ENVIRONMENT- Sankar IAS

Chapter 01: Ecology

1. Define Ecology.
2. How many main levels of organizations of ecology exist? Name them.
3. Define environment.
4. Differentiate between ecology, environment, and ecosystem.
5. What are autotrophs, phagotrophs, heterotrops, osmotrophs, and
saprotrophs?
6. What is an Ecotone?
7. Explain the ‘edge effect.
8. With reference to ecosystems, what is meant by ‘Niche’?
9. What are biomes?
10. How many major types of biomes exist? Name them, and describe the
countries they cover, rainfall they receive, and the flora and fauna they
harbor.
11. Name the three main kinds of Aquatic Zones.
12. What is the average salinity of the ocean?
13. What is meant by Biosphere?

Chapter 02: Functions of an Ecosystem

1. What are the 3 broad functions of an ecosystem?

2. What are trophic levels? How many of these usually exist, and why?
3. Define ‘food chain’. How many types of food chains exist? How are they
different from each other?
4. What are ‘cetaceans’? Give some examples.
5. What is an ecological pyramid?
6. How many types of ecological pyramids exist? Are they all necessarily
inverted?
7. What is the phenomenon of biological magnification? How is it different from
bioaccumulation?
8. Define: mutualism, commensalism, competition, predation, parasitism,
amensalism, and neutralism.
9. What is a bio-geo chemical cycle?
10. Name the four ways in which nutrient cycles can be classified (2 heads).
11. Even though there is an almost inexhaustible supply of nitrogen in the
atmosphere, why can’t plants use it directly? What needs to be done to it so
that it’s usable as a nutrient? Describe the various ways in which this process
can take place.
12. Describe: water cycle, carbon cycle, nitrogen cycle, and sedimentary cycle.
13. What is meant by ‘succession’?
14. What is a ‘pioneer community’? ‘Climax community’?
15. What is meant by ‘secondary succession’?
16. What is autogenic and allogenic succession?
Chapter 03: Terrestrial Ecosystems

1. What is ‘terrestrial ecology’?

2. What is the literal meaning of ‘tundra’? How many basic types exist? Name
them.
3. Do any flora and fauna exist in tundra regions?
4. Describe the body features of mammals found in tundra regions.
5. What are the three main kinds of forest ecosystems?
6. What is another name for boreal forests?
7. Describe coniferous forests with respect to the following features:
temperature, rainfall, and length of winter and summer, soil.
8. Why is soil in coniferous areas acidic and mineral deficient?
9. What is the technical term for such soils?
10. Describe the 3 kinds of temperate forests with respect to: vegetation,
precipitation, and soil type.
11. Describe the 2 kinds of tropical rain forests with respect to: vegetation,
precipitation, and soil type.
12. What are podzols and latosols? In which areas are they found?
13. How many types of forests exist in India?
14. Name 3 prominent causes of deforestation.
15. What is the annual range of rainfall in grasslands?
16. Differentiate between steppes and savannas.
17. How much rainfall do deserts typically receive?
18. Which is the largest zoo in the country? (Page 27)
19. Name some ways in which desert flora and fauna adapt themselves to
survive in the extreme climatic conditions.
20. Name one extraordinary bird found in the Thar desert. Why was it in the
news recently?
21. What % of India’s land is under forest cover?
22. What % of India’s land is classified as ‘dry land’?
23. What is the main UN convention that deals with desertification? Is India a
signatory to it?
24. Name some government programmes that aim to deal with desertification.

Chapter 04: Aquatic Ecosystems

1. On what basis are aquatic ecosystems classified? How many types are there?
Name them.
2. Name the 5 classifications of aquatic organisms.
3. What is a profundal zone?
4. What are the 3 main classifications of lakes on the basis of their nutrient
content?
5. What is meant by eutrophication? What are its effects in aquatic systems?
6. Name some mitigation measures than can help deal with eutrophication.
7. What are algae?
8. What is an algal bloom? Name two common causes of algal blooms. What are
the effects of an algal bloom?
9. What are the potential effects of an algal bloom on humans?
10. What are wetlands? What kind of soils do they have? Can they exist inland?
11. Name some reasons for the depletion of wetlands.
12. What are some of the differences between wetlands and lakes? Which one of
these is more important from the viewpoint of ecosystem and biodiversity
conservation?
13. What % of India’s lands are wetlands?
14. What is the major programme run by the Indian government to conserve
wetlands? What is the role of the central and state governments here?
15. What is the international convention on which the above programme is
modeled?
16. What is an estuary?
17. Why are estuaries some of the most heavily populated areas of the world?
18. On which coast do most of India’s major estuaries lie?
19. What is meant by a littoral zone? (Page 43)
20. What are mangroves? What are the best locations for growth of mangroves?
21. What are stilt roots?
22. What is the single largest area of mangroves in the world?
23. Where in Orissa will one find mangroves?
24. List 4 uses of mangroves..
25. What are corals? What are the algae that live on them? Describe their
symbiotic relationship.
26. What are the two types of corals? Which type build reefs?
27. How is a coral reef formed?
28. In what latitudes are you most likely to find corals?
29. Where is the Gulf of Mannar? (check)
30. Depending upon their location, what are the four major classifications of
coral reefs?
31. List 4 points about why coral reefs are useful.
32. What is coral bleaching? What is the major cause of coral bleaching?
33. Explain the effects of eutrophication on corals.
34. List the 5 key initiatives run by the Indian government to protect marine and
coastal environments.

Chapter 05: Environmental Pollution

1. What are qualitative and quantitative pollutants?

2. How is carbon monoxide produced?
3. Why is it harmful for humans?
4. Which toxic gas is produced when coal burns? (Page 50)
5. What is the most common reason for the formation of ozone at the ground
level?
6. How is smog formed? Which is one of primary components of photochemical
smog?
7. What are 4 most serious pollutants from smoke of biofuels?
8. Name some common minor pollutants.
9. What is fly ash? Does it have any advantages?
10. What are some ill effects of lead poisoning?
11. What are arrestors and scrubbers? What are they used for?
12. What is adsorption?
13. How do catalytic converters help in reducing vehicular pollution?
14. What is the full form of NAAQS?
15. When was National Air Quality Index launched? How many parameters does
it have? Which of them have a monitoring period of 8 hours?
16. What is heat island effect?
17. What is meant by ‘indicator species’? (Page 57)
18. What’s the level of DO in water below which it is contaminated?
19. What is BOD and COD? Which is a more reliable measure?
20. What is Minamata disease? What causes black foot disease?
21. How is a silent area defined?
22. Among the 3 types of nuclear radiations. Which ones have the most
penetrative power?
23. What are non-ionising and ionizing raditations? Give examples.
24. Burning of plastics releases which gases into atmosphere?
25. What is pyrolysis?
26. What is bioremediation?
27. Name 2 major programmes of the Indian government with regards to
controlling air pollution.
28. What is thermal pollution?
29. With respect to landfills, what does leaching mean?
30. What is vermiculture?
31. How is thermal pollution caused?
32. What is cogeneration?
33. Why do plastic waste have an extended lifetime in oceans? (2)
34. Do plastics in itself pose any danger to animals as they are bio-inert?
35. What is bioremediation? Explain its strategies.
36. Explain bioventing, biosparging, and bioaugmentation.
37. What is oilzapper?
38. Explain phytoremediation, rhizofiltration.
39. What is mycoremediation, mycofiltration.
40. When is acid rain formed? (3 compounds) What is its pH?
41. Explain rainout and wash-out wrt acid rain. Can there be a dry acid rain?
42. What are some natural sources of sulphur and nitrogen in atmosphere?
43. Are there specific areas which are prone to acid-rain attack?
44. What can be considered a good bio-indicator for air pollution?
45. What can be said about the impact of acid rain on Indian soils?
46. What is buffering? Which material is usually used for it?

Chapter 06: Environmental Impact Assessment

1. What is the purpose of EIAs?

2. Under which GoI Act are these mandatory? (Page 70)
3. List the 9 steps in an EIA.
4. What changes did the 2006 notification to the Environment (Protection) Act
bring to the system of EIAs?
5. What is the most major drawback of the current system of EIAs in India?

Chapter 07: Biodiversity

1. Define biodiversity.
2. What % of the world’s recorded species does India account for?
3. At what three levels does biodiversity exist? Name them.
4. By which two broad components is biodiversity measured?
5. Differentiate between alpha, beta, and gamma biodiversity.
6. Differentiate between ex-situ and in-situ methods of biodiversity
conservation.
7. What is a botanical garden?

Chapter 08: Indian Biodiversity Landscape

1. What % of India’s land is (a) dedicated to crops, and (b) under forest cover?
(Page 85)
2. Of the 34 globally identified biodiversity hotspots, which 2 does India
harbor?
3. What is a ‘biogeographic realm’?
4. How many of these does India have?
5. Define ‘biome’.
6. Name the 5 biomes of India.
7. What are the two main branches of biogeography?
8. What are: aves, annelids, mollusks, echinoderms, protozoa, and anthropods.
9. What are algae? Do they have chlorophyll?
10. On the basis of colour, how can one differentiate between freshwater and
marine algae?
11. What is the main difference between algae and fungi?
12. What are lichens?

Chapter 09: Animal Diversity of India

1. Which agency issues the Red Data Book?

2. What do the pink pages in this book signify? Green pages?
3. What are the seven classifications of various species according to IUCN?
4. What are ‘monotremes’? (Page 100)
5. What are ‘marsupials’?
6. Name 8 critically endangered, 15 endangered, and 14 vulnerable mammals
in India.

Mammals:

Mammals
Critically Endangered
1 Pygmy Hog * World’s
smallest pig
* Found in
Terai
grasslands

2 Andaman * Usually
white- active after
toothed twilight
shrew * Require
special
habitats, such
as rock
crevices and
leaf litter

3 Kondana * Nocturnal
Rat rodent
* Found only
in Sinhagarh
plateau in
Pune

4 Large Rock Found only in

Rat/ Elvira Eastern Ghats
Rat of Tamil Nadu
5 Namdapha Found only in
Flying Namdapha in
Squirrel Arunachal
Pradesh; it is
hunted for
food
6 Malabar One of the
Civet world’s rarest
mammals;
nocturnal,
found only in
Western
Ghats

7 Sumatran Smallest,
Rhinoceros most
endangered
of the 5 rhino
species;
thought to be
extinct in
India, and
found only in
Java and
Vietnam
8 Kashmir State animal
Stag/ of Jammu and
Hangul Kashmir;
subspecies of
Red Deer
which is
endemic to
India

Endangered Mammals
1 Wild Ass/ Found only in
Khur Indian Wild
Ass
Sanctuary,
Rann of Kutch
(Gujarat)
2 Asiatic or
Indian Wild
Dog/ Dhole
3 Eld’s Deer/ Found in
Thamin/ Keibul Lamjao
Brow- National Park,
Antlered Manipur
Deer

4 Himalayan India’s largest

Brown/ Red animal in the
Bear Himalayas;
exhibits
sexual
dimorphism
5 Golden Assam/
Langur Bhutan
6 Himalayan
Wolf
7 Himalayan/ Lack antlers,
White- but have
bellied Musk enlarged
Deer canines that
grow
continuously;
poached for
it’s glands
that produce
musk used in
perfumes

8 Hispid
Hare/
Assam
rabbit
9 Hog Deer Ducks under
obstacles
instead of
leaping over
them like
most other
deers
1 Lion-tailed Western
0 Macaque Ghats; being
captive bred
in Arinagar
Anna
Zoological
park,
Chennai; and
Mysore Zoo
1 Markhor Sexual
1 dimorphism,
national
animal of
Pakistan

1 Nilgiri
2 Langur-
vulnerable;
not
endangered
1 Nilgiri Tahr Tamil Nadu;
3 Tahrs look
like goats but
don’t have
beards

1 Great Indian Himalayas

4 One Horn only
Rhinoceros

Vulnerable Mammals
1 Chiru/ Hunted for
Tibetan fine wool and
Antelope- meat
endangered
now

2 Himalayan
Tahr
3 Blackbuck Show sexual
dimorphism;
live in
grasslands

4 Gaur (Indian Evergreen/

Bison) Moist
deciduous
forests

5 Four-horned
antelope/
Chausingha
6 Takin Himalayas/
Western
China
7 Nilgiri Endemic to
Marten Western
Ghats; semi-
arboreal
animal

8 Red Panda Endemic to

temperate
forests of the
Himalayas
(Sikkim/
Assam)

9 Marbled cat Sikkim,

Darjeeling
etc.; arboreal

1 Barasingha/
0 Swamp Deer
1 Indian Wolf
1
1 Oriental Semiaquatic
2 small- mammal;
clawed otter lives in
mangrove
swamps and
freshwater
wetlands
1 Clouded West Bengal,
3 Leopard Sikkim,
Arunachal
Pradesh,
Northeast

1 Asian black
4 bear/ moon-
bear/ white-
chested bear
1 Dugong (sea Feeds on sea
5 cow) grass, whose
depletion is
threatening
the Dugongs’
survival

1 Manatee Not found in

6 India
Birds:

Mammals
Critically Endangered
1 Jerdon’s Nocturnal,
Courser found only in
northern part
of Andhra
Pradesh

2 Forest Lives in dry

Owlet deciduous
forests; was
though to be
extinct for a
century, but
recently
sighted
3 White- Assam/
bellied Arunachal
heron Pradesh only

4 Bengal A rare bustard

Florican species; well
known for
mating dance;
found in UP,
Assam, and
Arunachal
Pradesh
 5 Himalayan Might be
Quail extinct; used to
be found in
Western Ghats

6 Pink-headed
duck
7 Sociable Winter migrant
Lapwing to India

8 Spoon-billed Southern India

sandpiper

9 Siberian
Crane

Critically Endangered Reptiles:

1. Gharial, (currently, only viable population is in National Chambal
Sanctuary spread across UP, Rajasthan, and MP)
2. Hawksbill Turtle
3. Leatherback Turtle
4. Four-toed River Terrapin (Turtle)
5. Red-crowned Roofed Turtle (Bengal Roofed Turtle)
6. Sispara Day Gecko

Critically Endangered Fish:

1. Pondicherry shark
2. Ganges shark
3. Knife-toothed sawfish
 4. Large-toothed sawfish
5. Long-comb sawfish

Critically Endangered Spiders:

1. Rameshwaram Ornamental/ Parachute spider
2. Gooty/ Metallic/ Peacock Tarantula

Chapter 10: Plant Diversity of India

1. What are epiphytes? (Page 108)

2. What is meant by ‘die back’?
3. In what kinds of soil is one most likely to find insectivorous plants?
4. What are the 3 broad families to which India’s insectivorous plants belong?
5. What are ‘alien invasive species’?
6. Define: Taproot, Lateral root, adventitious root, Prop roots, Stilt roots, and
pneumatophores.

Chapter 11: Marine Organisms

1. What are planktons?

2. Differentiate between holoplanktons and meroplanktons.
3. What are phytoplankton?
4. Are phytoplanktons similar to land plants? (Page 117)
5. At what latitudes is the concentration of marine phytoplankton more: low, or
high? Why is this so?
6. How are phytoplanktons responsible for the occurrence of red tides?
7. How are phytoplanktons important for preventing global warming? (Page
119)
8. In what kind of waters are you more likely to find sea grass? Fresh or saline?
9. Are seaweeds a form of algae? (Page 120)

Chapter 12: Protected Area Networks

1. What are some of the differences between wildlife sanctuaries and national
parks? Who notifies them? (State/ Central government)? Degree of
protection? Which one (if either) can be declared for a single species?
2. Can national parks/ wildlife sanctuaries extend over territorial waters?
3. How can boundaries of a wildlife sanctuary/ national park be altered? (Page
122)
4. In case there are claims to property rights that are upheld within the
boundaries of a proposed national park, and such area is sought to be
acquired, provisions of which act apply?
5. What are conservation reserves and community reserves?
6. What are marine protected areas?
7. What is the difference between Category I, II, IIIA, and IIIB types of marine
protected areas?
8. What is the main aim of Man and Biosphere initiative?
9. Under the aegis of which international body does it function? (Page 126)
10. What is a biosphere reserve?
11. Which Indian programme deals with biospheres?
12. What are the primary and secondary criteria for selection of BRs? (Page 129)
13. Is it true that there are no legal provisions that limit the use of a biosphere
reserve, like there are for National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries?
14. Describe the structure of a biosphere reserve.
15. How are BRs different from protected areas (such as WLSs and NPs)?
16. What are the roles of the central and state governments in managing BRs?
17. What is the ‘Man and Biosphere’ initiative? What is its primary achievement?
Under which international body does it function? (Page 130)
18. What is a biodiversity hotspot? What re the two criteria that a region needs
to fulfill to qualify as a hotspot?
19. How many of these exist in India? Name them.
20. What is the regional name for Western Ghats? (Page 133)
21. Expand UNESCO. (CHECK)
22. On which date is International Day for Biological Diversity celebrated?

Chapter 13: Conservation Efforts

1. On whose recommendation do state governments notify tiger reserves?

2. Which is competent authority for altering boundaries of core and buffer
areas of a tiger reserve?
3. Is such a recommendation also required for de-notification?
4. Write a note on India’s tiger conservation efforts (appropriate body, state
efforts, tiger census method, current estimates)
5. When was Project Elephant launched? Are all states part of it?
6. What is the biggest threat to elephants in India? How many Elephant
Corridors are there in India?
7. What is the MIKE programme? (Page 140)
8. What animal does the SAVE organisation focus on? (Page 144)
9. Where is the Keoladeo National Park located? (Page 142)
10. Name the drug responsible for death of vultures and its replacement
11. What do VSZ aim to do?
12. Describe the Maharashtra Government’s ‘Vulture Restaurant’ scheme.
13. What is the aim of Indian Rhino Vision 2020
14. Which state has Kaziranga national park?
15. What variety of turtles migrates to Indian coastal waters every year to nest?
(Page 146)
16. Where will you find the Dachigam National Park? (Page 147)
17. What is Project Hangul? Why did it not succeed?
18. Where is the Arignar Zoological Park?
19. Which animal is India’s National Aquatic Animal? Where are Irrawady
dolphins found in India?
20. What is SAWEN? Is India party to it?
21. How many schedules does the WPA contain, with regards to protection of
listed animals?
22. Give examples of animals included in each schedule.
23. How many animals are listed in Schedule V of the WPA? Name them.

Chapter 14: Climate Change

1. Define: Climate.
2. Define: Global Warming.
3. Approximately what % of the Sun’s energy is reflected directly back into
space by the atmosphere, clouds, and the surface of the earth?
4. What kind of long-wave radiation does the surface of the earth emit?
Infrared or ultraviolet?
5. What is the biggest overall contributor to the greenhouse effect? (Check-
Page 153)
6. What is meant by carbon sequestration? What are some of the ways in which
this can be achieved?
7. What is the largest source of methane emissions? (Page 154)
8. Why are fluorinated gases especially harmful?
9. What are the 3 main categories of fluorinated gases?
10. List some uses of each of these 3 categories.
11. What is Black Carbon? How does it contribute to global warming?
12. What is meant by ‘albedo’?
13. What is Project Surya? (Page 156)
14. What are climate ‘forcings’?
15. What are the effects of positive and negative forcings? Give an example of
each kind.
16. Do volcanic eruptions heat the earth or cool it?
17. What does ‘Global Warming Potential’ mean? On what basis is it calculated?
18. Arrange the following gases in terms of ascending GWP: Methane, CFCs, CO2,
Nitrous Oxide
19. List the top 3 causes of greenhouse emissions.

Chapter 15: Acidification

1. Oxides of which 2 elements react with moisture in rainwater to cause acid

rain?
2. What is the pH scale? What do quantities below and above 7 on this scale
indicate?
3. How is acid rain formed? What are some of the ways of preventing it? (Page
164)
4. What are the effects of acid rain on an area’s soil?
5. What is ‘buffering’? Name two buffering agents. (Page 164)
6. What is ocean acidification?
7. Aside from atmospheric carbon dioxide, outline two other processes that
lead to ocean acidification.
8. Explain associated chemical reactions and their significance.
9. What is its primary cause? What are some of its most harmful consequences?
10. Can oceans ever become acidic? What is the current pH level?
11. What is the importance of carbonate ions in oceans?
12. What is meant by the ‘saturation horizon’? How is this affected by ocean
acidification?
13. What is the main natural source of CO2 on the earth? (Page 166)
14. What is ‘lysocline’?
15. What is the carbonate composition depth? (CCD)
16. What is upwelling?

Chapter 16: Ozone Depletion

1. In which two layers of the atmosphere is ozone found? Explain its effects in
both.
2. List the three main compounds that cause ozone depletion.
3. List some uses of CFCs. (6)
4. How long do CFCs ‘stick around’ in the atmosphere for? (Page 168)
5. Explain the mechanism by which CFCs affect the ozone layer (chemical
reaction).
6. What happens to the chlorine molecules released in the process of
destruction of CFCs after they combine with ozone? (Page 168)
7. Which of the following destroys ozone layer: Nitrous Oxide, Ammonia, Nitric
Oxide? Write the chemical reaction.
8. What are halons? HBFCs?
9. Which one is more harmful for ozone depletion? Bromine or Chlorine?
10. What is the role of Polar Stratospheric Clouds (PSCs) in depletion of ozone
layer?
11. Why does the temperature in the stratosphere increase with altitude?
(check- Page 170)
12. Why is ozone depletion predominant at the Arctic?
13. In which month of the year are lowest levels of ozone likely to be found over
the Arctic?
14. What is the most common measure of total ozone abundance in the air?

Chapter 17: Impact of Climate Change

1. No questions; skim through chapter and see highlighted pages.

Chapter 18: Mitigation Strategies

1. What is meant by carbon sequestration?

2. What are the different types of sequestration possible? Which of these has
the largest potential for near-term sequestration?
3. Explain: hydrodynamic trapping, solubility trapping, and mineral
carbonation. What kind of sequestration are these?
4. What are green and blue carbons? On a comparable basis, which one is more
effective?
5. What is the Blue Carbon Initiative? Who coordinates this effort? (focuses on
mangroves, tidal marshes and seagrasses)
6. Expand: CI, IUCN, and IOC.
7. What is a carbon credit? What are the 2 ways that companies can earn it?
8. Which country is currently the largest seller of carbon credits?
9. Is carbon traded on any exchange in India? Is it traded anywhere across the
world?
10. Explain carbon offsetting.
11. Which one is better, a carbon tax or the cap-and trade method? List 4
reasons why.
12. What is geo-engineering? What are some of the methods proposed by
scientists using geo-engineering? What are some of its drawbacks?

Chapter 19: India and Climate Change

1. What are NAPCC, NAMA, REDD, REDD+, NMEEE, NMSA, INCCA, UNFCCC,
GRIHA, NICRA?
2. Compared to USA and China, how much lower are per-capita CO2 emissions
in India?
3. List two risk-financing programmes for agriculture in India that support
adaptation to climate impacts. (Page 184)
4. List the two key features of Forest Conservation Act of 1980 (Page 185)
5. What are the 8 component missions of India’s National Action Plan on
climate change?
6. Describe the 2022 capacity target of India’s National Solar Mission. What is
the current installed capacity?
7. Define ‘bio-energy’. Describe the key features of India’s National Bio-Energy
Mission.
8. What is INCCA’s 4x4 Assessment?
9. List the 4 climate sensitive regions of India (Page 192)
10. What is NATCOM? Who funds it? Who is the implementing agency? What is
its key job?
11. What is GRIHA? Who has developed it?
12. What is the Global Environment Facility? (Wikipedia)
13. What is the Montreal Protocol?

Chapter 20: Climate Change Organizations

(Bali -> 15. Copenhagen -> 16. Cancun -> 17.Durban = CCD)

1. Describe the Kyoto Protocol. What is its central principle? Describe its 2
features that make it tick.
2. What is the main difference between UNFCCC and the Kyoto Protocol?
3. What are ‘Annex B’ countries under the Kyoto protocol?
4. Describe 3 flexible market mechanisms allowed under the Kyoto Protocol.
5. What is the key difference between ‘joint implementation’ and CDM?
6. Describe the 2 different types of carbon trading allowed under the Kyoto
protocol.
7. What are the benefits of using these flexible market mechanisms?
8. What are some of the penalties for countries that don’t meet their
commitments under KP?
9. What was the main aim of the Bali summit in 2012?
10. What is the Copenhagen Accord? (Parties/ Binding or not/ features)
11. Which countries are part of the ‘BASIC’ group?
12. What is India’s position on REDD and REDD+?
13. What is TEEB? Who established it?
14. What is ecological footprint? How much is India’s footprint?
15. With regards to agriculture, what is meant by the ‘triple wins’?
Chapter 21: Agriculture

1. What are: silviculture, sericulture, apiculture, olericulture, viticulture,

floriculture, arboriculture, pomology, aeroponics, hydroponics, and
geoponics.
2. Classify the following crops into Kharif, Rabi, and Zaid: Watermelons,
Gourds, Cotton, Gram, Bajara, Pumpkins, Jowar, Rice, Sunflower, Groundnut,
and Wheat.
3. What are the English names for Jowar, Bajra and Ragi? In what season are
these crops grown?
4. Give example of monocots and dicots?
5. What is meant by photoperiodism? (Page 218)
6. What is the other name for multiple cropping? How is multiple cropping
different from double cropping?
7. Differentiate between monoculture and monocropping.
8. What does ratoon cropping mean? Name some crops that are grown by such
cropping.
9. What is intercropping? How is it different from multiple cropping and mixed
cropping? (Page 220-222)
10. What is relay intercropping?
11. What is garden land farming? (Page 222)
12. What is dry land farming?
13. What is mixed farming?
14. What is the difference between tap-rooted and fiber-rooted crops?
15. What is organic farming?
16. What is the slogan of eco-farming?
17. What is permaculture?
18. Which element is responsible for the green colour in plants? (Chlorophyll,
but which element in chlorophyll?)
19. What is ‘bone meal’ in agriculture?
20. What are bio-fertilizers? (Check: page 226)
21. Define ‘watershed’. (Page 227)
22. Define: micro, sprinkler, and drip/ trickle irrigation.
23. What is soil profile? What are the 5 master horizons? Which horizon is also
known as ‘saprolite’?
24. What are saline soils? Sodic soils?
25. What is podsolization?
26. What is heliotropism? (Page 230)
27. What is mulching?
28. Expand: SRI. What is its principle?

Chapter 22: Acts and Policies

1. When is the World Environment Day celebrated?

2. What are constitutional provisions in India regarding protection and
conservation of environment? (2)
3. Describe the key features of the Wildlife Protection Act, with respect to the
following:
  Jurisdiction of the state and union governments (remember, environment
and forests are state subjects)
 Schedules and their provisions
 Animals included in each schedule
4. Can a state govt declarne any wild animal to be a vermin?
5. Describe the key features of the Environment Protection Act of 1986 (penal
provisions, jurisdiction of civil courts, conflicting provisions in any other
enactment, industry etc.)
6. What % of India’s land is under forest cover? (21%)
7. What are the key aims and methods used by the National Forest Policy of
1988?
8. Describe the 3-tiered structure prescribed in the Biological Diversity Act
(2002) for regulating access to biological resources.
9. What is the most outstanding feature of the Forest Rights Act of 2006?
10. Which Ministry manages this Act? (Check: Page 236)
11. What is ‘minor forest produce’?
12. Are the rights conferred under the Forest Rights Act heritable? Transferable?
Alienable?
13. Which Act contains the rules related to Ozone Depleting Substances?

Chapter 23: Institutions and Measures

1. Which organization launched National Afforestation Plan in India? National

Wildlife Action Plan?
2. What is CAMPA Bill? Explain its main provisions
3. What is the one salient feature of Joint Forest Management? Under which Act
does this fall?
4. What is ‘social forestry’?
5. What is ‘extension forestry’? (Page 241)
6. Expand ‘CEPI’.
7. Explain the ‘Lighting a Billion Lives’ campaign. Who runs it? (Page 242)
8. What is the Eco Mark?
9. Under which fund does the National Clean Energy Fund operate?
Consolidated Fund of India, or the Public Account of India?

Chapter 24: Organizations

1. Whose approval is required before anybody can seek any kind of intellectual
property rights on a research based upon biological resource or knowledge
obtained from India?
2. Which Ministry implements the National Lake Conservation Programme?

Chapter 25: International Conventions

1. What is the Montreaux Record? (Page 256)

2. Name 5 documents that resulted from the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992 (3
non-legally binding and 2 legally binding)
3. What was the official name of the Earth Summit?
4. What is ‘Local Agenda 21’?
5. What are the 3 main goals of the Convention on Biological Diversity? (Page
251)
6. List the two main protocols attached to the CBD.
7. What is the objective of the Cartagena Protocol? Which treaty does it fall
under?
8. What is the objective of the Nagoya Protocol? (2 main)
9. What is the aim of the Ramsar convention? What is an informal name for it?
What is the principal tool?
10. How many spots in India are on the Montreaux record? Name them.
11. What does CITIES stand for?
12. What is the Bonn convention?

S. Name Year/ Key idea(s)

No Place
.
1. United Nations 1992/ Resulted in 3 documents:
Conference on Rio
Environment and 1. Rio Declaration: contained principles to guide sustainable
Development (Rio development across the world
Summit/ Earth 2. Agenda 21: actions to guide sustainable development; ‘21’ refers
Summit) to 21st century
3. Forest Principles

Also, resulted in 2 legally binding document: CBD, and UNFCCC

(Rio+5: 5 years after Rio, progress etc.)

2. Convention on Covers all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources. Aims to ensure
Biological sustainable use, and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising
Diversity (CBD) from commercial/ other utilization of genetic resources

Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety: establishes rules for import and

export of living modified organisms from one country to another;
main aim is to ensure that all countries know what they’re importing

Nagoya-Kualalampur supplementary protocol: specifies response

measures in case of damage to biodiversity resulting from LMOs

Nagoya protocol: establishes guidelines for prior informed consent

and mutually agreed terms; fair and equitable sharing of benefits
arising from utilization of genetic resources with the party providing
such resources; also covers traditional knowledge

Aichi Biodiversity Targets (A to E)

3. Ramsar 1971 Only global treaty that deals with a specific ecosystem; parties
Convention on committed to wise use of national land-use planning
Wetlands
(Waterfowl Set up Montreux Record, which is a register of wetland sites on the
convention) List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in
ecological character have occurred/ are occurring/ likely to occur
4. CITES (Convention 1975 Only treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and animals
on International does not threaten their survival in the wild; has three appendices- 1
Trade in has highest protection, with restriction on any kind of trade
Endangered
Species) TRAFFIC is an NGO run by IUCN and WWF that is the world’s largest
(Washington wildlife trade monitoring programme
Convention)
5. Convention on the Covers terrestrial aquatic, and avian migratory species. Convention
Conservation of has 2 appendices: 1st lists animals threated with extinction, and 2 nd
Migratory Species lists species that benefit or will benefit from international
(Bonn cooperation
 Convention)
6. Coalition against 2005 Unique voluntary public-private coalition of governments and
Wildlife organizations; aims at mobilizing opinion to properly implement
Trafficking wildlife laws, reduce consumer demand for wildlife etc.
(CAWT)
7. Stockholm 2004 Deals with organic (carbon containing) pollutants that are not easily
Convention on degradable, accumulate in fatty tissues of organisms, and are toxic
Persistent Organic (such as DDT, hexachlorobenzene, endosulfan etc.)
Pollutants
8. Basel Convention Deals with control of trans-boundary movements of hazardous
wastes and their disposal; aims to reduce generation of hazardous
waste, and promote ecologically sound management of any
hazardous waste
9. Rotterdam 2004 Aims to create PIC norms for hazardous chemical substances and
Convention pesticides
10. UNCCD Desertification (land degradation in dry lands)
11. Vienna convention Protection of ozone layer

Montreal Protocol: deals with control of substances that deplete the

ozone layer
12. GIAHS- Globally Aims to recognize ‘remarkable land use systems and landscapes
Important which are rich in globally significant biological diversity evolving
Agricultural from co-adaptation of a community with its environment and its
Heritage Systems needs and aspirations of sustainable development

GKToday Notes

Module 1: Framework Around Biodiversity Protection

1. What is the Latitude Diversity Gradient?

2. Which is higher: terrestrial or oceanic diversity? (Page 4)
3. When did the current Holocene extinction start? (Page 5)
4. Who invented the concept of biodiversity hotspots?
5. Point out some criticisms of the Biodiversity Hotspot approach to
conservation (2 main) (Page 9)
6. What is the ‘Ecosystem Approach’?
7. What is ‘bioprospecting’?
8. What is the main aim of CBD?
9. Is the US a part of CBD? Why/ Why not? (Page 11)
10. What are LMOs?
11. What is the main aim of the Cartagena protocol? (Name the agreement)
12. List 2 cases where the Nagoya protocol would not apply.
13. What is the aim of the ‘Aichi targets’? What convention are they
associated with?
14. Where is the Sargasso Sea? Why is it famous? (Google)
15. Here was CoP 11 of the CBD held? What were the key outcomes?
16. What is another names for CITES?
17. List out the various biogeographic regions of India, with the kind of flora
and fauna you are likely to find in each.

Biogeographi Fauna Flora

c Region
Trans- Snow leopard, Blacknecked Crane (migratory)
 Himalayas
(high altitudes)
Himalayan Northern Himalayas: Markhor, Himalayan Tahr, Pitcher Plant,
region Takin, Hangul, Musk Deer; Himalayan yew
(endangered now,
Bharal (Himalayan Blue Sheep- least concern), Ibex because of cancer
(least concern) treatment)
Eastern Himalayas: Bengal Tiger (eastern Himalayas
have highest density), One-Horned Rhino (last
bastion: eastern Himalayas), Golden Langur,
Namdapha Flying Squirrel
Desert zone Wolf, Great Indian Bustard, Houbara Bustard

Caracal (Black-earer cat), Desert Cat

Semi-Arid Sambar, Cheetal, Lion
region
Caracal, Jackal, Wolf
Western Ghats Nilgiri Langur, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Malabar Civet,
Nilgiri Tahr, Travancore Tortoise

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Deccan Plateau Chital, Sambar, Chousingha Mostly, deciduous
(Semi-Arid) forests
Nilgai, Barking Deer (Muntjac), Buffalo
Gangetic Plain Swamp deer (Barasingha; only found in one place in
MP), Hog Deer, Hispid Hare

18. Describe the composition, powers, and functions of the NBA. Explain the
3-tiered structure of management at national, state and local area.
19. Describe the Schedule 6 plants.

Plant Location Uses

Blue Vanda Northeast (Assam) Eye infection, skin treatment
Red Vanda Northeast (Manipur) Eye infection, skin treatment
Pitcher Plant Northeast Insectivorous
Kuth Ayurvedic preparations
Ladies Slippers Southern India Insectivorous
Orchids
Beddomes’ Andhra Pradesh only Arthritis/ Muscle pain (Ayurveda)
Cycad

20. Is legislation required to declare a Wildlife Sanctuary? If yes, by whom?

21. What are the primary criteria for declaring a site as a biospehere reserve?
22. Apart from level of humanactivity allowed, what is the one major
difference between Biosphere Reserves and the other 2 (NPs/ WSs)?
(Page 34)
23. How is the chairman of the National Tiger Conservation Authority
selected? (Page 35)
24. Name 3 new tiger reserves reently notified by the government.
25. Which state has the maximum number of wild elephants in India? (Page
41)