Biodiversity and Conservation MCQ Quiz - Objective Question with Answer for Biodiversity and Conservation - Download Free PDF

Key Points

• Sacred Groves are patches of forest or natural vegetation that are conserved by local communities due to religious and cultural practices.
• These groves often act as repositories of biodiversity, housing rare and endemic species of flora and fauna.
• Similar to biosphere reserves, Sacred Groves help in the conservation of ecosystems and promote sustainable interaction between humans and nature.
• They are often protected by traditional laws and serve as natural habitats for many species, supporting the idea of harmonious coexistence.

Important Points

• Biosphere reserves are designated areas that aim to conserve biodiversity while fostering sustainable development for local communities.
• They are recognized under UNESCO's "Man and Biosphere Program" and consist of three zones: core, buffer, and transition zones.
• Like Sacred Groves, biosphere reserves also emphasize the importance of protecting nature while maintaining cultural and social integrity.

The correct answer is A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV

Explanation:

• A. The Evil Quartet - III. Causes of biodiversity losses:
  • The "Evil Quartet" refers to four major causes of biodiversity loss: habitat destruction, overexploitation, invasive species, and co-extinctions.
  • These factors collectively threaten the survival of various species and ecosystems globally.
• B. Ex situ conservation - I. Cryopreservation:
  • Ex situ conservation involves conserving biodiversity outside their natural habitats, such as in seed banks, botanical gardens, or through cryopreservation.
  • Cryopreservation is a technique used for freezing and storing genetic material (like seeds or embryos) at very low temperatures for future use.
• C. Lantana camara - II. Alien species invasion:
  • Lantana camara is an invasive alien species that disrupts native ecosystems by competing with native flora and causing ecological imbalances.
  • Alien species invasions are a major contributor to biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation.
  • The environmental damage caused and threat posed to our native species by invasive weed species like carrot grass (Parthenium), Lantana and water hyacinth (Eicchornia).
• D. Dodo - IV. Extinction:
  • The Dodo is an example of a species that has gone extinct due to human activities such as hunting and habitat destruction.
  • Extinction is the complete loss of a species, often driven by factors like overexploitation, invasive species, and habitat destruction.

The correct answer is Zoos and botanical gardens

Concept:

• Conservation of biodiversity can be broadly classified into two methods: in-situ conservation and ex-situ conservation.
  • In-situ conservation: It refers to the conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats, along with the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings. It includes protected areas such as Biosphere reserves, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries where ecosystems and species are conserved in their natural
  • Ex-situ conservation: It involves the conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats. It is often used for species that are at high risk of extinction in the wild. Examples include zoos, botanical gardens, wildlife safari and seed banks.

Explanation:

• Zoos and botanical gardens: These are examples of ex-situ conservation. They involve the preservation of species outside their natural habitats. Here, animals and plants are provided with a controlled environment that mimics their natural surroundings as much as possible. These facilities play a crucial role in breeding programs, research, public education, and reintroducing species into the wild when conditions permit.
  • Zoos: Focus on preserving and breeding animal species.
  • Botanical gardens: Aim to conserve diverse plant species, including rare and endangered ones.

The correct answer is IUCN

Explanation:

• The IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) is responsible for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, which assesses the conservation status of species worldwide.
• According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) (2004), the total number of plant and animal species described so far is slightly more than 1.5 million but we have no clear idea of how many species are yet to be discovered and described.
• The IUCN Red List (2004) documents the extinction of 784 species (including 338 vertebrates, 359 invertebrates and 87 plants) in the last 500 years.
• Some examples of recent extinctions include the dodo (Mauritius), quagga (Africa), thylacine (Australia), Steller’s Sea Cow (Russia) and three subspecies (Bali, Javan, Caspian) of tiger.

Other options:

• GEAC (Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee): This is a body in India focused on the regulation of genetic engineering and its products.
• WWF (World Wildlife Fund): While WWF is involved in conservation efforts and can release reports on species, it is not the primary organization responsible for the global list of endangered species.
• FOAM (Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements): This organization is concerned with organic farming and agriculture, not specifically with endangered species lists.

The correct answer is A-III, B-I, C-IV, D-II

Explanation:

A. Robert May → III. Global species diversity at about 7 million

• Robert May made significant contributions to our understanding of population dynamics and global species diversity. He estimated global species diversity to be around 7 million.

B. Alexander von Humboldt → I. Species-Area relationship

• Alexander von Humboldt discovered the species-area relationship, which describes how the number of species increases with the area surveyed.

C. Paul Ehrlich → IV. Rivet popper hypothesis

• Paul Ehrlich is known for the Rivet popper hypothesis, which compares ecosystem stability to the rivets in an airplane hull, suggesting that losing too many species (rivets) can lead to ecosystem collapse.

D. David Tilman → II. Long term ecosystem experiment using outdoor plots

• David Tilman is known for conducting long term ecosystem experiments using outdoor plots to study biodiversity and ecosystem function.

Key Points

• Extinct species refer to those that have no living individual on Earth now.

• Extinction of a species can be caused by various natural and man-made reasons.

  • Invasion of non-native species - When new species are brought into their habitat from other external habitats.
  • Overexploitation of resources - When all the natural resources like food or water are exhausted due to overuse or over-crowding.
  • Pollution - Environmental pollution like air, water or soil pollution.
  • Global environment change - like global warming, rising of sea levels, etc.

Important Points

• Dodo was a flightless bird that lived on the island of Mauritius.
• It nested on the ground and were more vulnerable.
• It did not have any natural predator in its habitat, so it was not afraid of humans.
• When Portuguese and Dutch sailors landed on this island, the birds were discovered for the first time.
• They started killing these birds for its flesh.
• The sailors used them for food because they were easy source for fresh meat.
• The bird population started decreasing because of this.
• As human settlements increased, the bird's natural habitat was also lost.
• This led to the ultimate extinction of the bird.
• The last Dodo was killed in 1681.

Additional Information

• Some other animals that went extinct due to overexploitation are:
  • Quagga from South Africa
  • Stellar's Sea Cow from Russia
  • Thylacine from Australia

Explanation:

• Endemic species are those species of plants and animals which are found exclusively in a particular area or specific habitat.
• They are not naturally found anywhere else. A particular type of animal or plant may be endemic to a zone, a state or a country.
• The destruction of their habitat, increasing population and introduction of new species may affect the natural habitat of endemic species and endanger their existence.
• Examples - Sal and wild mango are endemic flora of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve while Bison, Indian giant squirrel and flying squirrel are endemic fauna of this area.
• Thereby, from the above points, it is clear that the only true statement about the endemic species among the given options is ''They are found exclusively in specific habitat''.

Additional Information 

Some of the important Endemic species of India are:

• Asiatic Lion in Gir Forest.
• Nilgiri Tahr in Nilgiri Hills.
• Sangai Deer in Loktak Lake.
• Purple Frog in the Western Ghats.
• Kashmir Stag in Kashmir Valley.
• Lion Tailed Macaque in the Western Ghats.
• Pygmy Hog in Assam.
• Malabar Civet in the Western Ghats.

Concept: 

• The diversity of creatures in an ecosystem is referred to as biodiversity.
• However, an ecosystem's biodiversity is lost when the available resources are overused, the habitat is fragmented, or an alien species invades the area.

Explanation:

Option 1: 

• Natality refers to the number of births during a given period in the population that are added to the initial density. 
• Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option 2: 

• When the population surpasses its carrying capacity, there is a dramatic surge in population.
• This is called population explosion. Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option 3:  

• Competition can be defined as a process whereby one species' fitness is significantly lower in the presence of another species. 
• Therefore, this is the incorrect option.

Option 4: 

• Habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation, alien species invasion, and co-extinction are causes of biodiversity loss.
• Habitat loss and fragmentation lead to the extinction of plants and animals.
• Over-exploitation leads to the loss of flora and fauna. Example: Many marine fish populations around the world are overharvested, endangering the continued existence of some commercially important species.
• Alien species invasions: When alien species are introduced unintentionally or deliberately for whatever purpose, some of them turn invasive, and cause the decline or extinction of indigenous species.
• For example, the Nile perch introduced into Lake Victoria in east Africa led eventually to the extinction of an ecologically unique assemblage of more than 200 species of cichlid fish in the lake.
• Co-extinctions: When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in an obligatory way also become extinct.
• For example, When a host fish species becomes extinct, its unique assemblage of parasites also meets the same fate.

So, the correct answer is option 4.

Concept:

• Biodiversity has been defined by Edward Wilson as the combined diversity of all the levels of biological organization.
• It has taken millions of years to accumulate the current biodiversity that we observe on Earth today.
• However, biodiversity is not uniformly distributed throughout the world.
• There are certain patterns of distribution, which can be explained by:
  • Latitudinal Gradients - This shows that species diversity decreases as we move away from the equator.
  • Species-area relationship - This is a mathematical approach to explain the relation between species richness and the area covered.

Important PointsStatement A - INCORRECT

• Species diversity gradually decreases as we move away from the equator.
• This indicates that the tropics (23.5°N to 23.5°S) would have the greatest biodiversity.

Statement B - CORRECT

• The tropical Amazonian rain forests have the highest biodiversity on Earth as they lie near the equator.
• They are believed to have the following number of species:
  • Plants - 40,000
  • Fishes - 3,000
  • Birds - 1,300
  • Mammals - 427
  • Amphibians - 427
  • Reptiles - 378
  • Invertebrates - 1,25,000
• It is also estimated that about 2 million insects are yet to be discovered from these rain forests.

Statement C - INCORRECT

• The tropics receive more solar energy, which leads to higher productivity.
• This higher productivity supports greater biodiversity.

Statement D - CORRECT

• The tropics are less seasonal, meaning they have a more or less constant and predictable environment.
• These constant conditions promote niche specialization for species.

Statement E - INCORRECT

• Alexander von Humboldt proposed the species-area relationship.
• According to this, within a specific region, species richness increases with increasing explored area but only up to a limit.
• ​It can be mathematically expressed as the following equation: 
  • S = CA^Z

  • where, S = Species richness, A = Area, Z = Regression coefficient or slope of the line, C = Y-intercept​

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

The correct answer is Ocean.

Key Points

• The Ocean is the largest existing ecosystem on our planet. Hence the correct is Ocean.
• It covers over 71% of the Earth's surface.
• It is a source of livelihood for over 3 billion people.
• The ocean also works as the primary “lung” of our planet, releasing more oxygen into the atmosphere, notably through marine plants, than all the forests in the world, and absorbing 30% of the carbon dioxide produced by humans.

Additional Information

Forest:

• A forest ecosystem describes the community of plants, animals, microbes, and all other organisms in interaction with their environment's chemical and physical features.

Grasslands: 

• Grasslands in the wider sense are the largest terrestrial ecosystems in the world.
• Their area is estimated at 52.5 million square kilometres, or 40.5 per cent of the terrestrial area excluding Greenland and Antarctica (World Resources Institute, 2000, based on IGBP data).

River Ecosystem:

• River ecosystems are flowing waters that drain the landscape, and include the biotic (living) interactions amongst plants, animals and micro-organisms, as well as abiotic (nonliving) physical and chemical interactions of its many parts.

The correct option is ''Alien species invasion''

Concept:

• Causes of biodiversity losses: The accelerated rates of species extinctions that the world is facing now are largely due to human activities.
• There are four major causes called ''The Evil Quartet'' - Over-Exploitation, Alien species invasion, Habitat loss and fragmentation & Co-extinction.

Explanation:

Alien species invasions:

• When alien species are introduced unintentionally or deliberately for whatever purpose, some of them turn invasive and cause the decline or extinction of indigenous species.
• The Nile perch introduced into Lake Victoria in east Africa led eventually to the extinction of an ecologically unique assemblage of more than 200 species of cichlid fish in the lake.
• The introduction of African catfish Clarias gariepinus for aquaculture purposes is posing a threat to the indigenous catfishes in our rivers.

Additional Information 

The other three major causes for biodiversity loss:

Over-exploitation:

• Many species extinctions in the last 500 years (Steller’s sea cow, passenger pigeon) were due to overexploitation by humans.
• Presently many marine fish populations around the world are over-harvested, endangering the continued existence of some commercially important species.

Habitat loss and fragmentation:

• This is the most important cause driving animals and plants to extinction.
• The most dramatic examples of habitat loss come from tropical rainforests.
• Once covering more than 14 per cent of the earth’s land surface, these rain forests now cover no more than 6 per cent. They are being destroyed fast.
• Besides total loss, the degradation of many habitats by pollution also threatens the survival of many species.
• When large habitats are broken up into small fragments due to various human activities, mammals and birds requiring large territories and certain animals with migratory habits are badly affected, leading to population declines.

Co-extinctions:

• When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in an obligatory way also become extinct.
• When a host fish species becomes extinct, its unique assemblage of parasites also meets the same fate.
• Another example is the case of a coevolved plant-pollinator mutualism where extinction of one invariably leads to the extinction of the other.

Concept:​

• ​The distribution of plants and animals is uneven throughout the world.
• The latitudinal gradient in diversity explains how the species diversity varies from the equator to the poles.
• Species diversity decreases from the equator towards the poles.
• More species of plants and animals are found in the tropics as compared to temperate or polar areas.
• Reasons for more species in the tropics as compared to temperate areas:

1. Speciation -
   • Tropical latitudes have remained undisturbed for millions of years which have facilitated speciation.
   • Temperate areas on the other hand have been subjected to several drastic climatic changes like glaciations.
   • This, in turn, has affected speciation.
2. Niche Specialization -
   • Tropical areas are less seasonal, which is relatively more constant and predictable as compared to temperate areas.
   • This in turn promotes niche specialization leading to greater species diversity.
3. Productivity -
   • Tropics receive more sunlight as compared to temperate areas.
   • This contributes to higher productivity leading to greater species diversity.

Important Points

• Assertion - FALSE
  • Tropical areas have a greater biological diversity as compared to temperate regions.
  • This is due to several factors such as the availability of greater sunlight, less, constant and predictable seasons. 
  • All these factors contribute to greater species diversity.
• Reason - TRUE
  • A tropical environment is characterized by less seasonal, which is relatively more constant as compared to temperate areas.
  • These factors contribute to speciation giving rise to new species of both plants and animals. 
  • As a result which tropics have a greater biological diversity as compared to temperate regions.
• Thus we can conclude that Assertion (A) is false and Reason (R) is true.

So the correct answer is option 4.

The Chipko movement, or Chipko Andolan, is a renowned environmental movement that originated in India during the 1970s. "Chipko" translates to "embrace" or "hug" in Hindi, symbolizing the villagers' act of hugging trees to protect them from being felled. The movement primarily aimed to address deforestation, conserve forests, and empower local communities.

 Key Points

• Beginning in the state of Uttarakhand (formerly part of the state of Uttar Pradesh), the Chipko movement gained prominence under the leadership of environmentalist Sunderlal Bahuguna.
• The local communities, mainly consisting of villagers, particularly women, protested against the indiscriminate logging carried out by commercial enterprises.
• Sunderlal Bahuguna was an influential environmentalist and social activist in India, best known for his leadership in the Chipko movement.
• Sunderlal Bahuguna advocated for sustainable forestry practices and emphasized the importance of preserving the Himalayan ecosystem. His approach involved raising awareness about the ecological significance of trees and forests, and he played a key role in popularizing the concept of "ecology is permanent economy."

Therefore the right answer is Sunderlal Bahuguna.  

Concept:

• Loss of biodiversity can be caused due to a number of factors but has been accelerated by several human activities.
• Several species have become extinct in just the last century.
• We are currently in the phase of the 'Sixth extinction', which is happening at a much faster rate than the previous mass extinctions.
• The previous extinctions happened in pre-human era, thus proving that human activities are responsible for the higher rate of extinction.
• The major causes for loss of biodiversity is referred to as the 'Evil Quartet'.

Important PointsEvil Quartet - 

1. Habitat Loss & Fragmentation -
   • Loss of habitat may be caused by human activities which require more land area.
   • Forest areas are cleared for urbanization and infrastructural developments.
   • This is the reason tropical forests have reduced to 6% from 14% of total land surface.
   • For example, Amazon rainforests are increasingly being cleared for cultivation of soya beans and conversion to grasslands for raising beef cattle.
   • Some of the habitat loss is also caused due to increasing levels of pollution.
   • Fragmentation refers to the breaking up of a large area into smaller fragments of habitats.
   • For example, if a road is built across a forest, the forest gets divided into at least 2 different fragments of habitat.
   • This also increases the perimeter area, which reduces the habitat area even further.
2. Overexploitation -
   • This refers to the overuse and overexploitation of living organisms for human needs.
   • Example - Stellar's sea cow, passenger pigeon.
   • Marine fishes are highly over-harvested for consumption as well as for obtaining other products like fish oils, etc.
3. Alien Species Invasion -
   • When any species from a different habitat (alien species) is introduced into another habitat, it tends to grow exponentially in absence of its natural predator.
   • This reduces the resources available for the native species of that habitat.
   • The native species present in the habitat are not equipped to compete with these alien species and hence, face a threat of extinction.
   • For example, introduction of Nile perch in Lake Victoria in east Africa led to the extinction of more than 200 species of cichlid fishes there.
   • Illegal introduction of African catfish Clarias gariepinus for aquaculture has posed a threat to the indigenous catfishes in Indian rivers.
4. Co-extinction -
   • When two species live in obligatory associations, extinction of one species leads to the extinction of another.
   • Example - Host fishes and their parasites, co-evolved plant-pollinator mutualistic species.

Explanation:

• Endemism is the phenomenon of confinement of a species to a small area beyond which their existence is not found.
• Thus, endemic species need to be protected by conservation strategies as they are more vulnerable to extinction.
• But this is NOT a cause for biodiversity loss.

Hence, the correct answer is option 3.

The concept of sustainable development was introduced on a global scale through the report titled "Our Common Future," published in 1987 by the World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). This report is commonly known as the Brundtland Report after the chair of the commission, Gro Harlem Brundtland, who was the former Prime Minister of Norway.

Key Points

•  The report defined sustainable development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."
• The ideas presented in the Brundtland Report laid the foundation for discussions and initiatives related to sustainable development worldwide.