Railway Science (Environment – Miscellaneous)

It is used in both hydrology and soil sciences. Osmosis - The movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration to a lower concentration until the concentrations become equal on either side of the membrane. Incineration - It is a waste treatment process that involves the combustion of substances contained in waste materials.

Pesticides - chemical substances used to kill pests. Types - Insecticides (insects), Herbicides (plants), Rodenticides (rodents (rats & mice)), Bactericides (bacteria), Fungicides (fungi), Larvicides (larvae).

Fertilizers - Applied to soil or to plant tissues to supply plant nutrients, go through leaching (loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to rain and irrigation) easily. Fertilization focuses on three main macronutrients - Nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K).
Biofertilizers are environment-friendly but chemical fertilizers lead to water, soil and air pollution. Plants absorb the fertilizers through the soil, they can enter the food chain.

Bird migration is the regular seasonal movement, often north and south along a flyway, between breeding and wintering grounds. Birds migrate to areas where food is more abundant, there is less competition for nesting space, the climate is milder, or the daylight hours are longer.

Diclofenac - anti - inflammatory drug used to treat cattle, was linked to kidney failure in vultures and a decline in the bird’s population. Drugs make their way into the vulture’s system as they feed on carcasses. It was banned in 2006.

Biological magnification (Biomagnification) is the increase in concentration of a substance. The accumulation of a chemical by an organism from water and food exposure that results in a concentration that is greater than would have resulted from water exposure only and thus greater than expected from equilibrium. Examples - DDT (dichloro diphenyl trichloroethane), lead, PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), toxaphene etc.

Warm-blooded animals (homeotherms) - maintain a constant body temperature and they are not affected by environmental temperature changes. Example - Bats, pigeons, and rabbits.
Poikilotherms (cold blooded animals) cannot maintain constant body temperature and are affected by temperature changes in the environment. Example - reptiles, amphibians.

Banana leaves on washable and reusable plastic plates

Lakshadweep, is a tropical archipelago of 36 atolls and coral reefs in the Laccadive Sea, off the coast of Kerala. Area - 32m², capital - Kavaratti. Forest area: Chandigarh - 20.7%, Haryana - 3.63%, Goa - 59.94% Mizoram (84.53%) - (Highest in terms of percentage), Madhya Pradesh (in terms of area).

Earth Summit 1992 (Rio De Janeiro, Brazil)- It is also known as The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).