explanation

The Ceylon frogmouth (Batrachostomus monilig-er), Coppersmith barbet (Megalaima haemacephala), Gray-chinned minivet (Pericrocotus solaris), and White-throated redstart (Myioborus albogularis) are all species of birds found in India. These birds are known for their unique characteristics and are an important part of India’s rich avifauna. The Ceylon frogmouth is a nocturnal bird, while the Coppersmith barbet is known for its distinctive call that sounds like a coppersmith at work.