Shankar IAS Test: Environmental Impact Assessment - 1 - UPSC MCQ

Genetic diversity:

• It is concerned with the variation in genes within a particular species.

• Genetic diversity allows species to adapt to changing environments.

• This diversity aims to ensure that some species survive drastic changes and thus carry on desirable genes.

• The survival of individuals ensures the survival of the population.

• The genetic diversity gives us beautiful butterflies, roses, parakeets, or coral in myriad hues, shapes, and sizes.

• Biodiversity is the variety of living organisms on Earth. It includes the diversity within species, between species, and ecosystems. 

Species richness: It is the measure of the number of species found in a community

a) Alpha diversity: It refers to the variety within a particular area or ecosystem and is usually expressed by the number of species (i.e., species richness) in that ecosystem.

b) Beta diversity: It is a comparison of diversity between ecosystems, usually measured as the change in the number of species between the ecosystems

c) Gamma diversity: It is a measure of the overall diversity for the different ecosystems within a region.

Ex-situ conservation:

• Conserving biodiversity outside the areas where they naturally occur is known as ex situ conservation.

• Here, animals are reared, or plants are cultivated like zoological parks or botanical gardens.

• Reintroducing an animal or plant into the habitat from where it has become extinct is another form of ex situ conservation.

• A botanical garden refers to the scientifically planned collection of living trees, shrubs, herbs, climbers, and other plants from various parts of the world.

• Purpose of botanical gardens

1. To study taxonomy as well as the growth of plants.

2. To study the introduction and acclimatization process of exotic plants.

3. It acts as a germplasm collection.

4. It helps the development of new hybrids.

5. It augments conserving rare and threatened species.

• The Zoo is an establishment, whether stationary or mobile, where captive animals are kept for exhibition to the public and includes a circus and rescue center but does not include establishing a licensed dealer in captive animals - C.Z.A.

• The initial purpose of zoos was entertainment; over the decades, zoos have transformed into centers for wildlife conservation and environmental education. Apart from saving individual animals, zoos have a role to play in species conservation too (through captive breeding)

• Species judged as threatened are listed by various agencies as well as by some private organizations. The most cited of these lists is the Red Data Book.

• "Red," of course, is symbolic of the danger that the species both plants and animals presently experience throughout the globe. The Red Data Book was first issued in 1966 by the IUCN's Species Survival Commission to guide the formulation, preservation, and management of species listed.

• The pink pages in this publication include the critically endangered species. As the status of the species changes, new pages are sent to the subscribers.

• Green pages are used for those formerly endangered species but have now recovered to a point where they are no longer threatened. With passing time, the number of pink pages continues to increase. There are pitifully few green pages.

Both statements are correct. A taxon is classified as Least Concern when it does not meet the criteria for being classified as Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened, and is considered to have a low risk of extinction in the wild. Widespread and abundant species can also be included in this category, as long as they do not meet the criteria for a higher level of threat.

• The five biomes of India are: 1) Tropical Humid Forests 2) Tropical Dry or Deciduous Forests (including Monsoon Forests) 3) Warm deserts and semi-deserts 4) Coniferous forests and 5) Alpine meadows

1) Trans-Himalayas. An extension of the Tibetan plateau, harboring high-altitude cold desert in Ladakh (J&K) and Lahaul Spiti (H.P.), comprising 5.7 % of the country's landmass.

2) Himalayas: The entire mountain chain running from north-western to northeastern India, comprising a diverse range of biotic provinces and biomes, 7.2 % of the country's landmass.

3) Desert: The extremely arid area west of the Aravalli hill range, comprising both the salty desert of Gujarat and Rajasthan's sand desert. 6.9% of the country's landmass.

• Biogeographic realms are large spatial regions within which ecosystems share a broadly similar biota.

• The realm is a continent or subcontinent sized area with unifying features of geography and fauna & flora.

• The Indian region is composed of two realms.

• They are the Himalayan region represented by the Palearctic Realm and the rest of the sub-continent represented by Malayan Realm Biomes of India.

It includes how animals, vegetation, and soil interact together. The plants and animals living in the area are adapted to that environment.