Biodiversity

31. Pulikulam is an indigenous breed of:

Pulikulam is an indigenous breed of:

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Buffalo
Horse
Cow
Goat
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Pulikulam is an indigenous breed of Cow (cattle) found in Tamil Nadu, India.
– Pulikulam cattle are primarily found in the Madurai and Sivagangai districts of Tamil Nadu.
– They are known for their hardiness and are traditionally used as draft animals.
– This breed is also specifically associated with the traditional bull-taming sport of Jallikattu.
– Other indigenous Indian cattle breeds include Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Tharparkar, Kankrej, etc.
– India has a rich diversity of indigenous livestock breeds adapted to local conditions.

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32. India’s first pollinator park was opened in:

India’s first pollinator park was opened in:

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Himachal Pradesh
Uttarakhand
Jammu and Kashmir
Arunachal Pradesh
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India’s first pollinator park was opened in Uttarakhand.
The pollinator park aims to conserve various pollinator species and raise awareness about their importance for the ecosystem and agriculture.
The first pollinator park of India was inaugurated at Haldwani, Nainital district, Uttarakhand, in December 2020. It was developed by the Research Wing of the Uttarakhand Forest Department. The park houses various pollinator species like bees, butterflies, moths, beetles, birds, and bats.

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33. Which one among the following is NOT a reason for low biodiversity?

Which one among the following is NOT a reason for low biodiversity?

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Habitat stress
Abundance of ecological niches
Geographical isolation
Dominance by one species
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The correct answer is Abundance of ecological niches.
Ecological niches are the roles and positions species occupy within an ecosystem. An abundance of ecological niches means there are many different ways for species to coexist and utilize resources without direct competition, which typically leads to higher biodiversity. Therefore, an abundance of ecological niches is a reason for *high* biodiversity, not low biodiversity.
Reasons for low biodiversity include habitat stress (harsh environmental conditions), geographical isolation (limits species migration and gene flow), and dominance by one or a few species (which outcompete or exclude others).

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34. Pursuant to the ratification of Convention on Biological Diversity, In

Pursuant to the ratification of Convention on Biological Diversity, India legislated Biodiversity Act in the year:

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1992
1994
2002
2014
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India ratified the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1993. Following its commitments under the CBD, India enacted its own national legislation, the Biological Diversity Act, in the year 2002.
– The Biological Diversity Act, 2002, aims to conserve biological diversity, ensure sustainable use of its components, and facilitate fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of biological resources and associated knowledge.
– It established a three-tier structure: the National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) at the national level, State Biodiversity Boards (SBBs) at the state level, and Biodiversity Management Committees (BMCs) at the local level.
– The Act regulates access to biological resources and traditional knowledge by foreign nationals, companies, and Indian entities.
– The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) was opened for signature at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and entered into force in December 1993.
– The Act reflects India’s sovereign rights over its biological resources and the principles of the CBD regarding conservation, sustainable use, and benefit-sharing.

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35. Biodiversity in terms of species richness is maximum in:

Biodiversity in terms of species richness is maximum in:

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natural grasslands.
semi-natural grasslands.
artificial grasslands.
well maintained and watered grasslands.
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Natural grasslands, untouched by intensive human management like heavy fertilization, frequent mowing, or planting of monocultures, typically exhibit the highest species richness compared to semi-natural or artificial (cultivated) grasslands. This is due to complex ecological interactions, varied microhabitats, and a lack of selective pressures from intensive management favoring only a few species.
Undisturbed or minimally managed natural ecosystems generally support greater biodiversity than managed or artificial ones.
Semi-natural grasslands, like traditionally managed meadows, can still have high biodiversity but might be slightly less diverse than pristine natural ones depending on the intensity and type of management. Artificial grasslands, such as pastures sown with only a few grass species for livestock or manicured lawns, have significantly lower species richness. Well-maintained and watered grasslands, if referring to artificial ones, would not be the most diverse.

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36. Which organisation publishes worldwide list of endangered species?

Which organisation publishes worldwide list of endangered species?

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The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)
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The correct answer is The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
The IUCN is widely recognized for compiling and publishing the Red List of Threatened Species, which assesses the conservation status of species worldwide and lists those facing risks of extinction, including endangered species.
While organizations like WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) are heavily involved in conservation efforts and use the IUCN Red List, they are not the primary body responsible for compiling and publishing the list itself. UNEP and UNDP are UN bodies with broader environmental and development mandates, respectively.

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37. A global initiative popularly known as ‘30 × 30 target’ is often seen

A global initiative popularly known as ‘30 × 30 target’ is often seen in the news. Which one of the following statements best reflects this initiative ?

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At least 30% of the planet should be protected by 2030.
At least 30% of the cultivated area should be brought under organic farming by 2030.
At least 30% of the energy requirements should be met by renewable sources by 2030.
At least 30% of the people below poverty line should be brought out of their poverty by 2030.
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The ’30 × 30 target’ is a global initiative aimed at conserving at least 30% of land and sea areas by 2030.
This target is a core element of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework adopted at the 15th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP15) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in December 2022.
The initiative is championed by the High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People, co-chaired by Costa Rica and France and by the United Kingdom. It emphasizes the importance of protected areas and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) for halting biodiversity loss and mitigating climate change.

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38. Which one of the following statements is not correct with regard to

Which one of the following statements is not correct with regard to genetically modified organisms ?

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In this technique a gene from one organism is isolated and transferred to the cell of another organism.
This technique has applications only in plants.
Genes for insect resistance may spread from crop plants to wild plants.
To produce a transgenic animal the novel genes are inserted at a very early stage of development.
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Statement B is not correct.
Genetically modified organism (GMO) technology involves transferring genes between organisms. While widely applied in plants (e.g., Bt cotton, herbicide-resistant crops), it also has significant applications in animals (e.g., transgenic animals for research, disease models, or production of specific proteins) and microorganisms (e.g., bacteria engineered to produce insulin or enzymes). Therefore, the application is not limited only to plants.
Option A correctly describes a fundamental step in genetic modification. Option C highlights a valid environmental concern regarding potential gene flow from GM crops to wild relatives. Option D accurately describes the method for creating transgenic animals by introducing the desired gene into a fertilized egg or early embryo to ensure it is present in all cells.

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39. E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award on Taxonomy is administered by the

E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award on Taxonomy is administered by the

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Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
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The E. K. Janaki Ammal National Award on Taxonomy is administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC), Government of India.
This award recognizes outstanding work in plant and animal taxonomy, which is crucial for biodiversity conservation and falls under the purview of the Environment Ministry.
The award is named after Dr. E. K. Janaki Ammal, a renowned botanist. It was instituted in 1999 and aims to encourage researchers to work on taxonomy and identify new species.

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40. Which of the following statements about the olive ridley turtles is/ar

Which of the following statements about the olive ridley turtles is/are correct?

  • They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world.
  • They live in warm waters of Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
  • The Coromandel Coast in India is the largest mass nesting site for the olive ridley turtles.

Select the correct answer using the code given below.

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1, 2 and 3
1 and 2 only
2 and 3 only
1 only
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Let’s evaluate the statements about olive ridley turtles:
1. They are the smallest and most abundant of all sea turtles found in the world. This statement is correct. Olive ridleys are indeed the smallest sea turtles and globally the most numerous.
2. They live in warm waters of Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans. This statement is correct. Olive ridleys have a wide distribution, inhabiting tropical and warm temperate waters of the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian Oceans.
3. The Coromandel Coast in India is the largest mass nesting site for the olive ridley turtles. This statement is incorrect. While olive ridleys nest on the Coromandel Coast (like near Chennai), the *largest* mass nesting site (known as arribada) in India, and one of the largest globally, is Gahirmatha Beach in Odisha, which lies on the Bay of Bengal coast, north of the Coromandel Coast.
Based on the analysis, statements 1 and 2 are correct, while statement 3 is incorrect.
– Olive ridleys are the smallest and most common sea turtle species.
– They are found in warm waters worldwide.
– India is an important nesting ground, particularly known for ‘arribadas’ (mass nesting events).
– Gahirmatha in Odisha is the most significant mass nesting site in India.
Olive ridley turtles are listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN. Apart from Gahirmatha, other mass nesting sites in India include Rushikulya rookery and Devi river mouth in Odisha. Nesting also occurs in scattered locations along the coasts of Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and other states, but usually not in mass nesting events on the scale of Odisha’s major sites. Threats to olive ridleys include entanglement in fishing gear, habitat loss, poaching, and climate change.

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