Explore topic-wise InterviewSolutions in Current Affairs.

Conservation of Biodiversity is an important issue to protect our nature for future generations.

Answer is (D) i, ii

4000 species are on the verge of extinction, as per latest data.

The word biodiversity is a contraction of biological diversity. It is commonly used to describe the number variety and variability of living organisms. This very broad usage embracing many different parameters, is essentially a synonym of LIFE ON EARTH.

1. The whole world has wide variety of living organisms we can see both invisible (microbial) and the visible world around us are diverse.

2. Different microorganisms like algae, fungi, bacteria, viruses etc., and also the micro-arthropods. There is diverse among microbes. 

3. There are different variety of plants like grass, herbs, shrubs, creepers, trees etc. Among the individuals also there are variations like height, colour and size of flower and fruits. 

4. We find variations in animals even though they are similar kind. We find differences in colour of fur, nails, claws or hoofs etc. 

5. Among birds we can see variations in their feathers, feet, crown, tail etc. 

6. As all the humans belong same genus but there is variation in their hands, fingers, toes, nails and hair, height and shape. We can even see variation in the texture of skin dry, oily, smooth or rough. Whether they are twins also we can find variations among them.

Answer is (D) Sanctuary

Answer is (C) Loris

Correct answer is (a) Goira

C) To understand the biodiversity of a habitation

Answer is (B) 17 trees

(D) Siberian cranes

(B) Flemingo

(D) Black Spider Monkey

(A) East Godavari

(d) Rio de Janeiro.

D) Conduct plantation and do no harm to animals

D) To protect the environment by avoiding to cut the trees

When animals vanish forever from the earth, the species has become extinct.

(A) New Zealand

Peacock love eating of Snakes

Answer is (C) Lion

The great Indian Bustard is found in Kurnool

(D) Hyderabad

The visitor hid some marbles, a book, a few old coins and an Iron Cross in the jackfruit tree.

No, the visitor does not live in the beautiful old house.

Colonel is the owner of the house now.

The girl who lived in the house where Bond had spent his early days climbed up the tree and got for him the old Iron Cross from the hollow space. Bond kept it there approximately twenty-five years before.

Answer is (D) 50,000

D) vanish forever

A) Red data book

1. Either knowingly or unknowingly, man has destroyed the wild life. 

2. Hunting of animals either for food or for pleasure, cutting of trees and clearing of forests for fuel, timber and for human settlements, construction of dams and reservoirs has resulted in large scale destruction of forests. This has destroyed the wild life.

A) Rollapadu Bird Sanctuary

Insects help in pollination of flowers. By this pollination fertilization of flowers takes place and seeds will form which helps in the growth of next generation of plants. If insects become extinct – no pollination – no fertilization and no future generations of plants, there by extinction of plants takes place.

A) Tiger valley

B) Nandyal and Giddalur district

Sparrow, Vulture. 

i) Over use of pesticides and radiation from cell phone towers led to extinction of sparrow. 

ii) By feeding of diclofenac – treated cattle led to extinction of vulture.

Answer is (A) 27

Biodiversity depleting: 

Reduction of plant and animal species is called biodiversity depletion. 

Causes: 

1) It may be caused by natural causes which include floods, earthquakes, land slides, diseases etc. 

2) Man made causes are called ‘Anthropocentric’ causes. 

These are 

1. Urbanization 

2. Expansion of agriculture 

3. Deforestation 

4. Pollution

In my area: 

Lot of animal species are in danger of depletion in may areas due to human activities. Sparrow’s, voltures, become rare ones. Their population decreased rapidly. How to improve?

1. Give importance to plantation 

2. Avoid deforestation 

3. Installing bird boxes 

4. Protect the native species 

5. Provide wild life corridors 

6. Use organic manures 

7. Utilise existing green space connections 

8. Be mercy with other creatures.

Invasive: Involving the introduction of instruments or other objects into the body.

The old house was built with solid block of granite.

The visitor returned to his old house searching for his memories of old days by going back to the places of his youth and childhood.

The visitor hid the Iron Cross twenty-five years ago.

Nearly 170 countries in this world and 12 of them contain 70% of the earth’s biodiversity India is one among the 12 mega biodiversity countries The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India records 47,000 species of plant , 81,000 species of animals ,Which is about the 7% and 6.5% of global flora and fauna respectively.

BIODIVERSITY AT GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS:

Global Level: Conservative estimates of the existing biodiversity is ten million species, but if estimates for insects are correct then it could be around 30 million species, we have till now enlisted about 1.4 million species. It includes among others about 98% birds, 95% reptiles and amphibians, 90% fish and about 85% higher plants known to exist on this Earth. Most of the world’s bio-rich nations are in the South, which are the developing nations. In contrast, the majority of the countries capable of exploiting biodiversity are Northern nations, in the economically developed world. These nations however have low levels of biodiversity. Thus the developed world has come to support the concept that biodiversity must be considered to be a ‘global resource’.

National and Local Level: Geological events in the landmass of India have provided conditions for high levels of biological diversity. India has over 108,276 species of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals already identified and described. Out of these, 84 percent species constitute fungi (21.2 percent), flowering plants (13.9 percent), and insect (49.3 percent). In terms of the number of species, the insect alone constitute nearly half of the biodiversity in India. These species occur on land, fresh and marine waters, or occur as symbionts in mutualistic or parasitic state with other organisms. In the world as a whole, 16, 04,000 species of Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae and Animalia have been described so far. However, it is estimated that at least 179, 80,000 species exist in the world, but as a working figure 122, 50,000 species are considered to be near reality. It is estimated that 18% of Indian plants are endemic to the country and found nowhere else in the world. Among the plant species the flowering plants have a much higher degree of endemism, a third of these are not found elsewhere in the world. Apart from the high biodiversity of Indian wild plants and animals there is also a great diversity of cultivated crops and breeds of domestic livestock. This is a result of several thousand years during which civilizations have grown and flourished in the Indian subcontinent. The traditional cultivars included 30,000 to 50,000 varieties of rice and a number of cereals, vegetables and fruit. The highest diversity of cultivars is concentrated in the high rainfall areas of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, Northern Himalayas and the NorthEastern hills.

A) List of endangered, threatened species

Migration: The birds which don’t have permanent nestlings, join into small flocks and move from one region to other for food and shelter (nestling) called Migration. 

Ex: Siberian Cranes.

Any disturbance in a natural ecosystem tends to reduce its biodiversity. Waste generated due to increase in human population and industrialization spoils the environment and leads to decreased diversity in biological species.

Causes for loss of biodiversity are:

1. Habitat loss

2. Poaching of wildlife and

3. Man-wildlife conflicts

1. Habitat loss:

The loss of populations of interbreeding organisms is caused by habitat loss. Factors influencing habitat loss are:

a.Deforestation: Loss of habitat is mainly caused by deforestation activities. Forests and grasslands are cleared for conversion into agriculture lands or settlement areas or

b.developmental projects. Forests and grasslands are natural home to thousands of species which disintegrate due to loss of their natural habitat. Destruction of wetlands: Wetlands, estuaries and mangroves are destroyed due to farming, filling and pollution that cause loss of biodiversity

c. Habitat fragmentation: When the habitat is divided into small and scattered patches the phenomenon is called habitat fragmentation. This leads to the disappearance of most wildlife

d. Raw material: To produce hybrid seeds, wild plants are used as raw materials leading to extinction of many wild plant species.

e. Production of drugs: Pharmaceutical companies collect wild plants for the production of drugs leading to extinction of several medicinal plant species.

f. Illegal trade: Illegal trade of wildlife reduces biodiversity leading to habitat loss

g. Developmental activities: Construction of dams in forest areas coupled with the discharge of industrial effluents kills birds and other aquatic life.

2. Poaching of wildlife:

Poaching refers to killing animals or commercial hunting. It contributes to loss of biodiversity.

Poaching can be of two types listed below:

a. Subsistence poaching: This refers to killing animals for survival.

b. Commercial poaching: This refers to hunting animals in order to sell their products. Factors influencing poaching:

Human population: Increased human population in India has led to pressure on forest resources, leading to degradation of wildlife habitats.

Commercial activities: Although a ban has been imposed internationally on the trade of products of endangered species, there is a continued smuggling of wildlife products. Since trading of such products is highly profitable, poachers continue to hunt endangered animals and smuggle their fur, skin and tusks to other countries. Wildlife products include furs, horns, tusks, live specimens and herbal products.

3.Man-Wildlife Conflicts:

Man-wildlife conflicts arise, when wildlife starts causing immense damage and danger to man. Under such conditions it is very difficult for the forest department officials to convince the affected villagers to gain the villagers support for wildlife conservation.

Ex: 1. In Sambalpur, Orissa, several people were killed by elephants. In retaliation, the villagers killed and injured several elephants.

Villagers sometimes hide explosives in their fields to ward-off animals which explode when the elephants enter the fields.

Several people were killed when leopards attacked them in Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Mumbai. Factors influencing man-animal conflicts

1. Shrinking forest cover compels wildlife to move outside the forest

2. Human encroachment into forest area induces a man-wildlife conflict

3. Injured animals have a tendency to attack man

4. Wild animals venture out of the forest area in search of food

5. Villagers set-up electric wiring around their fields. This injures animals (Elephants) who suffer pain and get violent

Extinct species: When animals vanish forever from the earth is said that the species has become Extinct.

Tree climbing is a recreational or functional activity consisting of ascending and moving around in the crown of trees. Climbing up a tree was a very popular activity when I was an elementary school student. I was a tomboy and preferred to go outside everyday playing with some friends. One day, during a break between classes, I was as usual trying to climb up a tree. It was quite thin and not very tall; also the tree which I chose was located in front of a park. In the park, there were many people who were almost all students of the same school.

I climbed up steadily and finally arrived at the top of the tree. I could feel the fresh wind and survey the view. The weather was warm and sunny. After I was satisfied I tried to climb down quickly because it was time to get back to class. I got caught in one of the branches and couldn’t move further. It was

so embarrassing because all my friends were watching. A couple of minutes later, my teacher ran to the bottom part of the tree with a worried face and helped me to climb’ down safely

The belief the local people had about trees was that when the shadow of the tree falls on a house that house is blessed by God.

He returned the old Iron Cross to the girl because Bond did not go there in search of the Cross but for his youth.

1. True 

2. True 

3. True 

4. True 

5. True 

6. False 

7. True 

8. False 

9. False 

10. False