Prelims Killer

Environment 01

Editor’s Note

Environment is an important topic for the Preliminary Examination, and we can expect
around 15 questions on this topic. The questions require a basic understanding of key
concepts related to the environment and ecology and knowledge about current happenings
related to them.

We are all aware of the damages caused by the acid rain at Taj Mahal, but do we know
about the effect of the acid rain on Bibi Ka Maqbara? What if we knew that the Bibi Ka
Maqbara was also made of marble? Then we can easily say that it can also be damaged
due to the action of acid rain. Likewise, for many questions, we can apply our knowledge
in a rational way to solve them.

We may know the factors responsible for coral bleaching. But what are all the factors that
could lead the corals to expel their symbiotic algae? It seems a bit tricky, right? Actually,
both questions are asking the same thing, but in different ways. So when you see
something out of the ordinary, there is no need to get tense. Read the question once more,
understand its meaning, and then you will be able to answer it.

And there can be some questions with certain subjectivities associated with them. For
example, the question of the sources of ozone-depleting substances is one of them. But in
such a question, there may be some directives or contexts that will help us negate the
subjectivity of the question. In this particular question, the word 'significant' is the
directive that will help us find the correct answer.

To cover the syllabus, we have included questions from all major topics within the Basics
of Environment and Ecology, and Environmental Degradation. In addition to that, we
have made the answer keys much more fluent and have included more information
in the Quick Facts section. This includes some interesting facts about species, from
which questions like the Waggle Dance (PYQ-2023) can be asked.

I hope this test has helped challenge your understanding of the basic concepts and your
problem-solving abilities. Thank You.

Vaisakhan G.S.

Curator and Ed
 ANSWER KEY WORKBOOK

1 A 21 D 41 A 61 D 81 D

2 D 22 A 42 C 62 B 82 C

3 D 23 D 43 B 63 C 83 B

4 C 24 B 44 B 64 C 84 B

5 A 25 C 45 A 65 A 85 C

6 C 26 B 46 B 66 B 86 B

7 D 27 D 47 A 67 C 87 C

8 D 28 D 48 C 68 B 88 D

9 C 29 B 49 B 69 A 89 C

10 B 30 D 50 B 70 A 90 C

11 B 31 D 51 C 71 A 91 B

12 B 32 B 52 A 72 B 92 C

13 D 33 B 53 B 73 C 93 B

14 C 34 B 54 C 74 D 94 A

15 D 35 C 55 C 75 A 95 A

16 B 36 C 56 B 76 C 96 A

17 D 37 A 57 C 77 C 97 B

18 C 38 B 58 C 78 C 98 A

19 C 39 C 59 A 79 C 99 A

20 C 40 A 60 C 80 D 100 D

QE – Question Explanation; QF – Quick Facts

Wrong
Self-evaluate the reasons for your wrong attempts
Attempts
If you are unfamiliar with a concept asked in the question, you can check the
Lack of Content
Lack of Content box
Lack of
If you couldn't connect the concept to its proper application, you can check
conceptual
the lack of conceptual clarity box
clarity
If you missed the essential elements/directive in a question or you have
Negligence
marked the wrong answer in a hurry, you can mark this box
If you were not able to recall all the points related to a topic/concept, you can
Lack of revision
check the Lack of revision box.

2
1. Answer A

Statement 1 is correct: According to the Environment Protection Act, 1986, the

Central Government has the power to take all such measures as it deems Lack of
necessary or expedient for the purpose of protecting and improving the quality of content
the environment and preventing, controlling, and abating environmental
pollution. Accordingly, under Section 5 of the Act, the Central Government has
the power to direct the closure, prohibition or regulation of any industry,
operation, or process. Statement 2 is incorrect: The Environment Protection Act,
QE
1986 stipulates that any person aggrieved by the directions of the Central
Government can file an appeal to the National Green Tribunal established under Lack of
Section 3 of the National Green Tribunal Act, 2010. Statement 3 is incorrect: conceptual
Under Section 6, the Environment Protection Act, 1986, empowers the Central clarity
Government to make rules for restricting the handling of hazardous substances
in different areas and the procedures and safeguards for the handling of
hazardous substances.
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) is an apex body
constituted in the Ministry of Environment and Forests under ‘Rules for
QF Manufacture, Use, Import, Export and Storage of Hazardous Negligence
Microorganisms/Genetically Engineered Organisms or Cells 1989’, under the
Environment Protection Act, 1986.
• In recent times, many polluting factories have been closed under the provisions
of Section 5 of the Environment Protection Act.
PK Tips
• PYQ: In 2019, UPSC has asked about the provisions of the Environment Lack of
Protection Act, 1986. revision
The Environment Protection Act, 1986
Source

2. Answer D

According to the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016, solid waste means and
includes solid or semi-solid domestic waste, sanitary waste, commercial waste,
institutional waste, catering and market waste and other non residential wastes,
street sweepings, silt removed or collected from the surface drains, horticulture Lack of
QE waste, agriculture and dairy waste, and treated bio-medical waste. Industrial content
waste, hazardous waste, hazardous chemicals, biomedical wastes, e-waste, lead
acid batteries, and radioactive waste are not covered under the Solid Waste
Management Rules, 2016. They are covered under separate rules framed under
the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Hence option (d) is the correct answer.
• Radioactive wastes as covered under the provisions of the Atomic Energy Act,
1962 (33 of 1962) and the rules made there under;
• Hazardous chemicals covered under the Manufacture, Storage and Import of
Lack of
Hazardous Chemicals Rules, 1989;
QF conceptual
• Hazardous wastes covered under the Hazardous Wastes (Management, clarity
Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008;
• The lead acid batteries covered under the Batteries (Management and
Handling) Rules, 2001.
PYQ: As per the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 in India, which one of the
PK Tips
following statements is correct (2019) Negligence

Source The Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 Lack of

revision

3. Answer D

Statement 1 is incorrect: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) monitors

water quality of 719 rivers at 2108 monitoring locations across 28 States and 7
Union Territories spread over the country under National Water Quality
Monitoring Programme (NWMP) in association with the State Pollution Control Lack of
QE Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees (PCCs). Statement 2 is incorrect: content
Under NWMP, the rivers are monitored on a monthly or quarterly basis. Water
Quality for various parameters is assessed as per “Guidelines for Water Quality
Monitoring, 2017” issued by MoEF&CC. Micro pollutants such as metals and
pesticides are monitored twice in a year, before and after monsoon.

3
 Micropollutants can be defined as anthropogenic chemicals that occur in the
Lack of
aquatic environment well above a potential natural background level due to
QF conceptual
human activities, but with concentrations remaining at trace levels (i.e. up to the
clarity
microgram per litre range).
The UPSC often asks about various bodies and their mandates.PYQ: In 2020,
PK Tips Negligence
UPSC asked about the Central Ground Water Authority.
https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1848359 ,
https://cpcb.nic.in/uploads/WQM_Objective.pdf Lack of
Source
revision

4. Answer C

India, being a Member-State of the International Maritime Organisation, had

participated in the Hong Kong International Convention for the Safe and
Environmentally Sound Recycling of Ships, 2009 and expressed its views for the
protection of environment and human health and safety during the process of
recycling of ships. And, in 2019 the Government decided to accede to the Hong
Kong International Convention for the Safe and Environmentally Sound Lack of
QE content
Recycling of Ships, 2009. As a first step towards this the Government has
introduced the Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 in the Parliament and it became
an act on 13th December, 2019. The Recycling of Ships Act, 2019 regulates
the recycling of ships by setting certain standards and lays the statutory
mechanism for enforcement of such standards. Hence option (c) is the correct
answer.
Most of the time, national legislation is enacted or introduced after the country
has acceded to an international convention. For example, the Convention on
Biological Diversity (CBD) was negotiated and signed by nations at the Earth
Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on June 5, 1992. The convention came into force
on December 29, 1993. India became a party to the convention on February 18,
1994. Later, to give effect to the Convention, the Indian Parliament passed the Lack of
QF conceptual
Biological Diversity Act, 2002. But here the national legislation was introduced at
clarity
first, and then India joined the Convention.

The Recycling of Ships Act, 2019 also restricts and prohibits the use or installation
of hazardous materials, which applies irrespective of whether a ship is meant for
recycling or not.
Touted as the world's largest ship-breaking yard, Alang's ship-breaking industries
PK Tips are dying a slow death. Negligence

The Recycling of Ships Bill, 2019 becomes an Act after receiving assent of
Lack of
Source President of India
revision

5. Answer A

Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) is defined as “a state whereby the amount

and quality of land resources necessary to support ecosystem functions and
services to enhance food security remain stable, or increase, within specified
temporal and spatial scales and ecosystems.” Monocropping reduces soil fertility
and soil structure, and the introduction of a herbivore will decrease the quality of
the already degraded grassland by reducing the grass cover. Both will have an
overall negative effect at the time of their introduction. Avoiding new degradation Lack of
QE content
of land by maintaining existing healthy land is essential for achieving LDN.
Introduction of mono cropping (which depletes certain nutrients from the field)
and introduction of a herbivore species(which will end up in overgrazing) will lead
to further degradation of land. Hence Option 1 and Option 2 are incorrect. The
introduction of a top carnivore will help in reducing the population of herbivores
that are already present in the grass ecosystem, and as a result, the grasses will
start to regrow. This will help in achieving the LDN. Hence Option 3 is correct.
The most well-documented example of a top carnivore’s impact on the ecosystem
is grey wolves. Grey wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone National Park (US)
in 1995. Since the wolves came back to Yellowstone, the national park has Lack of
QF conceptual
regained some of its formerly lost forest stands, which provide a home for other
clarity
native species as well as store more carbon, which helps to offset climate change.

4
 UPSC often asks conservation-related questions. PYQ: Question on Miyawaki in
PK Tips
2022 Negligence

Source https://www.unccd.int/land-and-life/land-degradation-neutrality/overview Lack of

revision

6. Answer C

All options are correct. Saprotrophs are organisms which obtain energy and
nutrients from dead organic substances. The complete disappearance of
saprophytes halts the decomposition of dead matter. It leads to accumulation of
dead matter, reduces nutrient cycling and hence negatively impacts ecological
balance. Since there is a complete disappearance of saprophytes, it leads to a Lack of
QE content
drastic reduction in nutrient cycling (they are the primary recyclers of nutrients)
and the massive accumulation of dead bodies due to the absence of saprophytes
to decompose them. Nutrient cycling is the main component in maintaining
ecological stability; hence, a drastic reduction in the nutrient cycle leads to
lopsided ecological balance.
Although many bacteria and small animals, such as insects, also live as
saprophytes, it is the fungal saprophytes that decompose most plant debris
Lack of
throughout the world. Fungal saprophytes do most of their work invisibly to us,
QF conceptual
living in soil or debris as fine microscopic threads, but occasionally they make
clarity
themselves visible by creating a mushroom, bracket, or other fungal body as their
way of reproducing.

Negligence
Source Helpful Fungus Among Us | News
Lack of
revision

7. Answer D

Statement 1 is incorrect: Chlorophyll is a green pigment that is responsible for

the green colour of plants. It is located on chloroplasts, which are tiny structures
in plant cells. Statement 2 is incorrect: The colour an object appears to be is Lack of
QE content
complementary to the one it most strongly absorbs. During photosynthesis, red
and blue light are absorbed, and hence the complementary colour green will
reflect, giving plants a green colour.
In the traditional red, yellow, and blue colour wheel, the complementary colour
combinations are as follows: Lack of
QF 1. Red and green conceptual
2. Yellow and purple clarity
3. Blue and orange

PK Tips PYQ: Difference between plant cells and animal cells (2020).
Negligence

Source Chlorophyll
Lack of
revision

8. Answer D

• Limiting factors are the environmental conditions or resources that limit the
growth or distribution of flora and fauna in an ecosystem. It can be either biotic
or abiotic factors.
• Examples of biotic limiting factors are food, mates, and competition with Lack of
QE other organisms for resources. content
• The abiotic limiting factors in an ecosystem are:
1. Light
2. Temperature
3. Rainfall

5
 4. Organic and inorganic compounds
5. Altitude
6. Salinity
7. Buffering capacity of earth

The buffering capacity of a soil indicates its capacity to resist pH change.

Hydrogen ions in soil are present both in the soil solution and adsorbed onto the
soil surfaces. pH measures the concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil Lack of
QF solution. Soils differ in the number of surface sites able to accommodate conceptual
hydrogen ions. Soils with large numbers of sites able to hold hydrogen ions are clarity
able to resist changes in the concentration of hydrogen ions in the soil solution
and therefore have a high buffering capacity.
Negligence
Source NCERT XII
Lack of
revision

9. Answer C

Statement I is correct: Dieback refers to the gradual deterioration of health in

trees, sometimes leading to tree death. Dieback is usually caused by a
combination of factors, such as disease and pathogens, insect attacks and/or
stressful climate conditions. Statement II is incorrect: Dieback is a Lack of
QE content
disease/condition characterised by progressive death of twigs, branches, shoots,
or roots, starting at the tips. It occurs due to a deficiency or excess of moisture
and hence, it is not an adaptive mechanism. Hence Statement II is not the
correct explanation of Statement I.
• An adaptation is a feature that arose and was favoured by natural selection for
its current function. Adaptations help an organism survive and/or reproduce
in its current environment.
Lack of
QF
• Adaptations can take many forms: a behaviour that allows better evasion of conceptual
predators, a protein that functions better at body temperature, or an
clarity
anatomical feature that allows the organism to access a valuable new
resource.
• Mimicry of leaves by insects is an adaptation for evading predators.

Negligence
Source Dieback | Forest Decline, Phytopathology & Disease Control | Britannica
Lack of
revision

10. Answer B

• Levels of organisation are structures in nature, with components at higher

levels composed of components at lower levels. Lack of
QE • From smallest to largest, the levels of biological organisation are: Cells -> content
tissues -> organs -> organism -> population -> community -> ecosystem ->
biome.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity
Source NCERT XII
Negligence

Lack of
revision

11. Answer B

This is a question with some elements of subjectivity. To tackle this question, you
need to focus on the term "significant." Some options may have an impact, but
we need to look for options that have significant impacts. Some compounds release
chlorine or bromine atoms when they are exposed to intense UV light in the Lack of
QE stratosphere. These compounds contribute to ozone depletion, and are called content
ozone-depleting substances (ODS). ODS that release chlorine include
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), carbon
tetrachloride, and methyl chloroform. ODS are very stable and do not dissolve in
rain. Thus, there are no natural processes that remove the ODS from the

6
 atmosphere. Refrigerators and aerosol sprays are sources of ODS since they use
CFCs. Not all chlorine and bromine sources contribute to ozone layer depletion.
For example, researchers have found that chlorine from swimming pools,
industrial plants, sea salt, and volcanoes does not reach the stratosphere. Hence,
they are not significant sources of ozone-depleting substances.
Lack of
PK Tips PYQ: Question on hydrofluorocarbons(2023) conceptual
clarity

Negligence
Source Basic Ozone Layer Science | US EPA
Lack of
revision

12. Answer B

Statement 1 is correct: Acid rain occurs mainly due to the emissions of sulphur
dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere from fossil fuel combustion.
Statement 2 is incorrect: Rocks composed of silicate minerals (granite) are more Lack of
QE content
resistant to acid rain than rocks composed of calcite minerals(limestone, marble).
Statement 3 is correct: Bibi Ka Maqbara is built using marble. When it is
exposed to acid rain, the calcite dissolves, resulting in a yellow colour.
The Bibi-Ka-Maqbara is a beautiful mausoleum of Rabia-ul-Daurani alias Dilras
Banu Begum, the wife of the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb (1658-1707 A.D.). This
mausoleum is believed to be constructed by Prince Azam Shah in memory of his
mother during 1651 to 1661 A.D. An inscription found on the main entrance door Lack of
QF conceptual
mentions that this mausoleum was designed and erected by Ata-ullah, an
clarity
architect and Hanspat Rai, an engineer. The mausoleum draws its inspiration
from the world famous Taj Mahal of Agra (constructed between 1631 and 1648
A.D.) and hence it is rightfully known as the “Taj of Deccan''
PK Tips PYQ: Question on acid rain(2022)
Negligence
Acid Rain and Water | U.S. Geological Survey
Source Lack of
revision

13. Answer D

Statement 1 is incorrect: Dead zone is a more common term for hypoxia, which
refers to a reduced level of oxygen in the water. Due to the low oxygen level, most
marine life either dies or, if they are mobile, such as fish, leaves the area. It can
occur naturally as well as due to human activities. Statement 2 is
incorrect: Lake ageing is the natural process by which a lake fills in over geologic Lack of
QE time with erosional materials carried in by tributary streams, with materials content
deposited directly from the atmosphere, and with materials produced within the
lake itself. The increase in nutrient supply from human activities results in an
increase in the biological production that occurs in the lake, thus increasing its
productivity.
Dead zones occur because of a process called eutrophication, which happens
when a body of water gets too many nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen. Lack of
QF At normal levels, these nutrients feed the growth of an organism called conceptual
cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae. With too many nutrients, however, clarity
cyanobacteria grow out of control, which can be harmful.
Dead zone is an important topic, and UPSC hasn't asked a significant number of
PK Tips
questions about the topic yet. Negligence

Source What is a dead zone? Lake Eutrophication Lack of

revision
14. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: The conversion of molecular nitrogen(N2) into biologically Lack of

available nitrogen(Ammonia (NH3) or Ammonium (NH4+)) is called nitrogen fixation. content
Statement 2 is correct: The Haber-Bosch process directly synthesises ammonia
QE from nitrogen and hydrogen and is the most economical nitrogen-fixation process Lack of
known. conceptual
clarity

7
 • Nitrogen is a critical limiting element for plant growth and production. It is a
major component of chlorophyll, the most important pigment needed for
photosynthesis, as well as amino acids, the key building blocks of proteins. It
is also found in other important biomolecules, such as ATP and nucleic acids.
• Even though it is one of the most abundant elements (predominantly in the
form of nitrogen gas (N2) in the Earth’s atmosphere), plants can only utilise
reduced forms of this element.
QF • Plants acquire these forms of nitrogen by:
a. the addition of ammonia and/or nitrate fertiliser (from the Haber-Bosch Negligence
process) or manure to soil;
b. the release of these compounds during organic matter decomposition;
c. the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into the compounds by natural
processes, such as lightning; and
d. biological nitrogen fixation.

PK Tips PYQ: Question nitrogen-fixing plants(2022)

Nitrogen fixation | Definition, Process, Examples, Types, & Facts | Britannica

Source Lack of
revision

15. Answer D

Option 1 is incorrect: Hydrofluorocarbons(HFCs) are used as refrigerants,

aerosol propellants, foam blowing agents, solvents, and fire retardants. These
chemicals were developed as a replacement for chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and Lack of
hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) because they do not deplete the stratospheric content
QE
ozone layer. Option 2 and Option 3 are incorrect: Hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs)
are a subset of HFCs. They have short atmospheric lifetimes and low global
warming potential. Option 4 is correct: Hydrofluorocarbons and
chlorofluorocarbons are greenhouse gases with high global warming potentials.
The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is the Lack of
landmark multilateral environmental agreement that regulates the production and conceptual
consumption of nearly 100 man-made chemicals referred to as ozone depleting clarity
substances (ODS). The Parties to the Montreal Protocol reached an agreement at
QF
their 28th Meeting of the Parties on 15 October 2016 in Kigali, Rwanda to phase
down HFCs. Countries agreed to add HFCs to the list of controlled substances and
approved a timeline for their gradual reduction by 80-85 per cent by the late Negligence
2040s.
PYQ: Question on hydrofluorocarbons(2023)
PK Tips

Overview of Greenhouse Gases | US EPA Lack of

Source revision

16. Answer B

Option 1 is incorrect: Gamma rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation with

extremely high frequency and energy. Gamma rays are produced during nuclear
reactions and radioactive decay processes. They have the shortest wavelength and
highest frequency among electromagnetic waves. They are ionising radiation.
Option 2 is correct: Particulate radiation is an example of ionising radiation
Lack of
QE because it consists of charged or uncharged particles that have enough energy to
content
remove tightly bound electrons from atoms, creating ions. Option 3 is correct:
Thorium-232 is a naturally occurring radionuclide (Radionuclides (or radioactive
materials) are a class of chemicals where the nucleus of the atom is unstable) that
is found in the earth's crust. It is considered a “primordial radionuclide” since it
has survived since the origin of the earth.
• India has a unique position in the world, in terms of availability of nuclear fuel
resources. It has a limited resource of uranium but a large resource of thorium.
The beach sands of Kerala and Orissa have rich reserves of monazite, which
contains about 8 – 10% thorium. Lack of
QF conceptual
• Thorium can be used to produce nuclear energy, but not directly due to its. It clarity
has to be converted to 233U in a nuclear reactor, before it can be used as fuel.
• A Three-Stage Indian Nuclear Power Programme has been devised to utilise the
available resources efficiently and in a sustainable manner.

8
 Negligence
Gamma ray | Definition, Uses, Wavelength, Production, Examples, & Facts |
Source Lack of
Britannica
revision

17. Answer D

All the given materials release volatile organic compounds in different proportions Lack of
based on their operations. content

QE Lack of
conceptual
clarity

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are a diverse group of carbon-containing

chemicals that easily evaporate into the air at room temperature.
QF • They are emitted from various sources, including vehicle exhaust, industrial Negligence
processes, and household products like paints and cleaning agents.
• VOCs can contribute to air pollution and the formation of ground-level ozone,
which has adverse effects on human health and the environment.
What are volatile organic compounds (VOCs)? | US EPA Lack of
Source revision

18. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: According to the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution)

Act, 1981, the term "air pollutant" includes any solid, liquid, or gaseous substance Lack of
that is harmful to plants. This broad definition ensures a comprehensive approach content
to environmental protection. Statement 2 is correct: All industries in designated
air pollution control areas must obtain consent from State pollution control boards
as mandated by the Act to ensure compliance and regulation of emissions,
safeguarding air quality and environmental standards. Statement 3 is correct:
QE
Noise pollution was included in the Act in 1987 to address its adverse impact on Lack of
public health, the environment, and the quality of life. Section 2(a) of the Air conceptual
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981, states that noise is actually a part clarity
of air pollution. The recognition of noise as a pollutant enables regulatory
measures to control and mitigate noise levels in various settings, responding to
concerns arising from urbanisation and industrialization and their impact on well-
being.
Noise pollution and its sources are now regulated under the Noise Pollution
(Regulation and Control) Rules, 2000. Noise standards for motor vehicles, air
conditioners, refrigerators, diesel generators, and certain types of construction
QF equipment are prescribed under the Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986. Noise Negligence
emanating from industry is regulated by State Pollution Control Boards / Pollution
Control Committees (SPCBs / PCCs) for states / Union territories under the Air
(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

THE AIR (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT, 1981 | India Lack of
Source
Code revision

19. Answer C

All the pairs are correctly matched. Black carbon is fine particulate matter
emitted from incomplete combustion of fossil fuels and biomass, contributing to Lack of
climate change and air pollution. Grey carbon refers to the carbon released content
QE through industrial processes fuelled by natural gas. Green carbon refers to the
carbon stored in ecosystems, particularly in vegetation and soil, that plays a role
in mitigating climate change by sequestering carbon dioxide. Lack of
conceptual
clarity

9
 • Blue carbon - Carbon stored in ocean plants and sediments
• Teal carbon- Carbon stored in freshwater and wetland environment
QF • Red carbon- Carbon released through biological particles on snow and ice that Negligence
reduce albedo

Carbon Rainbow | U.S. Geological Survey

Lack of
Source
revision

20. Answer C

The primary objective of implementing Bharat Stage-VI (BS-VI) emission Lack of

QE standards is to significantly reduce the levels of harmful pollutants emitted by content
vehicles in order to improve air quality and public health.
BS-VI norms are the sixth stage of emission norms introduced in India for Lack of
vehicles. They specify stringent limits on the permissible levels of various conceptual
pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM), carbon clarity
QF Tips
monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), and sulphur.
Negligence

Bharat Stage-VI Norms Lack of

Source revision

21. Answer D

All options are correct.

Ecotone refers to the zone of junction or a transition area between two biomes.
The following are examples of ecotone. Lack of
QE 1. Lagoon - transition zone between riverine and marine environments content
2. Grassland - transition zone between forest and desert
3. Wetland -transition zone between terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem
4. Estuary - transition zone between river and sea
• Chilika Lagoon is situated on the east coast of India. It is the largest brackish Lack of
water lagoon with estuarine character that sprawls along the east coast. It is conceptual
the largest wintering ground for migratory waterfowl found anywhere on the clarity
Indian subcontinent. It is one of the hotspots of biodiversity in the country,
and some rare, vulnerable, and endangered species listed in the IUCN Red List
of threatened animals inhabit the lagoon for at least part of their life cycle.
QF
• Sundarban Wetland is located within the largest mangrove forest in the world,
the Sundarbans, which encompasses hundreds of islands and a maze of rivers, Negligence
rivulets, and creeks in the delta of the Rivers Ganges and Brahmaputra on the
Bay of Bengal in India and Bangladesh. The Indian Sundarban, covering the
south-westernmost part of the delta, constitutes over 60% of the country’s total
mangrove forest area and includes 90% of Indian mangrove species.
<Ecotone | Habitat Transitions, Biodiversity & Interactions | Britannica> Lack of
Source revision

22. Answer A

Statement I is correct: Structural adaptations refer to the changes in the

physical features of plants and animals that enable them to adapt to extreme
environmental conditions. Plants growing in the desert climate are known as Lack of
QE content
xerophytes. Statement II is correct: Plants called succulents have adapted to the
desert climate by storing water in their short, thick stems and leaves. Hence,
Statement II is the correct explanation for Statement I.
• Some succulents (e.g., cacti) store water only in the stem and have no leaves or
very small leaves, whereas others (e.g., agaves) store water mainly in the leaves. Lack of
QF • Most succulents have deep or broad root systems and are native to either deserts conceptual
or regions that have a semiarid season. clarity

PK Tips PYQ: Leaf modifications in desert areas (2013). Negligence

10
 Lack of
Source Adaptation and Survival
revision

23. Answer D

Primary succession happens when a new patch of land is created or exposed for
the first time. This can happen, for example, when lava cools and creates new
rocks, or when a glacier retreats and exposes rocks without any soil. During Lack of
QE primary succession, organisms must start from scratch. content
Pioneer species are those species that initially invade a barren area and initiate
the process of primary succession. Examples of pioneer species: Lichens,
Bacteria, Fungi, Fireweed, Alder, and Willow.
A lichen is not a single organism; it is a stable symbiotic association between a
fungus and algae and/or cyanobacteria. Like all fungi, lichen fungi require
Lack of
carbon as a food source; this is provided by their symbiotic algae and/or
QF conceptual
cyanobacteria, which are photosynthetic. The lichen symbiosis is thought to be a
clarity
mutualism since both the fungi and the photosynthetic partners, called
photobionts, benefit.
PYQ: Species surviving on surface without soil (2021)
PK Tips Negligence

Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth

Lack of
Source
revision

24. Answer B

Bioaccumulation is the gradual buildup over time of a chemical in a living

organism. This occurs either because the chemical is taken up faster than it can
be used or because the chemical cannot be broken down for use by the organism. Lack of
Statement 1 is incorrect: In the water, pollutants adsorb or stick to small content
particles, including phytoplankton. Since there is so little pollutant stuck to each
phytoplankton, the pollutant does not cause much damage at this level of the food
QE
web. However, one zooplankton that has eaten ten phytoplankton would have ten
times the pollutant level as the phytoplankton. As the zooplankton may be slow to Lack of
metabolise or excrete the pollutant, the pollutant may build up or bioaccumulate conceptual
within the organism. Statement 2 is correct: Bioaccumulation can also occur in clarity
humans who are exposed for a long time to noxious chemicals in their home or
workplace, since they do not break down easily.
Bioaccumulation need not be a concern if the accumulated compound is not
harmful. Compounds that are harmful to health, such as mercury, however, can Negligence
accumulate in living tissues. Chemical pollutants that are bio accumulated come
from many sources. Pesticides are an example of a contaminant that
bioaccumulates in organisms. Rain can wash freshly sprayed pesticides into
QF
creeks, where they will eventually make their way to rivers, estuaries, and the
ocean. Another major source of toxic contaminants is the presence of compounds
Lack of
from industrial smokestacks and automobile emissions that return to the ground
revision
in rainfall. Deliberate discharge of compounds into water is another source of
chemical pollutants.
Bioaccumulation | Encyclopedia.com
Source

25. Answer C

Detritivores are organisms within an ecosystem that feed on dead and decaying Lack of
plant and animal material and waste (called detritus). Examples of detritivores content
are: Dung beetles, Fiddler crabs, Garden snails, Termites, Earthworms,
QE Millipedes, Woodlice,etc. Viruses are metabolically inactive if they are outside a Lack of
host body. They are not decomposers. They invade host cells and use their nucleus conceptual
to carry out their life processes. clarity

Termite (order Isoptera) is any of a group of cellulose-eating insects, the social

QF system of which shows remarkable parallels with those of ants and bees, although Negligence
it has evolved independently. Even though termites are not closely related to ants,

11
 they are sometimes referred to as white ants. Phylogenetic studies have shown
that the closest relative to the termite is the cockroach. Earthworms' bodies
are made up of ringlike segments called annuli. Earthworms do not live in deserts
or regions where there is permafrost or permanent snow and ice.

PYQ: Question on detritivores (2021)

PK Tips

Detritivores | Encyclopedia.com
Lack of
Source
revision

26. Answer B

Statement 1 is incorrect: The largest source of Sulphur dioxide (SO ) in the 2

atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels by power plants and other industrial
facilities. Statement 2 is correct: SO emissions that lead to high concentrations
2
Lack of
QE of SO in the air generally also lead to the formation of other sulphur oxides (SO ).
2 x
content
SO can react with other compounds in the atmosphere to form small particles.
x

These particles contribute to particulate matter (PM) pollution.

Statement 3 is correct: Sulphur dioxide can harm trees and plants by damaging
foliage and decreasing growth.
Particulate matter contains microscopic solids or liquid droplets that are so
small that they can be inhaled and cause serious health problems. Some
Lack of
particles less than 10 micrometres in diameter can get deep into your lungs, and
QF conceptual
some may even get into your bloodstream. Of these, particles less than 2.5
clarity
micrometres in diameter, also known as fine particles or PM , pose the greatest
2.5

risk to health.
UPSC often asks about polluting industries and pollutants. PYQ: Question on
PK Tips
Copper Smelting Plants (2021) Negligence
Sulfur Dioxide Basics | US EPA
Source Lack of
revision

27. Answer D

The symbiotic algae living in the tissues of corals are expelled(i.e., Coral bleaching)
when the corals are stressed by changes in conditions such as
o Change in ocean temperature- Increased ocean temperature and cold stress
caused by climate change are leading causes of coral bleaching.
o Runoff and pollution- Storm generated precipitation can rapidly dilute ocean Lack of
QE
water and runoff can carry pollutants — these can bleach near-shore corals. content
o Overexposure to sunlight -When temperatures are high, high solar irradiance
contributes to bleaching in shallow-water corals.
Exposure to the air during extreme low tides can cause bleaching in shallow
corals.
Coral polyp bodies are usually clear. The bright colours that characterise many
corals are actually various types of algae growing in the polyp’s tissue. The
presence of algae, specifically a type of algae called zooxanthellae, helps the coral Lack of
QF conceptual
in several ways. For one, the algae remove waste from the coral. The algae also
clarity
use the coral’s waste products for photosynthesis, which is how a plant makes its
own food.
Coral bleaching is an important topic, and UPSC hasn't asked a significant
PK Tips
number of questions about the topic yet.

Negligence
Source What is coral bleaching?
Lack of
revision

28. Answer D

Statement 1 is incorrect: Desertification is not the natural expansion of Lack of

QE existing deserts but the degradation of land in arid, semi-arid, and dry sub- content
humid areas. It is a gradual process of soil productivity loss and the thinning out

12
 of the vegetative cover because of human activities and climatic variations such
as prolonged droughts and floods. Statement 2 is incorrect: The African
continent is the most affected by desertification, where two-thirds of the continent
is desert or drylands.
Lack of
. conceptual
PK Tips Desertification is an important topic, and UPSC hasn't asked a significant clarity
number of questions about the topic yet. the statements carefully.
Negligence

I UNCCD FAQ
Source Lack of
revision

29. Answer B

Pair 1 is correctly matched: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a

class of chemicals that occur naturally in coal, crude oil, and gasoline. Meat and
other foods cooked in high heat produce PAHs. Pair 2 is incorrectly matched:
Fly ash is the finely divided residue that results from the combustion of Lack of
QE content
pulverised coal. Therefore, it is not emitted by vehicular exhaust. Pair 3 is
correctly matched: The production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) via the calcium
carbide process utilises a catalyst containing large amounts of mercury (Hg)
and is therefore one of the most important sources of anthropogenic Hg.
Fly ash is a proven resource material for many applications in the construction
industry and is currently being utilised in the manufacture of Portland Pozzolana Lack of
QF Cement (PPC), fly ash bricks, blocks, and tiles manufacturing, road embankment conceptual
construction and low-lying area development, agriculture as a soil conditioner, clarity
etc.
UPSC often asks about polluting industries and pollutants. PYQ: Question on
PK Tips Negligence
Furnace oil(2021)
Chemicals in Meat Cooked at High Temperatures and Cancer Risk - NCI
Lack of
Mercury transformation and distribution across a polyvinyl chloride (PVC)
Source revision
production line in China

30. Answer D

Green crackers are designed to be safer and emit fewer pollutants than traditional Lack of
crackers. Yet they may contain polluting chemicals like aluminium, barium, content
potassium nitrate, and carbon, but the quantity is so reduced that the
emission is about 30%. Some of the green crackers do not use these chemicals at Lack of
QE all either. But they do not contain barium nitrate which is one of the most conceptual
hazardous elements in traditional firecrackers. clarity

Green crackers were first designed by the National Environmental and

Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), under the aegis of the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in 2018. They are:
QF Negligence
SWAS - Safe Water Releaser
STAR – Safe Thermite Cracker
SAFAL – Safe Minimal Aluminium

PK Tips Green cracker is in the news.

https://www.neeri.res.in/contents/banner_details/green-
Lack of
crackers/5d81cbedbc313#googtrans(en|en)
revision
Source https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/delhi/no-easing-of-ban-sc-
rejects-plea-for-use-of-barium-in-green-
firecrackers/articleshow/103874216.cms

31. Answer D

13
 All options are correct. Nitrogen fixation is the process of converting free nitrogen
to more reactive nitrogen compounds like ammonia, nitrates and nitrites. Nitrogen
fixation on earth is accomplished in three different ways:
1. By microorganisms (bacteria)
2. Through industrial processes (fertiliser factories)
3. To a limited extent by atmospheric phenomena such as thunder and Lack of
QE lighting content
• Two kinds of nitrogen-fixing microorganisms are recognized:
1. Free-living (nonsymbiotic) bacteria, including the cyanobacteria (or blue-green
algae), Anabaena and Nostoc and genera such as Azotobacter, Beijerinckia, and
Clostridium
2. Mutualistic (symbiotic) bacteria such as Rhizobium, associated with
leguminous plants, and vari
Lack of
PK Tips PYQ : Nitrogen fixing plants (2022) conceptual
clarity

Negligence
Nitrogen fixation | Definition, Process, Examples, Types, & Facts |
Source
Britannica Lack of
revision

32. Answer B

Animals that cannot generate internal heat and depend on the environment to
regulate their body temperature are known as poikilotherms or cold-blooded
animals. Insects, worms, fish, amphibians, and reptiles fall into this category— Lack of
QE all creatures except mammals and birds. Since crocodiles are reptiles and content
honeybees are insects, they are cold-blooded animals.
Opah is the only fish that is warm blooded (organisms that can regulate and
maintain constant body temperature).
A crocodile is any of 23 species of generally large, ponderous, amphibious animals Lack of
of lizard-like appearance and carnivorous habit belonging to the reptile order conceptual
Crocodylia. They share a unique body form that allows the eyes, ears, and nostrils clarity
QF to be above the water surface, while most of the animal is hidden below. The tail
is long and massive, and the skin is thick and plated. Crocodiles are a living link
with the dinosaur-like reptiles of prehistoric times and are the nearest living
relatives of the birds. Negligence
Are all fish cold-blooded?

Source Lack of
revision

33. Answer B

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Mattewara forest is located in the State of

Punjab, which protects the city of Ludhiana from the floods in the Sutlej River.
Pair 2 is correctly matched: Kankrej is one of the heaviest breeds of cattle, Lack of
QE which originated from the Kank area of Banaskantha district of Gujarat. Banni content
grasslands are one of the natural habitats of Kankrej cattle. Pair 3 is correctly
matched: Van Gujjars, the nomadic pastoral community of Uttarakhand, migrate
to Bugyals (alpine meadows) in the summer season.
Transhumance is a form of pastoralism or nomadism organised around the
migration of livestock between mountain pastures in warm seasons and lower
Lack of
altitudes the rest of the year. The seasonal migration may also occur between
QF conceptual
lower and upper latitudes. Gujjars, Bakarwals, Gaddis, and Bhotiyas migrate from
clarity
the plains to the mountains in summers and to the plains from the high-altitude
pastures in winters.

Mattewara: Why Punjab needs this ancient forest near its largest city and
Negligence
river
Source
Lack of
revision

34. Answer B

14
 Statement I is correct: Methane has a much shorter atmospheric lifetime than Lack of
carbon dioxide (CO )—around 12 years compared with centuries—but absorbs
2
content
much more energy while it exists in the atmosphere.
Lack of
o One tonne of methane can be considered equivalent to 28 to 36 tonnes of CO 2
conceptual
QE over a period of 100 years. i.e., methane has a higher global warming potential
clarity
than CO . Hence, Statement II is not the correct explanation of statement
2

I.
Statement II is correct: During photosynthesis, plants absorb CO to form
2

carbohydrates (glucose).
Most life on Earth depends on photosynthesis. The process is carried out by
plants, algae, and some types of bacteria, which capture energy from sunlight to Negligence
QF
produce oxygen (O ) and chemical energy stored in glucose. Herbivores then obtain
2

this energy by eating plants, and carnivores obtain it by eating herbivores.

<https://www.iea.org/reports/global-methane-tracker-2022/methane-and-
Source Lack of
climate-change>
revision

35. Answer C

Captive breeding is the process of breeding animals outside of their natural

environment in restricted conditions on farms, zoos, or other closed facilities.
Statement 1 is correct: Conservation breeding programs in captivity can help
increase the population of endangered species and can ensure their reintroduction Lack of
QE in the wild. Statement 2 is correct: Animals are also bred in captivity for content
commercial purposes, such as the domestic pet industry, medical research, and
other human activities. Statement 3 is correct: Animals maintained in captive
breeding programs support research programs like the production of animals for
experimenting with human medicines, vaccines, etc.
Recently, the captive breeding of Himalayan vultures was successfully carried out Lack of
inside the Assam State Zoo in Guwahati. The captive breeding of Himalayan conceptual
vultures was a joint project undertaken by the Bombay Natural History Society clarity
QF (BNHS) and the Assam Forest Department and was carried out with the help of
Assam State Zoo. The Bombay Natural History Society has already bred the three
other vulture species—the white-rumped vulture, the Indian vulture, and the Negligence
slender-billed vulture—in captivity for conservation and reintroduction purposes.
Lack of
Source CAPTIVE BREEDING AND REINTRODUCTION revision

36. Answer C

Sea urchins will often completely remove kelp plants by eating through their
holdfasts (a rootlike or disc-like structure that serves to attach certain organisms Lack of
firmly to substrates). The holdfasts keep the kelps anchored to the bottom of the content
ocean. The sea otter eats the sea urchin which can destroy a kelp forest if left to
QE multiply freely. Therefore it acts as a keystone species in its ecosystem.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity

In a marine ecosystem, or any type of ecosystem, a keystone species is an organism

that helps hold the system together. Without its keystone species, ecosystems
would look very different. Kelp are large brown algae that live in cool, relatively Negligence
QF
shallow waters close to the shore. They grow in dense groupings, much like a forest
on land. These underwater towers of kelp provide food and shelter for thousands
of fish, invertebrates, and marine mammal species.
What lives in a kelp forest. Lack of
Source revision

37. Answer A

15
 Option 1 is correct: Itai-itai disease is caused by cadmium (Cd) exposure,
produced as a result of human activities related to industrialisation. Option 2 is
incorrect: Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi. It Lack of
QE is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Option content
3 is incorrect: Kyasanur Forest Disease (KFD) or Monkey fever is a unique public
health problem along the belts of the Western Ghats of India. It is caused by the
KFD virus (KFDV).
• Mercury exposure can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune
Lack of
systems of people of all ages.
QF conceptual
• Lead may cause neurodevelopmental effects in children, even at low levels of clarity
exposure.
Causes of death in patients with Itai-itai disease suffering from severe chronic Negligence
Source cadmium poisoning: a nested case–control analysis of a follow-up study in Japan
Lack of
- PMC
Revision

38. Answer: B

Option (a) is incorrect: The 1972 United Nations Conference on the Human
Environment in Stockholm was the first world conference to make the
environment a major issue. Option (b) is correct: The Basel Convention
regulates the transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and other wastes
and obliges its Parties to ensure that such wastes are managed and disposed of in Lack of
QE an environmentally sound manner. Option (c) is incorrect: The Rotterdam content
Convention is an international treaty designed to facilitate informed decision-
making by countries with regard to trade in hazardous chemicals.Option (d) is
incorrect: Stockholm Convention is an international environmental treaty that
aims to eliminate or restrict the production and use of persistent organic
pollutants.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity
PK Tips Environmental conventions are repeated topics by UPSC
Negligence

Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Lack of

Source revision
Wastes | UNEP - UN Environment Programme

39. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) is the amount of

dissolved oxygen used by microorganisms in the biological process of metabolising
organic matter in water. The more organic matter there is, the greater the BOD,
and the greater the BOD, the lower the amount of dissolved oxygen available for
higher animals, such as fish. Statement 2 is incorrect: According to The Lack of
QE Environment (Protection) Rules, 1986, drinking water source after conventional content
treatment and disinfection must have a BOD of 5 mg/l or less. Statement 3 is
correct: Eutrophication can lead to algal blooms which increases the organic
matter. This inturn increases the BOD. Statement 4 is correct: Chemical Oxygen
Demand is the total measurement of all chemicals (organic & in-organic) in the
water sample. Therefore it’s greater than BOD.
Dissolved oxygen (DO) is the amount of oxygen that is present in water. Water
Lack of
bodies receive oxygen from the atmosphere and from aquatic plants. Running
QF conceptual
water, such as that of a swiftly moving stream, dissolves more oxygen than the
clarity
still water of a pond or lake.

PK Tips Statement 1 & 2 are contradictory

Negligence

Source What is Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD)? | Wastewater Digest

Lack of
revision

40. Answer A

Statement 1 is incorrect: According to the Bio-Medical Waste Management Lack of

QE Rules, 2016, it shall be the duty of every occupier to not to give treated bio- content
medical waste with municipal solid waste. Here occupier means a person having

16
 administrative control over the institution and the premises generating bio-
medical waste. Statement 2 is incorrect: Plasma pyrolysis technology involves
the disintegration of organic compounds into gases and non-leachable solid
residues in an oxygen-starved environment. Statement 3 is correct: Autoclaves
provide a physical method for disinfection and sterilisation. They work with a
combination of steam, pressure and time. Autoclaves operate at high temperature
and pressure in order to kill microorganisms and spores.
Bio-medical waste means any waste that is generated during the diagnosis, Lack of
treatment, or immunisation of human beings or animals, or research activities conceptual
QF pertaining thereto, or in the production or testing of biological products or in clarity
health camps, including the categories mentioned in Schedule I appended to the
Bio-Medical Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Negligence
Bio-Medical Waste
Source Lack of
revision

41. Answer A

Ecologically equivalent species are those that occupy similar niches in different
geographical regions. i.e., these species live in similar habitats with similar
adaptations but in different regions or ecosystems. For example, sharks (fish) and
dolphins (mammals) live in a marine habitat and riverine ecosystem superficially Lack of
QE resemble each other. Hence, option a is correct. Owls (secondary consumer) & content
deer (primary consumer) don't occupy similar niches. Hence, option b is
incorrect. Frog and snakes in the pond belong to the same ecosystem. Hence,
option c is incorrect. Beetles (primary consumer) and hawks (secondary
consumer) don't occupy similar niches. Hence, option d is incorrect.
Frogs have been around about 200 million years. They are on every continent
except Antarctica. The biggest frog is the West African goliath; it can grow to 15
inches and weigh more than 7 pounds. The smallest is thought to be the Cuban
tree toad; adults are less than 1/2-inch long. Frogs were the first land animals Lack of
QF with vocal cords. The croaking of some frogs can be heard a mile away. When frogs conceptual
swallow, they pull in their bulging eyes to help push the food down. Some frogs clarity
can leap 20 times their body length. Owls can rotate their necks a maximum of
270 degrees without breaking blood vessels or tearing tendons.

Negligence
Source ecological equivalents | Encyclopedia.com
Lack of
revision
42. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017

are notified under the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Statement 2 is
correct: As per the rules, wetland does not include river channels, paddy fields,
human-made water bodies or tanks specifically constructed for drinking Lack of
QE water purposes and structures specifically constructed for aquaculture, salt content
production, recreation and irrigation purposes. Statement 3 is correct: These
rules do not apply to areas covered under the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Wild
Life (Protection) Act, 1972, the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980, the State Forest
Acts, and the Coastal Regulation Zone Notification, 2011.
A wetland is a place in which the land is covered by water—salt, fresh, or Lack of
somewhere in between—either seasonally or permanently. It functions as its own conceptual
QF distinct ecosystem. Wetlands trap pollutants such as phosphorus and heavy clarity
metals in their soils, transform nitrogen into a form that's easier for plants to take
in, and physically and chemically break down bacteria. Negligence

Source Wetlands (Conservation and Management Rules) 2017 Lack of

revision

43. Answer B

17
 The State of the World’s Forest Report is a biennial report published by the Food
and Agriculture Organization (FAO). It carries extensive data on global forest Lack of
QE resources and on humans’ interactions with them, while outlining strategies for content
reducing deforestation.

The world has lost 420 million hectares (mha), approximately 10.34 per cent of
Lack of
its total forest area in the last 30 years, according to The State of the World’s
QF conceptual
Forests (SOFO) 2022.
clarity

Negligence
Source The State of the World's Forests
Lack of
revision

44. Answer B

Statement 1 is correct: When a country accedes to the Ramsar Convention, it is

mandatory to designate at least one wetland as a Wetland of International
Importance. Statement 2 is correct: The International Organization Partners
(IOP) of the convention include Birdlife International, International Union for Lack of
QE Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Wetlands International, WWF, International content
Water Management Institute (IWMI) and Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT).
Statement 3 is incorrect: The IOPs provide invaluable support for the work of
the Convention, by providing expert technical advice, field level implementation
assistance, and financial support.
The Convention on Wetlands is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the
framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The
Lack of
Convention was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force
QF conceptual
in 1975. Since then, almost 90% of UN member states, from all the world’s
clarity
geographic regions, have acceded to become “Contracting Parties”.

India has the largest network of Ramsar sites in Asia, making these sites a critical
PK Tips
ecological network for conservation of global biological diversity.
Negligence

Source Ramsar.org
Lack of
revision

45. Answer: A

Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Tsomgo lake is located in the State of Sikkim.

Pair 2 is incorrectly matched: Rudrasagar lake is located in Tripura. Pair 3 is Lack of
QE
correctly matched: Loktak lake is located in the State of Manipur. Pair 4 is content
incorrectly matched: Nanda lake is located in the State of Goa.
The only floating National Park in the world, the Keibul Lamjao National Park
located on the Loktak Lake is the last natural habitat of the “Sangai” (Rucervus
Lack of
eldii), the dancing deer of Manipur. Rudrasagar Lake is a lowland sedimentation
QF conceptual
reservoir in the northeast hills, fed by three perennial streams discharging into
clarity
the River Gomti. The lake is an ideal habitat for the IUCN Red listed Three-striped
Roof Turtle, Kachuga dhongka.

Negligence

Source Wetlands of India Portal

Lack of
revision

46. Answer B

18
 Statement 1 is correct: Grey water is basically the water used for domestic Lack of
purposes like the kitchen, bathing and washing areas, etc. Grey water is free from content
faecal contamination and doesn’t include black water from toilets. Statement 2
is correct: The Ministry of Jalshakti has launched the "Sujlam 2.0" campaign
with the objective of managing greywater through people’s participation. The
QE
campaign aims to mobilise communities and institutions like panchayats, schools,
and anganwadis to undertake greywater management. Statement 3 is incorrect:
Funds to execute the activities for greywater management can be sourced from Lack of
SBM-G Phase II, through 15th Finance Commission tied-grants or MGNREGS, or conceptual
through convergence of all. Therefore it’s a centrally sponsored scheme. clarity

Negligence

Source Union Jal Shakti Minister Launches Sujlam 2.0 Campaign

Lack of
revision

47. Answer A

The Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle (IGCC) is an advanced gasification

technology where the coal is gasified at high temperatures to produce syngas. Lack of
QE The IGCC plants operate at above 45% efficiency, and CO emissions can be
2 content
decreased by up to 36% compared with traditional coal combustion power plants.

Lack of
QF Synthesis gas (also known as syngas) is a mixture of carbon monoxide (CO) and conceptual
hydrogen (H ) that is used as a fuel gas but is produced from a wide range of
2
clarity
carbonaceous feedstocks and is used to produce a wide range of chemicals.

Integrated gasification combined-cycle | Climate Technology Centre &

Negligence
Network | Tue, 11/08/2016
Source
Lack of
revision

48. Answer C

E-Waste(Management) Rules, 2022 has identified numerous items under its ambit
including Telephones, computers, blenders etc. It has also listed out exceptions Lack of
QE content
like batteries under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, and packaging
plastics as covered under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
Few definitions under the Waste Management Rules, 2016 Lack of
• ‘End-of-life’ of the product means the time when the product is intended to be conceptual
discarded by the user; clarity
• E-waste' means electrical and electronic equipment, including solar photo-
PK Tips voltaic modules, panels, or cells, whole or in part discarded as waste, as well
as rejects from manufacturing, refurbishment, and repair processes;
Negligence
• ‘Orphaned products’ means non-branded or assembled electrical and
electronic equipment as specified in Schedule-I or those produced by a
company that has closed its operations.
PK Tips PYQ: In 2019, UPSC asked about extended producer responsibility.
Lack of
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Source NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 2nd November 2022 G.S.R. 801(E).—Whereas revision
the dr

49. Answer B

Statement 1 is correct: Temporary hardness is mainly caused by the

Lack of
QE carbonates and bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium. Permanent hardness is
content
due to the presence of sulphates and chlorides of calcium and magnesium in

19
 water. Statement 2 is correct: Ion exchange devices reduce the hardness by
replacing magnesium and calcium (Mg and Ca ) with sodium or potassium ions
2+ 2+

(Na and K ). Ion-exchange resins can remove both temporary and permanent
+ +

hardness. Lack of
Statement 3 is incorrect: As per current knowledge, there are no serious conceptual
adverse health problems associated with drinking hard water. However, hard clarity
water can contribute to dry skin and is a nuisance due to mineral buildup in
pipes and utensils
The third statement may have some elements of subjectivity. The term to focus on
here is "serious". We are all aware that in many cities, hard water is commonly
PK Tips used. So with that knowledge, we can think that the hard water won't have any Negligence
serious adverse health effects, even though there may be (only a possibility) some
adverse health impacts.
Water Hardness Levels - | Hard Water Hardness Calcium Magnesium Water
Corrosion Mineral Scale Lack of
Source
revision

50. Answer B

Option 1 is correct: Bioremediation involves using biological agents such as

plants and microbes to remove or lessen the effects of environmental pollutants.
Option 2 is correct: The bioreactor approach is an ex-situ system of Lack of
QE bioremediation. In bioreactors contaminated material can be monitored and content
conditions for bioremediation can be controlled. Option 3 is incorrect: In
bioremediation, microbial degradation of some chemicals may lead to the
production of more toxic and mobile intermediates than the parent compound.

Microbial bioremediation is the use of prokaryotes (or microbial metabolism) to

remove pollutants. Bioremediation has been used to remove agricultural Lack of
conceptual
chemicals (pesticides, fertilisers) that leach from soil into groundwater and the clarity
QF
subsurface. Certain toxic metals and oxides, such as selenium and arsenic
compounds, can also be removed from water by bioremediation.

Negligence

Lack of
Source What Is Bioremediation, and How Does It Work (With Examples)?.
revision

51. Answer C

Lack of
content
The coastal areas of Tamil Nadu receive rainfall of about 100 cm from the
northeast monsoon winds in October to November. The mean annual
QE Lack of
temperature of the region is about 28°C and the mean humidity is 75 percent.
conceptual
These conditions favour the growth of tropical dry evergreen forests in the region. clarity

Characteristics of tropical dry evergreen forests- Short statured trees, up to 12 m

high, with complete canopy. The important species are jamun, tamarind, neem,
QF Negligence
etc. Most of the land under these forests has been cleared for agriculture or
casuarina plantations.
Conservation of Tropical Dry Evergreen Forests | Society of Integrated Lack of
Source Coastal Management revision

52. Answer A

Lack of
QE content

20
 Brow-antlered deer, also known as Sangai deer, is found in Keibul Lamjao
National Park, located on the Loktak Lake. It walks on the floating biomass called Lack of
phumdis present over the lake. It is the State animal of Manipur. conceptual
It is listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, which is the clarity
same level of protection for tigers.

Negligence
Source https://www.conservationindia.org/articles/the-manipur-brow-antlered-deer-in-
the-worlds-only-floating-national-park Lack of
revision

53. Answer B

Statement 1 is correct: The India State of Forest Report (ISFR) is a biennial

report prepared by the Forest Survey of India. It is released by the Ministry of Lack of
Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Statement 2 is correct: As per ISFR content
QE 2021, the largest increase in forest cover has been observed in the category of open
forests. Statement 3 is incorrect: As per the report, the total forest cover of
India is 21.71% of the total geographical area of the country. The target set by the
National Forest Policy of India, 1988, is 33%. Lack of
conceptual
clarity
The Forest Survey of India (FSI) is a premier national organisation under the
Union Ministry of Environment and Forests, responsible for the regular assessment
and monitoring of the forest resources of the country. In addition, it is also engaged
QF in providing the services of training, research, and extension. Established on June Negligence
1, 1981, the Forest Survey of India succeeded the "Preinvestment Survey of
Forest Resources" (PISFR), a project initiated in 1965 by the Government of India
with the sponsorship of FAO and UNDP.

Source India State of Forest Report 2021 (ISFR) - (Ministry of Environment, Forest and Lack of
Climate Change) January 20, 2022 Background revision

54. Answer C

Diatoms are single celled, photosynthetic algae found in aquatic and moist
environments. Cyanobacteria is a group of photosynthetic bacteria widely
distributed in various aquatic habitats and terrestrial habitats. They may live
singly or in colonies. Coccolithophores are one-celled plant-like organisms that Lack of
QE content
live in large numbers throughout the upper layers of the ocean. They surround
themselves with a microscopic plating made of limestone. All of them are known
for their ability to rapidly increase their population. This leads to their population
blooming.
Lack of
Diatoms are algae that live in houses made of glass. They are the only organisms conceptual
QF on the planet with cell walls composed of transparent, opaline silica. The cell clarity
walls of diatoms are ornamented by intricate and striking patterns of silica.
Negligence

Lack of
revision
Source What is a Coccolithophore? Fact Sheet

55. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: According to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the State
government has the right to permit shifting cultivation in reserved forests. Lack of
QE Statement 2 is correct: According to the Indian Forest Act, 1927, the Forest officer content
empowered by the State Government has the power to stop any public or private
way or watercourse in a reserved forest.
The State Government may constitute any forest land or waste land that is the
Lack of
property of the Government , over which the Government has proprietary rights, conceptual
or to the whole or any part of the forest product to which the Government is
QF clarity
entitled, a reserved forest. Shifting cultivation, also known as Jhum cultivation in
India is a primitive slash and burn agricultural practice. In India, it is a general
Negligence
agricultural practice among the tribes dwelling in the hilly terrains of North Eastern

21
 States, except the plains of Assam, Manipur, and Tripura. "Forest officer" means
any person whom the State Government or any office the State Government may
appoint to carry out all any of the purposes of this Act or to do anything required
by this Act or any rule thereunder to be done by a Forest Officer.

Lack of
Source THE INDIAN FOREST ACT, 1927 _____ ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS revision

56. Answer B

Statement 1 is correct: The Global Wastewater Initiative (GWWI) is the only Lack of
global partnership to understand and address wastewater challenges and Content
opportunities worldwide. It was formed in 2013.Statement 2 is correct: UNEP
QE acts as the secretariat for GWWI. Lack of
Statement 3 is incorrect: Turkish Water Institute(SUEN) is the current chair of conceptual
the initiative. clarity

UNEP was founded in 1972 after a UN General Assembly resolution (2997 XXVII).
It was conceived to monitor the state of the environment and coordinate responses Negligence
to the world’s greatest environmental challenges. Following the UN Conference on
QF
Sustainable Development in 2012, the UN General Assembly strengthened UNEP’s
role and upgraded its membership to include all 193 UN Member States. Lack of
revision
Source Global Wastewater Initiative (GWWI) | UNEP - UN Environment Programme

57. Answer C

The Lisbon Declaration was signed at the United Nations Ocean Conference with Lack of
QE more than 150 countries collectively agreeing to scale up science-based and content
innovative actions to address the ocean emergency.
• While global warming is pushing ocean temperatures to record levels, creating
fiercer and more frequent storms, sea levels are rising, and low-lying island Lack of
nations and major coastal cities face inundation. Coastal ecosystems, such as conceptual
mangroves, seagrasses, and wetlands, are being degraded, while pollution clarity
from land is creating vast coastal dead zones. These factors lead to an ocean
QF
emergency.
• Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. Located in western Portugal on the estuary of
the Tagus (Tejo) River, it is the westernmost capital city in continental Europe Negligence
and serves as the country’s chief port, largest city, and commercial, political,
and tourist centre.
Dire state of ocean’s health met with tide of pledges at UN Ocean Conference, as
Source Lisbon Declaration launches new chapter for ocean action - United Nations Lack of
Sustainable Development revision

58. Answer C

Jerdon’s Courser is a nocturnal bird endemic to India. Its only current habitat is Lack of
QE restricted to Sri Lankamalleswara Wildlife Sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh. content
It is listed as critically endangered in the IUCN Red List.

A nocturnal animal species such as the house mouse is primarily active during Lack of
QF the night, and most of its exploratory activity, feeding, and drinking are done conceptual
during the hours of darkness. Diurnal animals are active during the daytime clarity

Negligence
Source Saving the endangered Jerdon's Courser Jerdon's courser
Lack of
revision

59. Answer A

22
 The water temperature changes less than the temperature of air or land because Lack of
water has a considerably higher specific heat capacity. Since water content
temperatures are less subject to change, the aquatic organisms have a narrow
QE temperature tolerance limit. As a result, even small changes in water
temperature are a great threat to survival of aquatic organisms. Lack of
Hence, both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II is the conceptual
clarity
correct explanation for Statement-I.
Due to climate change and global warming, the water temperatures are
QF
increasing and aquatic organisms are faced with the threat of extinction. Negligence

Lack of
Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth
Source revision

60. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: Seagrass are the only plants that can live completely Lack of
submerged in water. Statement 2 is correct: They are known as the "lungs of content
the sea" because seagrass generates large amounts of oxygen through
QE
photosynthesis Statement 3 is correct: Seagrasses can also reproduce Lack of
asexually by branching off at their rhizomes. This activity is enhanced when conceptual
dugongs cut the seagrass when they are grazing. clarity
Natural wetlands have often been referred to as "earth's kidneys" because of their
QF high and long-term capacity to filter pollutants from the water that flows through Negligence
them
PK Tips Seagrass plays a crucial role in limiting global warming by acting as carbon sinks.

Why we must conserve the world’s seagrasses What is seagrass Lack of

Source revision

61. Answer D

Statement 1 is correct: Salt marshes along the migration route provide habitat Lack of
for migratory birds. Statement 2 is correct: Salt marshes prevent the fast content
runoff of rainwater and help in the percolation of the surface water to recharge
groundwater. Statement 3 is correct: Salt marshes metabolise the excess
QE nutrients in the runoff and thus purify the water. Lack of
Statement 4 is correct: Since salt marshes are frequently submerged by the tides conceptual
and contain a lot of decomposing plant material, oxygen levels in the peat can clarity
be extremely low—a condition called hypoxia.

Negligence
Source What is a salt marsh?

Lack of
revision

62. Answer B

Bioluminescence is light produced by a chemical reaction within a living

organism. Most bioluminescent organisms are found in the ocean. These
bioluminescent marine species include fish, bacteria, and jellyfish. Some Lack of
QE
bioluminescent organisms, including fireflies and fungi, are found on land. content
Organisms like anglerfish and jellyfish exhibit bioluminescence. Blue whales do
not exhibit bioluminescence.
• Fireflies are actually beetles, nocturnal members of the family Lampyridae.
Most fireflies are winged, which distinguishes them from other luminescent
insects of the same family, commonly known as glow worms.
• Fireflies have dedicated light organs that are located under their abdomens. Lack of
QF The insects take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a conceptual
substance called luciferin to produce light with almost no heat. Firefly light is clarity
usually intermittent and flashes in patterns that are unique to each species.
Each blinking pattern is an optical signal that helps fireflies find potential
mates.

23
 • Firefly light may also serve as a defence mechanism that flashes a clear
warning of the insect's unappetizing taste. The fact that even larvae are
luminescent lends support to this theory.

PK Tips PYQ: Question on filter feeder(2021) Negligence

Lack of
Source Indian Polity by M Laxmikanth
revision

63. Answer C

Black Carbon(BC) is formed by the incomplete combustion of wood and fossil Lack of
fuels, a process that also creates carbon dioxide (CO ), carbon monoxide, and
2 content
volatile organic compounds. It absorbs sunlight and increases the ambient
QE temperature. When deposited on ice and snow, black carbon particles reduce
Lack of
surface albedo (the ability to reflect sunlight) and heat the surface. Black carbon
conceptual
also influences cloud formation and impacts regional weather and rainfall
clarity
patterns. It leads to a decline in crop productivity.
Though airborne, BC is known to dissipate and settle down in a few months under
the influence of rain and wind. When BC particles are located above highly
reflective surfaces (snow or clouds), their absorption efficiency is amplified. It’s Negligence
known to be one-fourth as potent as carbon dioxide in mitigating global warming,
and ways and means to curb its emissions are increasingly part of international
QF climate discussions.

Lack of
revision
Black carbon | Climate & Clean Air Coalition
Source

64. Answer C

Fly ash is the finely divided residue that results from the combustion of
pulverised coal and is transported from the combustion chamber by exhaust gas.
Ash produced by thermal power plants is a proven resource material for many Lack of
QE applications in the construction industry. It is currently being utilised in the content
manufacturing of Portland Pozzolana Cement (PPC), fly ash bricks/blocks/tiles
manufacturing, road embankment construction & low-lying area development, in
agriculture as a soil conditioner, etc.
● Coal is the most important and abundant fossil fuel in India. It accounts for
55% of the country's energy needs. The country's industrial heritage was built
upon indigenous coal.
● Coal resources have been found mainly in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar, Lack of
QF Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, conceptual
Maharashtra, and a few states in the North-Eastern Region. The major lignite clarity
deposits are located in the State of Tamil Nadu, followed by Rajasthan,
Gujarat, Kerala, West Bengal, and the Union Territories of Jammu and
Kashmir and Puducherry.

PK Tips PYQ question on coal ash (UPSC 2020) Negligence

Lack of
Source Optimum utilisation of fly ash
revision

65. Answer A

Statement 1 is incorrect: Renuka wetland in Himachal Pradesh is the smallest

Ramsar site in India in terms of area. Statement 2 is incorrect: The State of Lack of
QE Tamil Nadu (14) has the most Ramsar sites in India, followed by the State of Uttar content
Pradesh(10). Statement 3 is correct: Ansupa Lake is an oxbow lake formed by
the actions of the Mahanadi River.

24
 Kanjli wetland plays a crucial role in agriculture, which predominates on the Lack of
surrounding fertile plain, with fewer pressures on water supplies than elsewhere conceptual
in Punjab. The invasive water hyacinth is present and must be removed from time clarity
QF to time; increasing pollution levels, deforestation in the catchment area, and
excessive grazing are seen as potential threats. The stream is considered to be the
most significant in the state from a religious point of view, as it is associated with
Negligence
the first guru of the Sikhs, Shri Guru Nanak Dev Ji.
Ansupa lake is one among the 11 wetlands recently added to the list of Ramsar
PK Tips
sites.
Lack of
Source RAMSAR Wetland Sites revision

66. Answer B

Pair 1 and pair 2 are correctly matched and Pair 3 is incorrectly matched.
Biotic interaction refers to the relationship among organisms. They can be
intraspecific (between members of the same species) or interspecific (between
different species).
• Mutualism: Interaction is favourable to both species. Eg: Mycorrhizae -
symbiotic relationship between fungi and plant roots
• Commensalism: Benefits one species, while the other species is neither harmed Lack of
QE nor benefited. content
Eg:
1. Barnacles growing on the back of whales get protection and access to food,
while it doesn't affect the whale.
2. Orchids growing on mango trees.(hence, the 3rd pair is incorrectly
matched.)
• Amensalism: One species is inhibited while the other species is unaffected.
Eg: A large tree shades a small plant and retards the growth of the small plant.
Barnacles (Balanus glandula) are sticky little crustaceans related to crabs, Lack of
lobsters, and shrimps. They secrete a fast-curing cement that is among the most conceptual
QF clarity
powerful natural glues known to stick to the undersides of vessels, to other sea
life, to each other, and to pretty much anything they come in contact with E
w
Negligence
PK Tips PYQ: Species that establish symbiotic relationship (2021). 3
q
Lack of
Source NCERT XII revision

67. Answer C

Recently, researchers in Manipur discovered a new flowering plant species in Lack of

Kakching district and named the new plant species Curcuma kakchingense in content
honour of the place where it was found. It was found dwelling along the bank of
QE Lack of
the Sekmai River in Kakching district (Manipur). Curcuma kakchingense belongs
to the angiospermic family Zingiberaceae, which includes Curcuma, Gingers and conceptual
Cardamom.It is a robust plant, as tall as eight feet, with a large terminal clarity
inflorescence.
Negligence

Source New flowering plant species discovered in Manipur - Hindustan Times Lack of
revision

68. Answer B

Baobab trees are long-lived deciduous trees, also known as upside-down trees.
There are nine species of baobab trees that are native to mainland Africa, Lack of
QE content
Madagascar, and Australia. Mandu, in the Dhar district of Madhya Pradesh, is
perhaps the only place in India where baobab trees are found in abundance.
The tree has medicinal properties and provides some income for the Bhil
Lack of
community, which sells its fruits and seeds to local traders.They are called ‘Tree
QF conceptual
of life’ in Africa since they can store large amounts of fresh water in their
clarity
extraordinary trunks.
PYQ: If you want to see gharials in their natural best habitat, which one of the
PK Tips
following is the best place to visit?(2017) Negligence

25
 Source Lack of
Why the move to foist a GI tag on Mandu’s baobab tree is a no-brainer
revision

69. Answer A

Statement I is correct: A healthy food web has an abundance of autotrophs,

many herbivores, and relatively few carnivores and omnivores. This balance helps
the ecosystem maintain and recycle biomass.Statement II is correct: In the Lack of
QE pyramid of biomass, the energy transferred through the chain from producers to content
consumers is partially converted to biomass and the rest is lost largely through
metabolic processes such as heat. Hence, Statement II is the correct
explanation for Statement I.
A pyramid of biomass measures the total amount of biomass in each trophic level
of an ecosystem instead of using the total population of every species. Biomass
pyramids can be upright or inverted, depending on the ecosystem. For example, Lack of
QF
it’s common for marine ecosystems to have an inverted pyramid structure because conceptual
the mass of phytoplankton typically has lower biomass compared to large fish and clarity
other heterotrophs.

Trophic Levels and Food Chains Negligence

Source
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/food-web/ Lack of
revision

70. Answer A

Biogeochemical cycles are natural pathways, in which elements are circulated Lack of
between biotic and abiotic factors. content
There are two types:
1. Gaseous cycle - in which the reservoir is the earth's atmosphere.
2. Sedimentary cycle in which the reservoir is Earth's crust.
Statement 1 is correct: Gaseous cycles tend to move more rapidly than
sedimentary ones and to adjust more readily to changes in the biosphere because
of the large atmospheric reservoir. Thus, gaseous cycles are considered more
QE
efficient as compared to sedimentary cycles. Statement 2 is incorrect: Gaseous Lack of
and sedimentary cycles cannot be separated completely from each other since they conceptual
are interconnected due to the exchange of elements between the atmosphere and clarity
earth crust. For example, even though the sulphur cycle is a sedimentary cycle,
hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide are the gaseous components of it.
Statement 3 is incorrect: Since the gaseous cycle moves more rapidly than the
sedimentary cycle, the carbon cycle (gaseous) is faster than the phosphorus cycle
(sedimentary).
PK Tips PYQ: Biogeochemical cycle (2021)
Negligence

Source Biogeochemical cycle | Definition & Facts | Britannica Lack of

revision

71. Answer A

Option 1 is incorrect: Polyethylene terephthalate is a common plastic in many

products, such as viscose rayon for clothing and packaging material in the food
and beverage industries. They are not biodegradable. Option 2 is correct:
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) is a biodegradable polymer that is produced by Lack of
QE bacteria and archaea as carbon and energy reserves and can be used in the content
production of plastic bags, spoons, etc.Option 3 is incorrect: Polyethylene, or
polythene, is the most widely used plastic in the world, being made into products
ranging from clear food wrap and shopping bags to detergent bottles and
automobile fuel tanks. It’s not biodegradable.

26
 Polyhydroxybutyrates (PHBs) accumulate in many microorganisms as energy- and
carbon-storage compounds in nutrient-limited conditions.PHB can be used in the Lack of
QF manufacture of pots, spoons, and plastic bags and possesses properties similar to conceptual
polypropylene. PHB finds numerous applications in packaging. It can be used to
clarity
prepare films or mould objects. They are compatible with various food products
like beverages, dairy, meat, etc. So far, the large-scale application of PHB as
packaging material is hampered by its high cost.
PK Tips PYQ: Question on Polyethylene terephthalate(2022)
Negligence
Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB)-Based Biodegradable Polymer from Agromyces
Source indicus: Enhanced Production, Characterization, and Optimization - PMC Lack of
revision

72. Answer B

Point source pollution is any single identifiable source of pollution from which
pollutants are discharged. Examples are municipal waste management plants,
active mines, industrial effluents, etc.Point-source pollution is easy to identify.
As the name suggests, it comes from a single place. Nonpoint-source pollution Lack of
QE content
is the opposite of point-source pollution, with pollutants released in a wide area.
Nonpoint-source pollution is harder to identify and harder to address. It is
pollution that comes from many places, all at once. Non-point sources include
abandoned mines, agricultural runoff, etc.
Lack of
In this question, there is an element of subjectivity with the options of agricultural conceptual
fields and active mines, whether they are a point source of pollution or not.Mining clarity
activities lead to pollution. Active mines are considered point sources of pollution
since we can identify the origin of the pollution and they are confined to a narrow
PK Tips
area. But drainage or runoff from abandoned mining operations often adds to
nonpoint-source pollution.Agricultural fields are wider areas, and it is not easy to
point out the source of pollution from them. So it is considered nonpoint-source Negligence
pollution.

Source Point Source and Nonpoint Sources of Pollution Lack of

revision

73. Answer C

All statements are correct. The water hyacinth is a free-floating perennial

hydrophyte native to South America.It can completely cover lakes and wetlands,
outcompeting native aquatic species, reducing oxygen levels for fish, and creating Lack of
QE content
an ideal habitat for disease-carrying mosquitoes. It is also effective in removing
stains, suspended solids, organic matter, and heavy metals,thus purifying the
water.
Water hyacinth is an aquatic plant that absorbs lead to supply nutrition for
growth. Hence, it is easily found in highly polluted rivers. It becomes an indicator
of river pollution.Water hyacinth has a high nutritional value and is useful for
animal feed and fertiliser. The high rate of minerals and water contents is useful Lack of
QF for animal feed. This aquatic plant contains high levels of phosphorus, nitrogen, conceptual
and potassium. It has to be processed as compost before being used as clarity
fertiliser.Water hyacinth is also used as a natural energy source. This plant can
be processed as bioenergy, a fuel made from processing plants (biomass). It
produces biogas that can be used for domestic fuel.

PK Tips Invasive species is a hot topic for UPSC.

Negligence

Source Water: Red Hills Reservoir Can Breathe Now | - Times of India Lack of
revision

74. Answer D

27
 Statement 1 is incorrect: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB),a statutory
organisation, was constituted in September 1974 under the Water (Prevention and Lack of
QE Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.Statement 2 is incorrect: The Appointments content
Committee of the Cabinet of the Government of India appoints the chairman of
the Central Pollution Control Board. It’s usually a senior bureaucrat.
Lack of
The UPSC often asks about various bodies and their mandates.PYQ: In 2020,
PK Tips conceptual
UPSC asked about the Central Ground Water Authority.
clarity

Negligence
Source Central Pollution Control Board

Lack of
revision

75. Answer A

Option (a) is correct: Biosparging is an in-situ remediation technology that uses

indigenous microorganisms to biodegrade organic constituents in the saturated
zone. In biosparging, air and nutrients are injected into the saturated zone to
increase the biological activity of the indigenous microorganisms.Option (b) is
incorrect: Bioventing is a process of stimulating the natural in situ Lack of
QE content
biodegradation of contaminants in soil by providing air or oxygen to existing soil
microorganisms.Option (c) is incorrect: Bioaugmentation is the introduction of
microorganisms such as archaea or bacterial cultures to speed up the breakdown
of a contaminant.Option (d) is incorrect: Phytoremediation is an approach where
plants are used to remove harmful pollutants from the environment.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity

Bioremediation techniques–classification based on site of application: Negligence

Source
principles, advantages, limitations and prospects

Lack of
revision

76. Answer C

Water borne diseases are illnesses caused by microscopic organisms, like viruses
and bacteria, that are ingested through contaminated water or by coming in Lack of
QE contact with faeces. Examples include typhoid, shigellosis, cholera, amoebic content
dysentery, etc. Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory
tract infection caused by Bordetella pertusis. It’s an airborne disease.
Shigellosis is a form of bacterial diarrhoea caused by the gramme-negative
bacteria Shigella species. It results from contaminated food, poor sanitation Lack of
conditions, or direct person-to-person contact. Shigella can cause infections in all conceptual
age groups.Typhoid fever is a bacterial infection that can spread throughout clarity
the body, affecting many organs. Without prompt treatment, it can cause
serious complications and be fatal. It's caused by a bacterium called Salmonella
QF
typhi, which is related to the bacteria that cause salmonella food
poisoning.Amoebic dysentery is caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba
histolytica. Invasive intestinal parasitic infection can result in symptoms of Negligence
fulminan dysentery, such as fever, chills, bloody or mucous diarrhoea, and
abdominal discomfort. The dysentery can alternate with periods of constipation or
remission.

The UPSC often asks about different diseases. PYQ: In 2017, UPSC asked about
PK Tips
Zika.
Lack of
revision
7 Most Common Waterborne Diseases (and How to Prevent Them) -
Source
Lifewater International

77. Answer C

28
 Statement 1 is correct: India banned the manufacture, distribution, stocking,
sale, and use of selected 19 single-use plastic items with effect from July 1, 2022.
Statement 2 is correct: If plastic is non-biodegradable, it does break down until
it is no longer visible to the naked eye. As a result micro and nano plastic particles
are formed. Statement 3 is incorrect: While India does rank top among the Lack of
QE content
producers of single-use plastics, it's based on total production and not on a per
capita basis.Statement 4 is correct: Under Project REPLAN (REducing PLAstic
from Nature), plastic waste is de-structured, degraded, diluted, and used with
paper pulp while making handmade paper, thus reducing plastic waste from
nature.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity
India sets global example with ban on single-use plastic items | Mint Negligence
Source
Lack of
revision

78. Answer C

Organophosphorus (OP) pesticides (malathion, parathion, diazinon, phosmet,

etc.) are among the most widely used pesticides in the India for both agricultural Lack of
QE content
and residential applications. People are exposed to organophosphorus insecticides
by eating foods treated with these chemicals.

Lack of
conceptual
clarity

30 Pesticide Compounds Found In Vembanad Soil | Kochi News - Times of

Source
India
Negligence

Lack of
revision

79. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: The Stockholm Convention is a multilateral treaty to

protect human health and the environment from chemicals, known as Persistent
Organic Pollutants (POPs).Statement 2 is correct: Aldrin and dieldrin,which are Lack of
QE POPs, are broad-spectrum insecticides that are used for termite content
control.Statement 3 is correct: The use of DDT in the agriculture sector has been
banned by the Indian Government . But the use of DDT is allowed for vector
control.
Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are organic chemical substances; that is,
Lack of
they are carbon-based. They possess a particular combination of physical and
QF conceptual
chemical properties such that, once released into the environment, they remain
clarity
intact for exceptionally long periods of time (many years).

Negligence
Source Stockholm Convention
Lack of
revision

80. Answer D

Statement I is incorrect: As per the Hazardous Waste Management Rules, 2016,

no country can export to India hazardous waste for final disposal. This means that
India only imports hazardous waste in order to recycle, reuse, or for other Lack of
QE purposes.Statement II is correct: Hazardous Wastes (Management and content
Handling) Rules, 2016 have been made to distinguish between hazardous waste
and other waste. Other wastes include waste tyres, paper waste, metal scrap, used
electronic items, etc., and are recognised as resources for recycling and reuse.

29
 These resources supplement the industrial processes and reduce the load on the
virgin resources of the country.
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous
Wastes and Their Disposal was adopted in 1989 and came into force in 1992. It
Lack of
is the most comprehensive global environmental agreement on hazardous wastes
QF conceptual
and other wastes. The Basel Convention regulates the transboundary movements
clarity
of hazardous wastes and other wastes and obliges its parties to ensure that such
wastes are managed and disposed of in an environmentally sound manner.
Negligence
Hazardous Waste Management Rules
Source Lack of
revision

81. Answer D

Statement 1 is incorrect : PFAS (per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances), also

known as the Forever Chemicals, are a large chemical family of over 4,700 highly
persistent chemicals that don’t occur in nature. All fluorine-containing Lack of
QE compounds do not fall under the category of forever chemicals. Statement 2 is content
incorrect : Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6) is a synthetic fluorinated compound with
an extremely stable molecular structure. It is also the most potent greenhouse gas
known to-date. But it is not a forever chemical.
Nonstick cookware, such as frying pans and saucepans, gets coated with a
material called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon.Teflon
is a synthetic chemical made up of carbon and fluorine atoms. It was first created Lack of
QF in the 1930s and provides a nonreactive, nonstick, and almost frictionless conceptual
surface.Teflon also has several other applications. It is also used to make wire and clarity
cable coatings, fabric and carpet protectors, and waterproof fabrics for outdoor
clothing such as raincoats.

Negligence
Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances (PFAS) Factsheet | National
Source
Biomonitoring Program | CDC.
Lack of
revision

82. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: All types of asbestos cause lung cancer, mesothelioma,

cancer of the larynx and ovary, and asbestosis (fibrosis of the lungs). It’s primarily
linked to long-term exposure by occupation or residence.Statement 2 is correct:
Dioxins are found throughout the world in the environment and they accumulate Lack of
QE in the food chain, mainly in the fatty tissue of animals.Statement 3 is correct: content
Excessive fluoride intake usually occurs through the consumption of groundwater
rich in fluoride. Such exposure may lead to dental fluorosis or crippling skeletal
fluorosis, which is associated with osteosclerosis, calcification of tendons and
ligaments, and bone deformities.
Asbestos is the name given to a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals
Lack of
that are resistant to heat and corrosion. Because of these properties, asbestos
QF conceptual
has been used in commercial products such as insulation and fireproofing
clarity
materials, automotive brakes, and wallboard materials.

PK Tips PYQ- Question related to the constitutional status of India in 1950 (2021) Negligence

Lack of
Source Dioxins and their effects on human health
revision

83. Answer B

The UnPlastic is a voluntary initiative spearheaded by WWF India, UNEP India,

and the Confederation of Indian Industry. The word ‘un-plastic’ specifically refers Lack of
QE content
to moving all types of plastics in a circular economy and removing unnecessary
plastic in the long run while using sustainable alternative materials.

30
 The World Wide Fund for Nature is a Swiss-based international non-governmental Lack of
organisation founded in 1961 that works in the field of wilderness preservation conceptual
and the reduction of human impact on the environment.Greenpeace is a global clarity
QF
network of independent campaigning organisations that use peaceful protest and
creative confrontation to expose global environmental problems and promote
solutions that are essential to a green, just, and joyful future. Negligence

Source The Un-Plastic Collective Lack of

revision

84. Answer B

Thermal cleaning is a combined process involving pyrolysis and oxidation. As an

industrial application, thermal cleaning is used to remove organic substances Lack of
QE content
such as polymers, plastics and coatings from parts, products or production
components.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity
Source Thermal cleaning Negligence

Lack of
revision

85. Answer C

Statement 1 is correct: Mosses prefer growing on firmly packed, acidic soils with
a pH between 5.0 and 5.5. Therefore, the presence of mosses in a particular soil
can indicate that the soil is acidic in nature. It is also used successfully as an Lack of
QE indicator of air pollution by elements in urban areas. Statement 2 is correct: content
Because of their permeable skin, amphibious lifestyle, and complex life cycle,
frogs and toads are excellent indicators of ecosystem health.

Moss is any of at least 12,000 species of small, nonvascular spore-bearing land

QF plants. Mosses are distributed throughout the world except in salt water and are
commonly found in moist, shady locations.

Lack of
conceptual
clarity
These animals offer key clues for environmental change | National
Source
Geographic Negligence

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revision

86. Answer B

Statement 1 is correct: Sumatran rhinoceros, at present, are found on the

Indonesian islands of Sumatra and Borneo only.Statement 2 is incorrect: Asiatic
cheetahs are found naturally only in the central deserts of Iran.Statement 3 is Lack of
QE content
correct: Javan rhinos are the most threatened of the five rhino species, with only
around 70 individuals that live only in Ujung Kulon National Park in Java,
Indonesia.
The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is the fastest land mammal and can move at a
speed of up to 103 km per hour over a distance of hundreds of metres. Cheetahs
mostly hunt during the day, and their main prey comprises small- to mid-size
ungulates, especially gazelles.. Three species of rhino—black, Javan, and
Lack of
Sumatran—are critically endangered. Today, a small population of Javan rhinos
QF conceptual
is found in only one national park on the northern tip of the Indonesian island of
clarity
Java. A mainland subspecies of the Javan rhino was declared extinct in Vietnam
in 2011. Successful conservation efforts have led to an increase in the number of
greater one-horned (or Indian) rhinos, from around 200 at the turn of the 20th
century to around 3,700 today. However, the species still remains under threat

31
 from poaching for its horn and from habitat loss and degradation.In Africa,
southern white rhinos, once thought to be extinct, now thrive in protected
sanctuaries and are classified as near-threatening. But the western black rhino
and northern white rhino have recently become extinct in the wild. The only two
remaining northern white rhinos are kept under 24-hour guard at Ol Pejeta
Conservancy in Kenya. Black rhinos have doubled in number over the past two
decades from their low point of fewer than 2,500 individuals, but total numbers
are still a fraction of the estimated 100,000 that existed in the early part of the
20th century.

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Sumatran Rhino | Species | WWF
Source
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/javan-rhino Lack of
revision

87. Answer C

The Blue winged parakeet is an endemic bird species in western ghats.Amur

falcon, Great white pelican and Great Flamingoes are migratory birds.Amur
falcons arrive in the northeastern parts of India from Siberia via the Central Asian
Flyway. (Central Asian Flyway: connects northern Asia with southern Asia and the Lack of
QE Middle East.).The Great White Pelican is mostly found in Africa and parts of Saudi content
Arabia during the non-breeding season. During the breeding season, it migrates
to central Asia and Europe, including India (Pulicat Lake).Greater flamingos
migrate during the winter to India for breeding (they usually visit the Mumbai
Metropolitan Region in November).
Lack of
PYQ: With reference to India’s biodiversity, Ceylon Frogmouth, Coppersmith
PK Tips conceptual
Barbet, Gray Chinned Minivet and White-throated Redstart are: (2020)
clarity

Negligence
Meet the Indian villages battling adversity to protect migratory birds -
Source
BirdLife International Lack of
revision

88. Answer D

Option 1 and option 2 are correct: Oil destroys the insulating ability of fur on
mammals and impacts the water-repelling qualities of a bird’s feathers. Without
the insulation or water-repelling qualities, mammals and birds can die from
hypothermia.Option 3 is correct: Chronic oil toxicity impedes coral reproduction, Lack of
QE content
growth, behaviour, and development. The time of year when a spill happens is
critical since coral reproduction and early life stages are particularly sensitive to
oil.Option 4 is correct: Dolphins can inhale oil, which has an impact on their
immune systems and can impact reproduction.
There are species of marine bacteria in several families, including Marinobacter,
Lack of
Oceanospirillales, Pseudomonas, and Alkanivorax, that can eat compounds
QF conceptual
from petroleum as part of their diet. In fact, there are at least seven species of
clarity
bacteria that can survive solely on oil.

Negligence
Source How to manage the damage from oil spills
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revision

89. Answer C

Golden langur is one of the most endangered primate species, found in a small
region of western Assam (India) and the neighbouring foothills of the Black Lack of
QE Mountain in Bhutan.Chakrashila Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Kokrajhar content
district and some adjacent areas of Dhubri district of Assam. It is famous for the
golden langur and is the second protected habitat for the golden langur in India.
Gibbons, the smallest and fastest of all apes, live in tropical and subtropical Lack of
QF forests in the southeastern part of Asia. The hoolock gibbon is India’s only ape. It conceptual
is unique to India’s northeast and is one of 20 species of gibbons on Earth. clarity

32
 PK Tips PYQ: Protected area for the conservation of Barasingha (2020) Negligence

Chakrasila Wildlife Sanctuary | Dhubri District | Government Of Assam, Lack of

Source
India revision

90. Answer C

Primary, or autogenic succession starts on sites like soil or bare rock surfaces that
have never been occupied by any vegetation.Succession starting on dry, rocky
material is called xerach succession, and if it starts in a waterbody, it is termed
as hydrach succession. Mesarch succession is initiated when successions start Lack of
QE in moist, well-aerated soils. Hence, statement 1 is correct.The climax stage is of content
a permanent nature and arises when the vegetation is in complete harmony with
the environment or prevailing circumstances. Hence, further succession does not
occur after reaching climax until any disturbance occurs. Hence, statement 2 is
correct.
Lack of
conceptual
clarity
Source Making way
Negligence
Lack of
revision

91. Answer B

A primary pollutant is a directly emitted harmful substance from human activities

or natural sources, such as sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides,
particulate matter, and volatile organic compounds.Option 1 is correct: Benzene
is considered a primary pollutant because it is directly emitted into the
atmosphere as a result of various human activities and natural processes.Option Lack of
QE 2 is correct: Sulphur dioxide (SO2) is considered a primary pollutant because it content
is directly emitted into the atmosphere from various anthropogenic (human-made)
and natural sources. Like other primary pollutants, SO2 is released directly into
the air without undergoing significant chemical transformations in the
atmosphere.Option 3 is incorrect: Peroxyacetyl nitrate (PAN) is a secondary
pollutant present in photochemical smog.
Lack of
A secondary pollutant is not directly emitted as such but forms when other conceptual
QF
pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere. clarity

Negligence

Source Glossary: Primary & Secondary pollutant Lack of

Revsion

92. Answer C

Option 1 is correct: Lead can interfere with the production of haemoglobin, the
molecule responsible for carrying oxygen in red blood cells. This can result in
anaemia and a decreased ability of the blood to carry oxygenOption 2 is correct:
Lead exposure is particularly harmful to the developing nervous systems of
Lack of
children. Even low levels of lead exposure can lead to permanent cognitive and
QE content
behavioural impairments, including learning disabilities and developmental delays.
High levels of exposure to lead can severely damage the brain and central nervous
system, causing coma, convulsions, and even death.Option 3 is correct: Lead
exposure has been associated with an increased risk of hypertension (high blood
pressure) in adults. It can affect the cardiovascular system and lead to various
health problems, including high blood pressure.

33
 Exposure to lead also results in gastro-intestinal issues, kidney failure, Lack of
QF
reproductive issues, joint and muscle pain, etc. conceptual
clarity

Source Lead poisoning Negligence

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93. Answer B

The System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting and Research (SAFAR) is
released by the Ministry of Earth Science. Pollutants monitored through SAFAR
include particulate matter, ozone, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur
dioxide, ammonia, and volatile organic compounds.Option 1 is correct: Benzene,
a volatile organic compound (VOC), a known air pollutant, is a component often
measured in air quality monitoring.Option 2 is correct: Measuring ozone is Lack of
QE integral to air quality monitoring programmes like SAFAR, as it provides valuable content
data for assessing health risks, ensuring regulatory compliance, understanding
pollution sources, and communicating air quality conditions to the public.Option
3 is incorrect: Lead is not typically measured in programmes like SAFAR because,
historically, one major source of atmospheric lead, leaded gasoline, has been
phased out in many regions, leading to significantly reduced lead emissions.
Monitoring programmes often prioritise pollutants with higher current emissions
and a greater impact on public health.

At Earth's surface, ozone (O3) is an air pollutant that is not directly emitted into
Lack of
the air, but instead is formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere when
QF conceptual
ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun interacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO2
clarity
+ NO) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

PK Tips Compare SAFAR with Air quality Index

Negligence

SAFAR - India
Source Lack of
revision

94. Answer A

Statement 1 is correct: Photochemical smog, also known as Los Angeles smog,

is a mixture of pollutants that are formed when nitrogen oxides and volatile
Lack of
QE organic compounds (VOCs) react to sunlight, creating a brown haze above cities.
content
So fog and smoke are not required.Option 2 is incorrect: Photochemical smog
requires the presence of sunlight, so it is more frequent in the summer season.

Sulphurous smog, which is also called “London smog,” results from a high
concentration of sulphur oxides in the air and is caused by the use of sulphur-
QF
bearing fossil fuels, particularly coal. This type of smog is aggravated by dampness Lack of
and a high concentration of suspended particulate matter in the air. conceptual
clarity

Source EPA Information - Photochemical smog — what it means for us

Negligence
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revision

95. Answer A

34
 Pair 1 is incorrectly matched: Silicosis mainly affects workers exposed to silica
in the mining and construction industries. Pair 2 is correctly matched:
Lack of
QE Anthracosis is a lung condition characterised by the accumulation of coal dust
content
particles in the lungs, often observed in individuals exposed to coal dust or other
forms of carbonaceous material over an extended period. Pair 3 is incorrectly
matched: Byssinosis is an occupational disease caused by the inhalation of
cotton. It affects people working in the textile industry.
Other occupational diseases are
○ Asbestosis: Caused due to the prolonged inhalation of asbestos fibres. Black
Lack of
Lung Disease (Coal Worker Pneumoconiosis): Caused due to the inhalation of
QF conceptual
coal dust, prevalent in coal mining occupationsOccupational Dermatitis:
clarity
Caused by the contact with irritants or allergens in the workplace, leading to
skin inflammation

Negligence
Source Occupational disease | Definition, Causes, & Facts | Britannica
Lack of
revision

96. Answer A

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Mangrove Alliance for Climate is spearheaded by

the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia. India is a member of the
initiative.Statement 2 is correct: It seeks to encourage the social and private Lack of
QE sectors to support the efforts of blue carbon solutions and the plantation efforts content
of mangroves.Statement 3 is incorrect: It was launched during COP27 held in
Sharm El Sheikh,Egypt.

Mangroves are tropical plants that are adapted to loose, wet soils, salt water, and
Lack of
being periodically submerged by tides. Four major factors appear to limit the
QF conceptual
distribution of mangroves: climate, salt water, tidal fluctuation, and soil type.
clarity
There are more than 50 species of mangroves found throughout the world.
Negligence
Source https://mangrovealliance4climate.org/about/
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revision

97. Answer B

Lack of
content
Boreal forest is characterised by the abundance of coniferous evergreen trees.The
dark colour of the leaves helps the trees in boreal forest absorb as much of the Lack of
QE conceptual
sun’s light as possible.The soils in the boreal forest are acidic in nature.The
world’s largest boreal forest,stretching about 5800 kilometres, is found in Russia. clarity
Negligence
Lack of
Source taiga
revision

98. Answer A

Eutrophication is the process in which water bodies get excess nutrients from the
surface runoff which fertilise the aquatic ecosystem. Option 1 is correct: It leads
to algal blooms in water bodies due to the high influx of nutrients.Option 2 is
incorrect: Eutrophication sets off a chain reaction in the ecosystem, starting with
an overabundance of algae and plants. The excess algae and plant matter
eventually decompose, producing large amounts of carbon dioxide. This lowers Lack of
QE content
the pH of seawater and makes it acidic (ocean acidification).Option 3 is
incorrect: Algae grows and blocks sunlight. Plants die without sunlight.
Eventually, the algae dies too. Bacteria digest the dead plants, using up the
remaining oxygen and giving off carbon dioxide. Therefore, eutrophication
leads to higher consumption of dissolved oxygen and thus reduces the level of
dissolved oxygen.
Acidification slows the growth of fish and shellfish and can prevent shell Lack of
QF formation in bivalve mollusks. This leads to a reduced catch for commercial and conceptual
recreational fisheries, meaning smaller harvests and more expensive seafood. clarity

35
 Negligence
Source What is eutrophication?
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revision

99. Answer A

Statement 1 is correct: Corals are considered animals since they do not make
their own food. Statement 2 is incorrect: Deep sea corals (black corals) are Lack of
QE found at depth beyond 6000 metres. Statement 3 is incorrect: Coral reefs are content
present in the areas of the Gulf of Kutch, the Gulf of Mannar, Andaman & Nicobar,
the Lakshadweep Islands and Malvan.

The Gulf of Mannar, endowed with three distinct coastal ecosystems, namely coral
reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves, is considered one of the world’s richest
regions from a marine biodiversity perspective. It is known for its unique biological Lack of
QF wealth and is a storehouse of marine diversity of global significance. The sea conceptual
bottom of the inshore area around the islands is carpeted with seagrass beds, clarity
which serve as ideal feeding grounds for Dugong dugon, the endangered
herbivorous marine mammal.

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Deep-sea Corals | Smithsonian Ocean
Source Lack of
ESSO-INCOIS-Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services
revision

100. Answer D

Thousands of species of birds, mammals, fish, and other wildlife depend on

estuarine habitats as places to live, feed, and reproduce.Many species of fish Lack of
QE content
and wildlife rely on the sheltered waters of estuaries as protected spawning
places due to which estuaries are often called the "nurseries of the sea".
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conceptual
clarity
Source Basic Information about Estuaries | US EPA Negligence

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