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What does the term 'Carbon Sequestration' refer to?
- Release of CO2 from oceans
- Capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide
- Burning of fossil fuels
- Conversion of CO2 to Oxygen
Answer: Capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide
Carbon sequestration is the process of capture and long-term storage of atmospheric carbon dioxide to mitigate global warming.
The 'Albedo effect' refers to the absorption of solar radiation by the Earth's surface, causing it to warm up.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Albedo refers to the fraction of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space, not absorbed.
Which international treaty was specifically designed to phase out the production of ozone-depleting substances like CFCs?
- Kyoto Protocol
- Montreal Protocol
- Basel Convention
- Vienna Convention
Answer: Montreal Protocol
The Montreal Protocol (1987) is a landmark environmental agreement that successfully phased out chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and other ODS.
The Paris Agreement (2015) aims to limit global warming to well below _____ degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels.
- 1.5
- 2
- 2.5
- 3
Answer: 2
The central aim of the Paris Agreement is to keep the rise in global average temperature well below 2°C, pursuing efforts to limit it to 1.5°C.
Blue Baby Syndrome (Methemoglobinemia) in infants is primarily caused by the contamination of drinking water with:
- Chlorides
- Nitrates
- Fluorides
- Sulphates
Answer: Nitrates
Excess nitrates in drinking water are converted to nitrites in the infant's body, which bind to hemoglobin, reducing its oxygen-carrying capacity.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the permissible 24-hour limit for PM2.5 in India is _____ µg/m³.
- 40
- 60
- 100
- 120
Answer: 60
The CPCB sets the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) for PM2.5 at 60 µg/m³ for a 24-hour average.
Eutrophication leads to a significant increase in the dissolved oxygen levels of a water body.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Eutrophication causes algal blooms; when the algae die and decompose, it heavily depletes the dissolved oxygen, causing hypoxia.
The primary gases responsible for the formation of acid rain are _____ and nitrogen oxides.
- Carbon dioxide
- Sulphur dioxide
- Methane
- Ozone
Answer: Sulphur dioxide
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals to form sulfuric and nitric acids.
BOD stands for Biochemical Oxygen Demand, which measures the amount of oxygen required by microbes to decompose organic matter in water.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Higher BOD indicates higher levels of organic pollution in water, as more oxygen is consumed by aerobic bacteria.
Minamata disease was first identified in Japan and was caused by severe poisoning from:
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Mercury
- Arsenic
Answer: Mercury
Minamata disease is a neurological syndrome caused by severe mercury poisoning, specifically methylmercury in industrial wastewater.
Cryopreservation is a technique primarily used in which type of conservation?
- In-situ conservation
- Ex-situ conservation
- Bio-fencing
- Social forestry
Answer: Ex-situ conservation
Cryopreservation involves preserving cells, tissues, or seeds at very low temperatures (liquid nitrogen) and is a form of ex-situ conservation.
Species that are found exclusively in a particular geographical region are known as:
- Endangered species
- Endemic species
- Invasive species
- Extinct species
Answer: Endemic species
Endemic species are native and restricted to a specific place and are not naturally found anywhere else in the world.
Project Tiger, a major wildlife conservation initiative, was launched in India in the year _____.
- 1970
- 1972
- 1973
- 1980
Answer: 1973
Project Tiger was launched on April 1, 1973, to protect the endangered Bengal tiger in India.
The Red Data Book, which records endangered species, is published by _____.
- WWF
- UNEP
- IUCN
- CITES
Answer: IUCN
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains the Red List of Threatened Species.
Which of the following pairs are recognized biodiversity hotspots in India?
- Thar Desert and Deccan Plateau
- Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas
- Sundarbans and Aravalli Hills
- Gangetic Plains and Nilgiris
Answer: Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas
India has four biodiversity hotspots: the Himalayas, Western Ghats, North-East India, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Benthic organisms are primarily found in which part of an aquatic ecosystem?
- Surface
- Middle water column
- Bottom sediments
- Shoreline
Answer: Bottom sediments
Benthos are the community of organisms that live on, in, or near the bottom sediments of a body of water.
Secondary succession occurs in an area where no life existed before, such as bare rock.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Primary succession occurs on bare rock. Secondary succession happens in areas where a community has been cleared but soil remains.
Edaphology is the branch of science that deals with the study of:
- Water
- Soil
- Air
- Climate
Answer: Soil
Edaphology is the study of the influence of soils on living things, particularly plants.
The pyramid of energy in any ecosystem is always _____.
- Inverted
- Upright
- Spindle-shaped
- Variable
Answer: Upright
Energy decreases at each successive trophic level due to the 10% law of energy transfer, making the energy pyramid always upright.
The 'Gig Economy' in India, characterized by short-term contracts and freelance work via digital platforms, poses a significant challenge to traditional economic policy primarily because:
- Gig workers earn significantly more than formal sector employees, driving up inflation
- Gig workers operate outside the traditional employer-employee relationship, lacking access to formal social security, health insurance, and provident funds
- The gig economy is entirely unregulated and refuses to pay any form of indirect taxes like GST
- Gig platforms are exclusively owned by foreign monopolies that repatriate all profits
Answer: Gig workers operate outside the traditional employer-employee relationship, lacking access to formal social security, health insurance, and provident funds
While the gig economy offers immense flexibility and has created millions of livelihood opportunities, it fundamentally disrupts the post-WWII social contract. Because platform companies classify workers as 'independent partners' rather than employees, they are absolved of providing minimum wages, paid leave, or retirement benefits. This has prompted the government to draft new labor codes specifically aimed at extending social security nets to this massive, vulnerable unorganized workforce.