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Total 425 biosphere reserves in the world. 

I, Core zone – No humanity. 

II, Buffer zone – limited activity. 

III, Transition zone – Controlled human activity. 

Wild populations, tribals domesticated plants & animals, genetic resources are protected.

(i) Tropical latitude have remained relatively undisturbed, have a long evolutionary time for species diversification.

(ii) Less seasonal variations, constant and predictable environmental condition, promote niche specialization for greater species diversity.

(iii) More availability of solar energy, contributes to higher productivity.

Detailed Answer: 

(i) Speciation is generally a function of time. Unlike temperate regions subjected to frequent glaciations in the past, tropical latitudes have remained relatively undisturbed for millions of years and thus, had a long evolutionary time for species diversification. 

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

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

Correct option is (a) Bharat stage II

(d) Quality of Delhi air has significantly deteriorated due to all the above norms.

CO₂ and methane are commonly called greenhouse gases.

Correct option is (a) CO₂ and CH₄

Correct option is (c) There was substantial fall in concentrations of CO₂ and SO₂.

Correct option is (b) one-fourth

1. Everybody should learn to segregate garbage at source. The wet i.e. biodegradable and dry i.e. non-biodegradable materials should be separated, instead of throwing them callously in trash. 

2. Non-biodegradable material can be recycled or reused. It should be disposed off in proper way. 

3. Biodegradable material should be composted at home by simple methods of vermicomposting. 

4. Every household should practise these methods which will reduce the volume of garbage that is sent out to land filling or burning. 

5. The excessive load on Municipalities can also be reduced if each one takes the responsibility of his or her own garbage. 

6. Larger establishments like offices, schools or industries should provide space for solid waste and other garbage management.

Correct option is (a) in-situ conservation

Correct option is (a) It maintains the temperature of earth at average 15 °C.

1. Greenhouse gases are increasing due to excessive burning of fossil fuels in industries, by automobiles and air transportation, by burning of agricultural wastes, etc.

2. All the combustion is causing levels of CO₂ to rise.

3. Biogas plants, paddy fields, cattle sheds add methane to atmosphere. 

4. More amount of chlorofluorocarbons are emitted due to fire extinguishers and air conditioners. 

5. Due to loss of forest cover, there are few trees left to absorb atmospheric CO₂ . 

6. Man is making development and progress due to which green house gases are increasing in proportion.

(c) increase in temperature due to increase in carbon dioxide concentration of the atmosphere

(1) The natural greenhouse effect is good, it is a boon but human enhanced greenhouse effect is a bane.

(2) In the absence of an atmosphere, Earth’s surface temperature would be about -18 °C, or 0 °F, which is too cold for sustaining life. 

(3) Earth is habitable because of the natural greenhouse effect. Heating of Earth’s atmosphere due to the presence of greenhouse gases such as water vapour, carbon dioxide (CO₂ ), methane (CH₄ ) and oxides of nitrogen (NO₂ ). 

(4) Greenhouse gases have just the right molecular structure to absorb infrared radiation that the Earth emits. It re-emits most of that infrared energy in all directions, warming the atmosphere to its comfortable average temperature of 15 °C (60 °F). So, the greenhouse effect was a boon in olden days before industrialization and invention of automobiles.

(5) However, due to human impact, the proportion of greenhouse gases has increased tremendously causing global warming. Thus, now greenhouse effect has become a bane.

1. Molasses 

2. Bagasse.

Following measures were taken to combat air pollution by Delhi Government:

1. All the city buses were converted to run on CNG (i.e. compressed natural gas) by year 2002. CNG causes less pollution and is less expensive fuel. 

2. There was new fuel policy drafted by the Government. 

3. The norms were set to reduce sulphur and aromatic content of petrol and diesel. 

4. Engines of the automobiles were upgraded. 

5. Bharat stage emission standards (BS) were set. These standards are equivalent to Euro norms and have evolved on similar lines as Bharat Stage II (BS II) to BS VI from 2001 to 2017.

Correct option is (c) species richness and area

Correct option is (b) Plant-pollinator mutualism

(a) species diversity decreases as one moves away from the equator towards the poles

(d) Value of Z always keep on changing for every taxonomic group or the region.

1. Greenhouse effect is caused due to heating up of earth’s surface and atmosphere. This heating is due to trapped infrared rays that are reflected from the earth’s surface by atmospheric gases. 

2. The solar energy reaches the earth in the form of ultraviolet radiations, visible light and infrared and radio waves. Clouds and gases reflect about Vith radiations and absorb some of it. 

3. Harmful UV radiations are absorbed by the ozone layer of the stratosphere and thus do not reach the earth’s surface. 

4. Infrared radiation has heating effect thus it warms up the earth’s atmosphere and various objects. A part of the infrared radiations falling on the earth surface which have longer wavelength is reflected back into the outer space. 

5. But there is a layer of carbon dioxide in the lower region of the atmosphere along with other atmospheric gases such as methane, nitrogen oxide, etc. 

6. Due to these gases radiations cannot escape out. Carbon dioxide, along with methane, nitrogen oxides and CFCs can absorb infrared radiations reflected from the earth’s surface. They are therefore called greenhouse gases. 

7. The blanket of these greenhouse gases in the atmosphere traps the reflected infrared rays and produces heat on the earth’s surface. This results in greenhouse effect which in turn causes global warming.

1. Sanitary landfills are the places where wastes are dumped in depression or trench. Wastes are dumped here on everyday basis. 

2. In large metro cities, landfills are overfilled rapidly. Landfills are unhealthy and they may emit foul odour. 

3. Also there is a danger of chemicals percolating and reaching down to ground water and contaminate this water source.

(1) Gaseous pollutants are gases which cause air pollution. 

(2) Some common gaseous pollutants are CO₂ , CO, SO₂ , NO, NO₂ , etc.

(3) Carbon dioxide (CO₂ ) : It is a greenhouse gas which is continuously produced due to human activities such as burning of fossil fuels and rampant deforestation. Photosynthesis carried out by plants can balance CO₂ : O₂ ratio in the air, provided there is good green cover. CO₂ is also removed from the air by weathering of silicate rocks forming limestone. Aeroplane traffic especially release lot of CO₂ . CO₂ is the main cause for global warming and climate change.

(4) Carbon monoxide (CO) : CO is a toxic gas produced by incomplete combustion of different fuels. Therefore, vehicular exhausts are the largest source of CO. 

(5) Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂ ) and nitrogen monoxide (NO) : Nitrogen oxides are released through automobiles and chemical industries as waste gases. NOa can form nitric acid after reacting with water vapour, this causes irritation to eyes and lungs. Injury to lungs, liver and kidneys is caused due to these gases.

1. Thermal pollution of water is caused when heated water is added to the water body which results into rise in temperature of water. 

2. Thermal and nuclear power plants cause thermal pollution of adjoining water bodies. 

3. The power plants use water as coolant and release back this hot water. 

4. Many resident organisms which are sensitive to temperature die due to sudden rise in temperature. 

5. This leads to loss of flora and fauna of the water body.

Correct option is (a) Biodiversity hotspot

Correct option is (b) Z

Species richness is high at lower latitudes and there is a steady decline towards the poles, i.e. species richness for plants and animals decreases as we move away from equator to the poles.

Correct option is (b) German naturalist and geographer

Correct option is (d) 22nd May

1. Ecological sanitation (Ecosan) is a sanitation provision that safely reuses excreta in agriculture as a manure.

2. By Ecosan the need for chemical fertilizers is reduced. Ecosan toilet is a closed system without water and it is an alternative to leach pit toilets. 

3. They are useful in places of water scarcity or places with risk of ground water contamination. 

4. The principle of recovery and recycling of nutrients from excreta to create a valuable resource for agriculture is used here in Ecosan. 

5. The pit of an ecosan toilet fills up after some time, then it is closed and sealed for about 8-9 months. 

6. In this time the faeces gets completely composted to organic manure. 

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

8. There are working Ecosan toilets in many areas of Gujarat, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.

Correct answer is (c) Line A represents, S = CA²

1. Scientists have tried to establish relationship between species diversity and the size of the habitat. It is considered that number of species present is directly proportional to the area. 

2. It is understood that larger areas may have more resources that can be distributed amongst the inhabitant species. 

3. Alexander von Humboldt observed that species richness does increase with the increase in area but only till a certain limit. 

4. For many species this curve is a rectangular hyperbola. 

5. If we consider S to be species richness, A as area under study, C as the Y intercept and Z as the slope of the line, this relationship can be described by the equation, log S = log C + Z log A. 

6. On logarithmic scale this relationship is a straight line, as observed in the figure above. For smaller areas, value of Z ranges between 0.1 to 0.2 regardless of species or region under study. 

7. But for the larger areas like the entire continents, slopes are closer to vertical axis i.e. steeper. 

8. This observation indicates that in very large areas, number of species found, increase faster than the area explored.

1. Different types of ecosystems or habitats within a given geographical area forms ecosystem diversity. On Earth there are a large variety of ecosystems. 

2. Each ecosystem has its own complement of distinctive interlinked species, based on the differences in the habitat. It is also specific for particular geographical region. 

3. In one region, generally, there may be one or many different types of ecosystems.

4. In India, there are varieties of ecosystems such as deserts, rain forests, deciduous forests, estuaries, wetlands, grasslands, etc. 

5. In India, the Western Ghats show great ecosystem diversity. However, regions like Ladakh and Rann of Kutch have less ecosystem diversity.

Correct option is (b) Electrostatic precipitator

1. Large megacities have excessive human population. 

2. The problem of water shortage is also severe in some cities. 

3. Many slum-dwelling people do not have access to clean and safe toilet too. 

4. Open-air defecation results into outbreak of many communicable diseases. 

5. It also results into unclean and unhygienic atmosphere. In such case, ecological sanitation is a much better option.

Correct option is (b) nitrates and phosphates

(a) Exhaust gas scrubber. 

(b) Exhaust gas scrubbers are used to clean air by removing both dust and gases. 

(c) The exhaust is passed through dry or wet packing material. When it is done, gases like SO₂ are removed. For this purpose, the exhaust is passed through a spray of water or lime.

(d) Human excreta cannot be recycled into any resource or natural and safe fertilizer.

Correct option is (b) lead in the petrol inactivates the catalyst

Correct option is (a) Collection plates

Correct option is (a) Platinum-palladium and rhodium

Correct option is (a) cryopreservation

This practice is not at all good as just for personal interest we are killing animals .each organisms has an intrinsic value, it may not be of any current economic value to us. We have a moral duty to care for their well being. Some other methods can be used to drive them out as loud sounds etc.

1. Diesel or petrol cause air pollution. 

2. On the other hand, CNG is advantageous because it is cheaper and thus people find it economical to use CNG. 

3. CNG burns efficiently and causes lesser pollution. 

4. CNG cannot be adulterated. Thus, it is, the only adulteration-proof fuel which is eco-friendly

Habitat loss and fragmentation is the most important cause driving animals and plants to extinction. The most dramatic examples of habitat loss come from tropical rain forests. Once covering more than 14 per cent of the earth’s land surface, these rain forests now cover no more than 6 per cent. They are being destroyed fast. By the time you finish reading this chapter, 1000 more hectares of rain forest would have been lost. The Amazon rain forest (it is so huge that it is called the ‘lungs of the planet’) harbouring probably millions of species is being cut and cleared for cultivating soyabeans or for conversion to grasslands for raising beef cattle.

UV radiations of wavelength shorter than UVB i.e. 100-280 nm are almost completely absorbed by earth’s atmosphere, given that the ozone layer is intact.

(a) Amoeba-Respiration is aerobic. It is through the general body surface. 

(b) Tape worm-Respiration is anaerobic. 

(c) Crab-Respiration through tracheal system. 

(d) Sepia-Respiration through ctendiae.

Insecta class has the largest number of animals.

The answer is (C) Mangrove plants

The scientific name of an organism is unique because it can be used to identify an organism anywhere in the world.