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Correct option is (c) Use of incinerators

Correct option is (a) due to long periods of evolutionary changes

Habitat loss and fragmentation are two main causes of extinction of plants and animals and therefore loss of biodiversity. One of the important examples of habitat loss is the reduction in area of tropical rain forests. The amazonian forests commonly called as lungs of planet are cleared for cultivation. This has resulted in extinction of a number of species and thus loss of biodiversity. 

Fragmentation of habitat disrupts the interaction amongst species and annihilation of species resulting in the decreased biodiversity.

Correct option is (c) Stratosphere, Troposphere

1. The ozone present in the upper atmospheric region, i.e. in the stratosphere, absorbs the ultraviolet radiations present in the sunlight. 

2. These radiations are harmful for living organisms.

3. Since ozone protects the living organisms from such dangerous UV radiations, therefore, the ozone present in the stratosphere is called good ozone.

(b) sharp decline of dissolved oxygen content

Correct option is (c) They are converted to carbon dioxide and water.

As per May’s estimate of global biodiversity, there are 22% of our natural wealth recorded.

(a) Alexander Von Humboldt. Within a region species richness increased with increasing explored area but only up to a limit. 

(b) (i) The slope:: of regression lines are similar / unaffected distribution in an area / normal range. 

(ii) The slope of regression is steeper when we analyse the species area relationship among very large areas like entire continent. Z (slope of the line) regression co-efficient. 

(c) If species richness is more /0.62 - 1.2.

Detailed Answer: 

(a) Alexander von Humboldt: 

Observation : The species richness discovered was directly proportional to the area explored but only upto a certain limit. 

(b) (i) The general care - when a limited area is explored and species richness noted. 

(ii) The case when large areas like entire continents are taken and the relation between area and species richness studied. 

Z → Regression coefficient (slope of line). 

(c) The slops is steeper when the value of regression coefficient, z, is higher that is, increased species diversity in a given area and when large, geographical areas or continents are considered.

Both are invasive weed species

Bioprospecting is systematic search for development of new sources of chemical compounds, genes, microorganisms, macroorganism and other valuable products from nature.

(i) Bioprospecting: Exploring molecular, genetic and species-level diversity for products of economic importance.

(ii) Endemism: Species confined to that region and not found anywhere else.

A, Yes , he did the right thing by showing concern for the animal . B, He showed scientific attitude , love & concern for nature & biodiversity. The persons working with snake helpline come to the spot & catch the snake live& leave them in their natural habitat.The organization is people for animals.

The clearing of forests (cutting of trees) and using the cleared land for other processes is called deforestation.
Various purposes for which trees are cut are as follows:

1. Building houses for the increasing population,
2. Developing Industries.
3. Creating land for cultivation.
4. Using wood as fuel and for making furniture.

Some natural causes for deforestation

1. forest fires, and
2. severe droughts.

Consequences of deforestation

1. It disturbs the natural living places of many plants and animals.
2. Pollution level increases. Level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would go up as fewer trees would mean that less CO₂ would be used in photosynthesis. This would lead to global warming.
3. Increased temperature on earth would disturb the water cycle and may reduce rainfall. Droughts may occur.
4. Groundwater level would go down.
5.  It would lead to soil erosion and floods. Gradually the fertile land would get converted into desserts. This is called desertification.
6. Loss of fertility of soil will take place.
7.  It would lead to a decrease in the water holding capacity of the soil. In the absence of trees and the root systems, water 
8. is not able to move down into the soil. So water flows over the soil and brings about floods.
9. A number of useful products obtained from trees are also lost when the trees are cut.

Fungi, Plantae and Animalia are the three concrete examples that are used for hierarchical classification. These groups are formed on the basis of their cell structure, mode and source of nutrition and their body organisation.

Kingdom 

Phylum (for animals)/Division (for plants) 

Class 

Order 

Family 

Genus 

Species 

Species is the smallest and basic unit of classification.

Invertebrate groups are Porifera, Coelenterata, Platyhelminthes, Nematoda, Annelida, Arthropods, Mollusca and Echinodermata. These animals do not have a backbone and comprise of vast majority of species on earth.

Invertebrates play a vital role in keeping the ecosystem healthy in the following ways:

1. It helps to recycle dead plant and animal material.

2. It helps to pollinate flowers so that they produce seeds and fruits.

3. It turns the soil loose and distributes seeds.

Characteristics of Chordata:

(i) Animals of Chordata, have a notochord in some stage of their life.

(ii) Animals have nerve chord on the mid­dorsal surface.

(iii) They have pharangeal gill clefts, at some stage of life.

(iv) The heart is present on the ventral surface

(v) Blood circulatory system is of closed type

This sub-kingdom is classified into five classes:

1. Class-Pisces: This class includes fishes and other aquatic animals. Fishes are aquatic and cold-blooded. Their body is spindle-shaped, divided into head, thorax and tail and their bodies are covered with scales. They have fins which help them in swimming. Endo-skeleton of fishes is cartilaginous or bony. Respiration takes place through gills. The heart is two-chambered.

Examples are: Dogfish, Rohu, Sea horse, Stingray etc.

2. Class-Amphibia: It includes many kinds of frogs. Animals can live both on land and in water. Their body is divided into head, thorax and abdomen. Their skin is smooth and wet, due to mucous. They have two pairs of legs, which help in swimming and locomotion. They respire through skin and lungs. Heart possesses two auricles and one ventricle.

Examples are: Frog, Toad, Tree frog, Salamander.

3. Class-Reptilia: It includes many kinds of snakes. Animals of this class crawl (creep), on the ground.Animals of this class respire through the lungs. Their body is divided into four parts – Heart, neck, thorax and tail and covered by endodermal scales. Their heart has two auricles and one incompletely divided ventricle. Animals of this class lay eggs.

Examples are: Tortoise, Lizard, Flying lizard, Viper, Chamaleon.

4. Class – Aves: This class includes a different kind of birds, that can fly in the air.
Their fore limbs are modified into wings, which help them in flying. Their body is boat shaped and stream­lined, divided into head, neck, thorax and tail, covered by feathers. There are no teeth in their jaws. They have horny beak. Their bones are hollow, with air-filled cavities. They have two pairs of pentadactyl (five digits) limb.

Examples are: Pigeon, Crow, Sparrow, Ostrich.

5. Class – Mammalia: It includes big animals, like Kangaroo, bat, monkey, cow and man. Developed mammary glands are found in females, mothers feed milk to young ones, through mammary glands. Their body is divided into head, neck, thorax and tail. Hairs are present on the body. Ear pinnae (External ear) is present. They are warm-blooded.

They respire through the lungs. The heart is completely four-chambered. Heart has 2 auricles and 2 ventricles. Most of the mammals are viviparous.

Examples are: Bat, Man, Mongoose, Rat, Lion, Tiger.

Correct option is (d) Deleterious effects on the respiratory system of all animals.

Correct option is (b) above 80 dB

Faced with the conflict between development and conservation, many nations find it unrealistic and economically not feasible to conserve all their biological wealth. Invariably, the number of species waiting to be saved from extinction far exceeds the conservation resources available. 

Hence, conservationists have declared certain regions as "hot spots" for maximum protection of these regions which have high levels of species richness and high degree of endemism. 

Example, Western Ghats, Sri Lanka and Himalaya. 

(i) Tropical environments, unlike temperate ones, are less seasonal, relatively more constant and predictable. Such constant environments Promote niche specialization and lead to a greater species diversity. 

(ii) There is more solar energy available in the tropics, which contributes to higher productivity; this in turn might contribute indirectly to greater diversity.

1. Jhum cultivation is practised in north eastern India. 

2. This is also called slash and burn agriculture in which farmers cut down trees of the forest and burn the plant remains. 

3. This ash from burnt trees is used as fertilizer. The land is used for farming and cattle grazing. 

4. When cultivation is harvested, the area is left for several years so as to allow its recovery.

1. Because in the Jhum cultivation, the forest trees are burnt to make space for farming and for obtaining ash as fertilizer, it leads to loss of precious forest cover. 

2. Once the trees are destroyed, farmers use this land for farming. After the cultivation and harvest, the land is left barren. 

3. It is used for cattle grazing. 

4. Since long period is required for the recovery of land back into forest patch, the deforestation results.

1. The law broadly defines biodiversity.

2. It includes plants, animals and microorganisms and their parts, their genetic materials and by-products. 

3. It excludes value added products and human genetic material. 

4. Regulation of access to Indian biological resources as well as scientific cataloguing of traditional knowledge about ethnobiological materials were the main objectives for proposing this Act. 

5. There is three-tier system, viz. National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level, the State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at the state level and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level that gives approval of utilization of any biological resource for commercial or research purpose. 

6. It is mandatory for foreigners, NRIs as well as Indian citizens and institutions to seek permission from NBA before exploiting local resource. 

7. NBA has powers of civil court. Not seeking approval of NBA, can incur jail and fine up to 10 lakh rupees.

1. When one organism is associated with other one in an obligatory way, then, if one is extinct, the other also gets extinct. 

2. Extinction of one variety leads to loss of associate variety from the ecosystem. Such phenomena is called coextinction. 

3. Extinction of host fish causes extinction of unique parasites. 

4. Coevolved plant-pollinator also will have such a threat.

(i) Volcanic eruption

(ii) Earthquake

(iii) Extremes of temperatures

(iv) Glaciations

(v) Continental drift

India with its deserts, rain forests, mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, estuaries, and alpine meadows has a greater ecosystem diversity.

I, Natural extinction –change in environmental conditions, species disappear. 

II, Mass extinction – due to catastrophes, large number of species extinct. 

III, Anthropogenic - due to human activities , organisms become extinct.

A source of hybrids, GM plants, biopesticides, organic farming, biofertiliser, Improved varieties of plants, disease resistant plants or any other relevant use.

The endemic species are the native species. They are restricted to a particular geographical region while the species which are introduced from some other geographical region into an area are called as the exotic species.

Coral reefs—Andaman and Nicobar Mangrove vegetation—West Bengal Estuaries—Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu

Edward Wilson popularized the term biodiversity to describe combined diversity at all the levels of biological organisation.

Biodiversity includes a vast array of species of microorganisms – viruses, algae, fungi, plants and animals occurring in all the different habitats on Earth and forming the ecological complexes.

Characteristics that make a community stable are:

(i) A stable community should not show too much variation in productivity from year to year

(ii) It must be either resistant or resilient to occasional disturbances (natural or man-made)

(iii) It must also be resistant to invasions by alien species.

'Rivet popper hypothesis‘ compares rivets in the airplane with that of the species in the ecosystem. 

It was given by Paul Ehrlich. As the rivets of the plane are remove gradually will effect the flight safety , same way when the species become gradually extinct , it will affect ecosystem functioning . Also depending on which key species are removed.

1. The toilets deployed at Pandharpur at the time of vari are of the Ecosan type. 

2. Ecosan toilet is a closed system without water and it is an alternative to leach pit toilets. 

3. When the pit of an Ecosan toilet fills up after some time, then it is closed and sealed for about 8-9 months. 

4. In this time the faeces get completely composted to organic manure. In this way the organic waste can be disposed. 

5. It is a practical, efficient and costeffective solution for human waste disposal. 

6. Also, open-air defecation is prohibited which can cause health problems. Therefore, during large public gatherings like Pandharpur vari mobile toilets like Ecosan are deployed by the government.

Tropical environments, unlike temperate ones, are less seasonal, relatively more constant and predictable. Such constant environments promote niche specialization and lead to a greater species diversity.

Correct option is (d) Explosive

Dandiya rass involves blaring loudspeakers which cause noise pollution. It is undesired loud sound which could be hazardous for ears and general health. In India, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act 1981, Amendment 1987, includes noise as an air pollutant. As per law noise after 10 pm is not allowed as many people may be resting. Therefore, Dandiya Raas is not allowed after 10 pm.

(b) Amrita Devi – Bishnoi Wildlife Protection Award.

A species which becomes extinct in the wild (EW) is called EW category, their members are seen only in captivity or as a naturalized population outside its historic range due to massive habitat loss.

(c) Cataract resulted due to inflammation of cornea.

The features of a stable community are as follows: 

(i) Communities should have greater biodiversity for greater stability. 

(ii) It should be able to prevent invasion by alien species. 

(iii) It should be able to restore itself in a short period of time. 

(iv) Variations should be minimal in the community.

In situ conservation:

• When we conserve and protect the whole ecosystem, its biodiversity at all level is protected – we save the entire forest to save the tiger. This approach is called in situ (on site) conservation. 
• Biodiversity hot spot: regions with very high levels of species richness and high degree of endemism.(species confined to that region and not found anywhere else) 
• Hot spot in biodiversity is also regions of accelerated habitat loss.
• Out of 34 hot spot in the world, three hot spot located in India: 
• Western Ghats and Srilanka. 
• Indo-Burma. 
• Himalaya.

Other protected area under in situ conservations are: 

• 14 biosphere reserve 
• 90 national park 
• 448 wild life sanctuary 

Sacred groves: tract of forest were set aside, and all the trees and wildlife within were venerated and given total protection. 

Ex situ conservation: threatened animals and plants are taken out from their natural habitat and placed in special setting where they can be protected and given special care. 

• Zoological Park. 
• Botanical garden 
• Wildlife safari. 
• Conservation of gamete by cryopreservation. 
• Genetic strains are preserved in seed bank.

Convention on Biodiversity: 

The earth Summit‖ held in Rio de Jeneiro in 1992 called upon all nations to take appropriate measures for conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilization of its benefits. World Summit on Sustainable development held in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, 190 countries pledged their commitment to achieve by 2010 a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss at global, regional and local level.

Reason for conservation biodiversity is grouped into three categories.

• Narrowly utilitarian.
• Broadly utilitarian 
• Ethical 

Narrowly utilitarian: 

• Human derive countless direct economic benefits from nature- 
• Food (cereals, pulses, fruits), firewood, fiber, construction material. 
• Industrial products (tannins, lubricants, dyes, resins, perfumes) 
• Products of medicinal importance. 
• Bioprospecting: exploring molecular genetic and species-level diversity for products of economic importance. 

Broadly Utilitarian 

• Amazonian forest along produce 20% of oxygen during photosynthesis. 
• Pollinator layer: bees, bumblebees, birds and bat that pollinate the plant without which seed cannot be produced by plants. 
• Aesthetic pleasure we get from the biodiversity. 

Biosphere reserves are the ecologically unique and bio-diversity rich regions that are legally protected. There are 14 biosphere reserves in India.