Free Man and His Environment MCQs with Answers

211. Which organization publishes the 'Red Data Book'?

• A. IUCN
• B. UNEP
• C. WWF
• D. GEF

Explanation: The 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.

212. Sacred groves are specially useful in

• A. Generating environmental awareness
• B. Preventing soil erosion
• C. Year-­round flow of water in rivers
• D. Conserving rare and threatened species.

Explanation: Sacred Grove is an example of in situ conservation of forests and wildlife especially rare and threatened species. These forest patches are found around places of worship which are held in high esteem by tribal communities. They are the most undisturbed forest patches which are often surrounded by highly degraded landscapes. Not a single branch is allowed to be cut from these forests. As a result, many endemic species which are rare or have become extinct elsewhere can be seen to flourish here. Such sacred groves are found in the Khasi and Jaintia hills of Meghalaya, the Aravalli hills of Rajasthan, the Western ghat regions of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Sarguja, Chanda, and Bastar areas of Madhya Pradesh.

213. Which one of the following has the highest number of species in nature?

• A. Fungi
• B. Insects
• C. Birds
• D. Angiosperms

Explanation: Insects have the highest number of species found in nature. The Insecta is the largest class of animals. It has over 7,00,000 species. Insects are the most successful land invertebrates and the only major competitors with humans for dominance in the world.

214. Biodiversity of a geographical region represents

• A. Endangered species found in the region
• B. The diversity in the organisms living in the region
• C. Genetic diversity in the dominant species of the region
• D. Species endemic to the region.

Explanation: Biodiversity (biological diversity) is the existence of a wide variety of species (species diversity) or other taxa of plants, animals, and microorganisms in a natural community or habitat, or of communities within a particular environment (ecological diversity), or of genetic variation within a species (genetic diversity). The maintenance of a high level of biodiversity is important for the stability of ecosystems.

215. Which one of the following is an example of ex-situ conservation?

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

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.

216. World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002) was held in

• A. Argentina
• B. South Africa
• C. Brazil
• D. Sweden.

Explanation: Conservation of biodiversity is a collective responsibility of all nations. The historic Convention on Biological Diversity ('The Earth Summit') held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992, called upon all nations to take appropriate measures for the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilization of its benefits. In a follow­up, the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, 190 countries pledged their commitment to achieve by 2010, a significant reduction in the current rate of biodiversity loss at global, regional, and local levels.

217. Identify the odd combination of the habitat and the particular animal concerned.

• A. Sunderbans-Bengal Tiger
• B. Periyar-Elephant
• C. Rann of Kutch-Wild Ass
• D. Dachigam ­National Park-Snow Leopard

Explanation: Dachigam National Park is located only 22 kilometers from Srinagar, the capital city of the northern state of Jammu and Kashmir. Dachigam is considered home to some of the unique Himalayan range of flora and fauna. Primary amongst them is the hangul or Kashmiri stag, the most endangered species of red deer in the world. It was finally upgraded and declared a National Park in the year 1981.

218. Which one of the following is not included under in-situ conservation?

• A. National park
• B. Sanctuary
• C. Botanical garden
• D. Biosphere reserve

Explanation: In situ conservation means "on-site conservation". In situ conservation is the protection and management of important components of biological diversity through a network of protected areas e.g., National Park, sanctuary, biosphere reserve, etc. Botanical gardens come under ex-situ conservation.

219. In your opinion, which is the most effective way to conserve the plant diversity of an area?

• A. By tissue culture method
• B. By creating a biosphere reserve
• C. By creating a botanical garden
• D. By developing a seed bank

Explanation: Biosphere reserves are multipurpose protected areas of different representative ecosystems that are meant for the conservation of biodiversity or wildlife, the traditional lifestyle of tribals and their domesticated animals, and plant resources. Each biosphere reserve has a core zone (where no human activity is allowed), a buffer zone (with limited human activity), and a manipulation zone (where human activity is allowed without degradation of ecology). Thus, the biosphere reserves protect not just wild varieties but also domesticated varieties of plants in an area.

220. Which group of vertebrates comprises the highest number of endangered species?

• A. Mammals
• B. Amphibians
• C. Reptiles
• D. Birds

Explanation: Amphibians are the group of vertebrates that comprise the highest number of endangered species. They face numerous threats, including habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and a fungal disease called chytridiomycosis, which has had a devastating impact on many amphibian populations. As a result, a significant proportion of amphibian species are considered endangered or at risk of extinction according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Conservation efforts are underway to address these threats and protect amphibians from further decline. IUCN Red List (2004) has documented the extinction of 784 species (including 338 vertebrate species, 359 invertebrate species and 87 plant species) in the last 500 years. On worldwide basis, more than 15,500 species are facing the threat of extinction. At present, 12% of the bird species, 23% of mammal species, 32% of amphibian species and 31% of gymnosperm species are facing the threat of extinction in the world.