Environment – Medium Level – GK Questions

Q: The primary gases responsible for the formation of acid rain are _____ and nitrogen oxides.

Sulphur dioxide – Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids.

Q: BOD stands for Biochemical Oxygen Demand, which measures the amount of oxygen required by microbes to decompose organic matter in water.

True – Higher BOD indicates higher levels of organic pollution in water, as more oxygen is consumed by aerobic bacteria.

Q: Minamata disease was first identified in Japan and was caused by severe poisoning from:

Mercury – Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning, specifically methylmercury in industrial wastewater.

Q: Cryopreservation is a technique primarily used in which type of conservation?

Ex-situ conservation – Cryopreservation involves preserving cells, tissues, or seeds at very low temperatures (liquid nitrogen) and is a form of ex-situ conservation.

Q: Species that are found exclusively in a particular geographical region are known as:

Endemic species – Endemic species are native and restricted to a specific place and are not naturally found anywhere else in the world.

Q: Project Tiger, a major wildlife conservation initiative, was launched in India in the year _____.

1973 – Project Tiger was launched on April 1, 1973, to protect the endangered Bengal tiger in India.

Q: The Red Data Book, which records endangered species, is published by _____.

IUCN – The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List of Threatened Species.

Q: Which of the following pairs are recognized biodiversity hotspots in India?

Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas – India has four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, Western Ghats, North-East India, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.