Biodiversity part 1

Total Questions: 50

21. 'Silent Valley' is located in - [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2008]

(a) Uttarakhand
(b) Kerala
(c) Arunachal Pradesh
(d) Jammu & Kashmir

Correct Answer: (b) Kerala

Solution:The richest biodiversity is found in Silent Valley in Kerala. Silent valley National Park is a beautiful representation of the last remaining rain forest of Kerala. Significantly, silent valley was declared as National Park in 1984 and formally inaugurated in the year 1985. Notably, initially there was only 89.52 sq. km area under the Division which forms the core zone of the National park. In 2007, an area of 148 sq. km. was added to this division as buffer zone.

22. Which one of the following State is related to 'silent Valley Project'? [M.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2016]

(a) Uttarakhand
(b) Himachal Pradesh
(c) Kerala
(d) Tamil Nadu

Correct Answer: (c) Kerala

Solution:Long before the internet era, a remarkable people's move- ment saved a pristine moist evergreen forest in Kerala's Palakkad and Mallappunam district from being destroyed by a hydroelectric project. In 1984, Silent Valley was declared a national park.

23. 'Valley of Flowers' is situated in - [U.P. Lower Sub. (Pre) 2002]

(a) Kerala
(b) Jammu & Kashmir
(c) Uttarakhand
(d) Himachal Pradesh

Correct Answer: (c) Uttarakhand

Solution:'Valley of Flowers' is situated in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand. The Valley of Flowers National Park awaits trekkers with over 300 flower species indigenous to the Himalayas, accessible during the monsoon season from June to November. The early signs of spring with blooming potentilla, wild rose, and primrose mark the beginning of the season as the snow starts to melt.

It includes a wide variety of floral species, surpassing 300 types, like anemones, geraniums, blue poppies, and bluebells. It is home to rare animal species such as the grey langur, flying squirrel, Himalayan weasel, black bear, red fox, lime butterfly, snow leopard, and Himalayan monal.

24. The Himalayan Range is very rich in species diversity. Which one among the following is the most appropriate reason for this phenomenon? [I.A.S. (Pre) 2011]

(a) It has a high rainfall that supports luxuriant vegetative growth
(b) It is a confluence of different biogeographical zones
(c) Exotic and invasive species have not been introduced in this region
(d) It has less human interference

Correct Answer: (b) It is a confluence of different biogeographical zones

Solution:The Himalayan Range is very rich in species diversity. The most appropriate reason for this phenomenon is a confluence of different bio-geographical zones in this range. The Himalayan Ranges are divided into different ranges like Himavan, Himadri, Shivalik Range etc. Being the youngest mountains, the Himalayas consist of uplifted Sedimentary and Metamorphic Rocks. The Himalayas are bordered on the northwest by Karakoram and Hindu Kush Ranges on the North by the Tibetan Plateau and Indo-Gangetic Plains on south. The mountains range over 2,400 km from Indus Gorge In west to Brahmaputra Gorge in the east.

25. Consider the following statements : [I.A.S. (Pre) 2011]

Biodiversity is normally greater in the lower latitudes as compared to the higher latitudes.
Along the mountain gradients, biodiversity is normally greater in the lower altitudes as compared to the higher altitudes.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Correct Answer: (c) Both 1 and 2

Solution:Biodiversity is normally greater in the lower latitudes as compared to the higher altitudes. Tropical rain forests which have the largest biodiversity are found in lower latitudes. Similarly, Valleys found in lower altitudes harness greater | biodiversity than mountains of high altitude.

26. Consider the following regions : [I.A.S. (Pre) 2009]

Eastern Himalayas
Eastern Mediterranean region
North-western Australia

Which of the above is/are Biodiversity Hotspot(s)?

(a) 1 Only
(b) 1 and 2
(c) 2 and 3
(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (a) 1 Only

Solution:Eastern Himalayas is a biodiversity hotspot and it is Mediterranean basin and Southwest Australia which are biodiversity hotspots. Hence only 1 is correct. The region boasts a rich variety of plant species, including many found nowhere else. A significant portion of the plant species in the Eastern Himalayas are endemic, meaning they are unique to this specific area.

The Eastern Himalayas supports a wide range of wildlife, including iconic species like the snow leopard, tiger, and elephant. The region is home to many species considered globally threatened, highlighting the importance of conservation efforts. The Eastern Himalayas has experienced significant habitat loss, with estimates suggesting that at least 70% of its original natural vegetation has been lost.

27. The 'Hotspots' of Biodiversity in India are : [R.A.S./R.T.S. (Pre) 2008]

(a) Western Himalayas and Eastern Ghat
(b) Western Himalayas and Sunderban
(c) Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats
(d) Eastern Himalayas and Silent Valley

Correct Answer: (c) Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats

Solution:According to Conservation International at present, there are 36 biodiversity rich areas in the world that have been qualified as hotspots, which represent just 2.5% of earth's land surface, but support over 50% of the world's endemic plant species, and nearly 43% of bird, mammal, reptile and amphibian species as endemics. India has four biodiversity hotspots namely Himalaya, Indo-Burma (Northeastern India and Andaman Islands), Sundalands (Nicobar Islands) and Western Ghats (and Sri Lanka).

28. Consider the following statements : [I.A.S. (Pre) 2010]

Biodiversity hotspots are located only in tropical regions.
India has four biodiversity hotspots i.e., Eastern Himalayas, Western Himalayas, Western Ghats and Andaman and the Nicobar Island.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

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

Correct Answer: (d) Neither 1 nor 2

Solution:Hotspots are not only located in tropical regions but also in temperate regions (California Floristic Province, Japan). India has four bio-diversity hot spots- Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, Indo-Myanmar border and Sundaland. The Sundaland includes the Nicobar group of islands but does not includes the Andaman group of islands.

29. Which of the following is a biodiversity saturated area in India? [U.P.P.C.S. (Pre) 2015]

(a) Eastern Ghat
(b) Western Ghat
(c) Thar Desert
(d) The Bay of Bengal

Correct Answer: (b) Western Ghat

Solution:India is a bio-diverse country. India inhabits 7.6 percent of all mammals, 12.6 percent of birds, 6.2 per cent of reptiles and 4.4 per cent of amphibians found in 18 mega diverse countries. Western Ghat is a biodiversity saturated area in the given options.

30. With reference to biodiversity, which of the following region in India is regarded as 'HOTSPOT'? [U.P.P.C.S. (Mains) 2009]

(a) Andaman and Nicobar Island
(b) Gangetic Plain
(c) Central Indian
(d) None of the above

Correct Answer: (a) Andaman and Nicobar Island

Solution:A biodiversity hotspot is a bio-geographical region of the Earth which is extremely biologically diverse and also under severe threat due to habitat loss, climate change or extensive species loss. As a general rule, to be considered a biodiversity hotspot, a region must be biologically diverse, with a high proportion of endemic species which are not found anywhere else on Earth, and the security of the region must be threatened. So, hotspots are the richest and most threatened reservoirs of plant and animal life on Earth. India has four bio-diversity hot spots - Western Ghat, Eastern Himalaya, Indo-Myanmar border and Sundaland. Nicobar island is regarded as a part of the Sundaland bio-diversity area and Andaman group of Islands come under the Indo-Myanmar hotspot. Hence, the correct answer is option (a).

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