Biodiversity and Conservation

Pollution is defined as the presence or introduction into the environment of a substance or thing that has harmful or poisonous effects. It is an unwanted change caused by human or natural activity.

While River Valley Projects can lead to environmental destruction, they are a cause, not a direct outcome of environmental destruction. Severe droughts, biological loss, and cultural loss are direct consequences of environmental degradation.

Afforestation is the process of planting trees to create a forest. It is a conservation activity that increases biodiversity, not a cause of its decline.

Vulnerable species are defined as those whose population has declined to levels that make them likely to become endangered in the near future if the negative factors continue. They are at risk but not yet critically endangered.

Endangered species are those that are in immediate danger of extinction. Their survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue to operate.

Biodiversity increases the resilience of an ecosystem by providing multiple pathways for energy flow and nutrient cycling. Higher biodiversity ensures that the ecosystem can better withstand environmental stressors.

Habitat destruction removes the physical space and resources necessary for organisms to survive. This is widely recognized as the single greatest threat to global biodiversity.

As the human population grows, more land is cleared for housing, agriculture, and industry, which directly destroys natural habitats. This is the primary driver of habitat loss globally.

Rapid population growth places immense pressure on the environment, leading to resource depletion, increased waste, and habitat destruction. This creates instability across global ecosystems.

Increasing human population is the root cause that leads to higher pollution, habitat destruction, and resource depletion. The other options are consequences of this primary driver.

Reducing the human population decreases the demand for land and resources, which alleviates pressure on ecosystems and endangered species. The other options are harmful activities.

Uncontrolled population growth leads to an unsustainable demand for finite resources like fossil fuels and minerals. This rapid consumption depletes these resources faster than they can be managed.

Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause ecological or economic harm in a new environment. The provided definition accurately reflects this concept.

The decline of Easter Island is attributed to environmental factors like deforestation and social collapse, but disease introduced by Europeans occurred long after the initial decline of the society.