Environmental Studies · Biology

Biodiversity and Conservation

3,944 Questions

Biodiversity and conservation focus on protecting species, maintaining natural habitats, and managing ecological balance. It covers essential themes like wildlife corridors, marine ecosystems, and genetic diversity. This topic is heavily tested in environmental studies sections across multiple competitive exams.

Ecosystem conservationWildlife sanctuariesEndangered species managementGenetic diversityEnvironmental ethics

Biodiversity and Conservation Questions

Multiple choice

Lion habitats are almost extinct in the country. Even keeping this fact in mind, the most sensible strategy would be to desist from re-introducing lions in habitats where they have once been poached to death. Trying to bring lions back to habitats where they are likely to encounter a killer human contact is sinful.

The argument above would be most significantly weakened if which of the following were true?

  1. Effective anti-poaching laws have been enacted.

  2. Cattle grazers, farmers, and villagers in general still have an inherent hostility towards lions.

  3. By 1960’s extensive poaching had made the lion almost extinct in the country.

  4. Steps taken to raise the numbers of the lion species do not have international approval which would have otherwise brought in funds as well.

  5. The steps taken to raise the numbers of the lion species have been criticized by conservationists and wild life enthusiasts.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The argument given above is based on the assumption that the lions would be poached to death in the future as well because something similar happened in the past. But if what is stated in option (1) is true then effective anti-poaching laws would prevent that from happening. Hence (1)

Multiple choice

What is a botanical garden?

  1. protected areas established to conserve rare and threatened plants

  2. protected areas of forests protected from human exploitation

  3. large protected area to conserve the biodiversity

  4. a large protected area to conserve wildlife
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Botanical garden is protected areas established to conserve rare and threatened plants

Multiple choice

Nature is the most generous supplier of nourishment and guidance to us as humans. We are often advised to be in harmony with nature, and to achieve that, following measures are advised: Get outside; take a nature walk. Read books about nature. Grow more plants. Shut televisions. Submerge in nature; meditate. Pick up litter. Reuse, recycle and reduce. All the above mentioned measures can be categorised under the following three headings except:

  1. Be dutiful

  2. Conserve

  3. Be thankful

  4. Give back
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Nothing related to being thankful is mentioned.

Multiple choice

Forests

  1. Provide us with oxygen

  2. They protect soil and provide habitat to a large number of animals

  3. A source of medicinal plants

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Forests fulfill our numbers of requirements.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read the following information and answer the given question.

Chipko Movement was started in 1970s in a small village of Garhwal high up in the Himalayas. Villagers stood up against greedy contractors. Women folk hugged the trees. The Chipko Movement spread slowly to all nearby areas under the leadership of Shri Sunder Lal Bahuguna.

Why do we need to save trees?

  1. Trees release carbon dioxide and take in oxygen.

  2. Trees are responsible for global warming.

  3. Trees purify the air.

  4. Trees pollute water.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

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Multiple choice

We need to conserve wildlife to

  1. maintain ecological balance

  2. preserve biodiversity

  3. conserve endangered species

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Wildlife should be conserved to maintain ecological balance, to preserve biodiversity and to conserve endangered species.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a measure taken by the government for the conservation of flora and fauna?

  1. Laying down rules to protect them

  2. Stopping natural calamities

  3. Implementing policies on the destruction of flora and fauna

  4. Establishing protected areas for their conservation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Government has laid down rules to protect flora and fauna. It has also implemented policies and established protected areas for their conservation. However the government has no control over natural calamities.

Multiple choice

The 2004 Tsunami made people realize that mangroves can serve as a reliable safety hedge against coastal calamities. How do mangroves function as a safety hedge?

  1. The mangrove swamps separate the human settlements from the sea by a wide zone in which people neither live nor venture out.

  2. The mangroves provide both food and medicines which people are in need of after any natural disaster.

  3. The mangrove trees are tall with dense canopies and serve as an excellent shelter during a cyclone or tsunami.

  4. The magrove trees do not get uprooted by storms and tides because of their extensive roots.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Many of the previous tsunamis were tamed by the coral reefs before hitting the coast, where they were absorbed by a dense layer of red mangrove trees. These flexible trees, with long branches growing right down into the sand below the surface of the sea, absorb the shock of tsunamis. Behind the red mangrove trees, there is a second layer of black mangrove trees, which are taller and slow down the waves.

Multiple choice

The “Red Data Books” published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) contain lists of

  1. Endemic plant and animal species present in the biodiversity hotspots.
  2. Threatened plant and animal species.
  3. Protected sites for conservation of nature and natural resources in various countries.

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

  1. 1 and 3

  2. 2 only

  3. 2 and 3

  4. 3 only
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species. The goals of the IUCN Red List are to: Identify and document those species most in need of conservation attention if global extinction rates are to be reduced; and Provide a global index of the state of change of biodiversity.

Multiple choice

The most important function of forests is

  1. soil conservation

  2. animal culture

  3. water conservation

  4. maintenance of ecological balance
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Forests maintain ecological balance. Forests help in maintaining the ecological balance in the following ways:

They absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen. They provide the soil with the necessary humus content. They prevent soil erosion by binding the soil with tree roots. They check floods by holding rain water in subsoil. They increase moisture content of the air through transpiration. They provide natural habitat for wildlife.

Multiple choice

_____________ are forests and surrounding areas established for the protection and propagation of the flora and fauna where no human activity inside the buffer or core zones is allowed.

  1. Wildlife sanctuaries

  2. National parks

  3. Biosphere reserves

  4. Zoological gardens
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

National parks are forests and surrounding areas established for the protection and propagation of the flora and fauna where no human activity inside the buffer or core zones is allowed.

Multiple choice

What is 'in situ conservation'?

  1. Protecting a plant or animal species outside its natural habitat

  2. Protecting a plant or animal species in its natural habitat

  3. Maintaining the population rather than storing frozen materials

  4. Conservation of species by making lab specimens
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The process of protecting an endangered plant or animal species in its natural habitat is commonly known as 'in situ conservation'.