Free Man and His Environment MCQs with Answers

201. Alexander von Humboldt described for the first time

• A. Laws of limiting factor
• B. Species area relationships.
• C. Population growth equation
• D. Ecological biodiversity.

Explanation: Alexander von Humboldt described species-area relationship for the first time. He observed that within a region, species richness increases with increasing explored area, but only up to a limit.

202. The region of the biosphere reserve which is legally protected and where no human activity is allowed is known as

• A. Buffer zone
• B. Transition zone
• C. Restoration zone
• D. Core zone

Explanation: The core zone or Natural zone area of a biosphere reserve is an undisturbed and legally protected ecosystem. No human activity is allowed in this zone. Little human activity is allowed in the buffer zone whereas in the transition zone, an active cooperation is present between reserve management and local people for activities like settlements, cropping, etc. A restoration region is a degraded area that is selected for restoration to near natural form.

203. How many hotspots of biodiversity in the world have been identified till date by Norman Myers?

• A. 17
• B. 25
• C. 34
• D. 43

Explanation: Biodiversity hotspots are a method to identify those regions of the world where attention is needed to address biodiversity loss and to guide investments in conservation. The idea was first developed by Norman Myers in 1988 to identify tropical forests hotspots characterised both by exceptional levels of plant endemism and serious habitat loss which he then expanded to a more global scope. Currently, 34 biodiversity hotspots have been identified most of which occur in tropical forests.

204. Red list contains data or information on

• A. All economically important plants
• B. Plants whose products are in international trade
• C. Threatened species
• D. Marine vertebrates only.

Explanation: A red data book or red list is a catalogue of taxa facing risk of extinction. Red data book or red list was initiated in 1963.

205. Which of the following is the most important cause of animals and plants being driven to extinction?

• A. Habitat loss and fragmentation
• B. Co­-extinctions
• C. Over­exploitation
• D. Alien species invasion

Explanation: Destruction of natural habitats causes the most serious threat to biodiversity. Over­ population, urbanization, and industrialization lead to the destruction or fragmentation of natural habitats to fulfill the requirement for additional land. Loss of habitat results in the annihilation of plants, and microorganisms, and the forcing out of animals which in alien lands die out after some time. Fragmentation of habitats results in the disruption of complex interactions amongst species, destruction of species in the cleared regions, annihilation of species restricted to deeper undisturbed parts of forests, and decreased biodiversity in the habitat fragments.

206. Cryopreservation of gametes of threatened species in viable and fertile condition can be referred to as

• A. In situ conservation by sacred groves
• B. In situ cryo-­conservation of biodiversity
• C. In situ conservation of biodiversity
• D. Advanced ex-situ conservation of biodiversity.

Explanation: Cryopreservation is an advanced method of ex-situ conservation. It involves preservation at -196°C in liquid nitrogen. It can maintain tissue culture, embryos, animal cells/tissues, and spermatozoa indefinitely. The cryopreserved material is revived through special techniques when required.

207. An example of ex-situ conservation is a

• A. National park
• B. Seed bank
• C. Wildlife sanctuary
• D. Sacred grove.

Explanation: In situ (on-site) conservation is the conservation and protection of the whole ecosystem and its biodiversity at all levels, in order to protect the threatened species. Two in situ methods are being used to save biodiversity viz., hotspots and protected areas. Protected areas include national parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, and sacred groves. Ex situ (off-site) conservation is the conservation of selected rare plants/animals in places outside their natural homes. Ex-situ conservation includes offsite collections, seed banks, gene banks, in vitro fertilization, cryopreservation techniques, and tissue culture.

208. A species facing extremely high risk of extinction in the immediate future is called

• A. Vulnerable
• B. Endemic
• C. Critically endangered
• D. Extinct.

Explanation: The taxon under the critically endangered category are facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild and can become extinct at any moment in the immediate future.

209. The organization which publishes the Red list of species is called

• A. ICFRE
• B. IUCN
• C. UNEP
• D. WWF.

Explanation: IUCN is the International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources which is now called the World Conservation Union (WCU). It has its headquarters in Morges, Switzerland. It maintains a red data book or red list which is a catalog of taxa facing the risk of extinction. The red data book or red list was initiated in 1963. The Red List of the year 2000 made an assessment of 18,000 species.

210. Which one of the following is not used for ex-situ plant conservation?

• A. Shifting cultivation
• B. Botanical gardens
• C. Field gene banks
• D. Seed banks

Explanation: Ex situ conservation is the conservation of selected rare plants/animals in places outside their natural homes. It includes botanical gardens or zoological parks, seed banks, cryopreservation, field gene banks, and sacred plants. Many wild and domesticated species are well managed and collected in botanical gardens, zoological parks, wildlife safari parks, arboreta, etc. Most of these have capture breeding programs to restore the decreasing number of animals and help the survival of existing individuals of the species. Gene banks are institutes that maintain stocks of viable seeds (seed banks), live plants (orchards), tissue culture, and frozen germplasm with a whole range of genetic viability.