Daily Static MCQs for UPSC & State PSC Exams - Environment & Ecology (11 November 2023)

Daily Static MCQs Quiz for UPSC, IAS, UPPSC/UPPCS, MPPSC. BPSC, RPSC & All State PSC Exams

Subject : Environment & Ecology (11 November 2023)

1. Consider the following statements regarding Mangroves:

1. Mangroves are very specialised forest ecosystems of tropical and subtropical regions bordering certain sea coasts.
2. They stabilise the shoreline and act as bulwark against encroachments by the sea.
3. They do not grow in low-oxygen soil.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

(a)Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Answer: (B)

Explanation: Mangroves are a group of trees and shrubs, sustaining in the coastal regions of the planet. These trees grow in low-oxygen soil with slow-moving water. These ecosystems of tropical and subtropical inter-tidal regions bordering the sheltered sea coasts and estuaries, they stabilize the shoreline and act as a bulwark against encroachments by the sea. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.


2. Consider the following statements:

1. Cold water corals, in general, have greater amount of zooxanthellae than warm water corals and does not build reef-like structures.
2. Cold-water corals differ from warm water corals because the former does not contain symbiotic algae for photosynthesis and grow more slowly.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (B)

Explanation: Corals that inhabit the colder deep waters of continental shelves and offshore canyons, ranging from 50 to over 1000m depths lack zooxanthellae and may build reef-like structures or occur solitarily. Cold-water corals are different from their warm-water counterparts because they do not contain symbiotic algae for photosynthesis and grow more slowly. Cold-water corals obtain all their energy from organic matter and zooplankton, which they catch from the currents drifting past. Cold-water corals can be found over a wide range of latitudes, from tropical to Polar Regions, and from the shallow to the deep seas. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.


3. India is a party to the Ramsar Convention and has declared many areas as Ramsar Sites. Which of the following statements best describes as to how we should maintain these sites in the context of this Convention?

(a) Conserve all the sites for a period without any exploitation, and then allow complete use of them by future generations.
(b) Keep all the sites completely inaccessible to man so that they will not be exploited.
(c) Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach and permit tourism and recreation only.
(d) Conserve all the sites through ecosystem approach and allow their simultaneous sustainable use.

Answer: (D)

Explanation: The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance Especially as Waterfowl Habitat is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands. Hence, option (d) is correct.


4. Consider the following statements regarding International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN):

1.Its main aim is to mobilize the public in support of nature conservation.
2. It was involved in establishing the World Wide Fund for Nature.
3. It has observer and consultative status at the United Nations.

How many of the above statements is/are not correct?

(a)Only one
(b) Only two
(c) All three
(d) None

Answer: (A)

Explanation: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is an international organization working in the field of nature conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. It is involved in data gathering and analysis, research, field projects, advocacy, and education. IUCN’s mission is to “influence, encourage and assist societies throughout the world to conserve nature and to ensure that any use of natural resources is equitable and ecologically sustainable”. Over the past decades, IUCN has widened its focus beyond conservation ecology and now incorporates issues related to sustainable development in its projects. IUCN does not itself aim to mobilize the public in support of nature conservation. It tries to influence the actions of governments, business and other stakeholders by providing information and advice, and through building partnerships. The organization is best known to the wider public for compiling and publishing the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which assesses the conservation status of species worldwide. IUCN has observer and consultative status at the United Nations and plays a role in the implementation of several international conventions on nature conservation and biodiversity. It was involved in establishing the World Wide Fund for Nature and the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.


5.Consider the following statements regarding Photochemical smog:

1.Photochemical smog is a term used to describe air pollution that is a result of the interaction of sunlight with certain chemicals in the atmosphere.
2. One of the primary components of photochemical smog is stratospheric ozone.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a)1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Answer: (A)

Explanation: Photochemical smog (smog) is a term used to describe air pollution that is a result of the interaction of sunlight with certain chemicals in the atmosphere. One of the primary components of photochemical smog is ozone. While ozone in the stratosphere protects earth from harmful UV radiation, ozone on the ground is hazardous to human health. Ground-level ozone is formed when vehicle emissions containing nitrogen oxides (primarily from vehicle exhaust) and volatile organic compounds (from paints, solvents, printing inks, petroleum products, vehicles, etc.) interact in the presence of sunlight. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.