Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon – November 10

Statement 1 is Correct:

Barrier reefs are extensive linear reef complexes that parallel a shore, and are separated from it by lagoon.Barrier reefs are far less common than fringing reefs or atolls, although examples can be found in the tropical Atlantic as well as the Pacific.

Statement 2 is Incorrect:

The largest coral reef in the world is located off the Australian coast and is called the Great Barrier Reef.The GBR is not actually a single reef as the name implies, but rather a very large complex consisting of many reefs.

Mountain Features:

• Ridge: A long narrow top of a mountain or series of mountains.
• Crag: A mass of rock that projects outward from a rock face or cliff.
• Moraine: A collection of rocks and dirt left behind by glaciers.
• Hom: A Hom is a sharp peak formed from multiple glaciers.

• Bering Strait- Separates Asia and North America and it connect – East Siberian Sea with Bering Sea.
• Luzon Strait – Separates Taiwan and Luzon (Philippines) and it connect- South China Sea with Pacific Ocean.
• Strait of Jahore- Separates Singapore and Malaysia and it connect- South China Sea with strait ofMalacca
• Strait of Dardanelles-Separates Asia and Europe and it connect Sea of Marmara with MediterraneanSea.

Danube River is the second longest in Europe after the Volga. It rises in the Black Forest mountains of western Germany and flows for some 1,770 miles (2,850 km) to its mouth on the Black Sea.

Ancient Greeks navigated up the Danube from the Black Sea, as far as the Iron Gate. Later, river transport was developed by the Romans; many cities along the Danube began as Roman military outposts. In medieval times, goods were moved either by boat or barge, or along its banks, fostering development of the Habsburg and Hungarian empires.

Countries

The Danube flows through ten modern-day European nations: Romania, Hungary, Serbia, Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Croatia, Ukraine, and Moldova

The Danube River flows directly through many significant European cities, including four national capitals – Vienna (Austria), Bratislava (Slovakia), Budapest (Hungary) and Belgrade (Serbia)

All the above statements are correct:

• Acid rain refers to any precipitation (rain, fog, mist, snow) that is more acidic than normal (pH of less than 5.6. [pH below 7 = acidic]).
• Acid rain is caused by atmospheric pollution from acidic gases such as sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen emitted from burning of fossil fuels.
• The pH scale is a measure of how acidic or basic (alkaline) a solution is.
• It ranges from 0 to 14. A pH of 7 is neutral.
• A pH less than 7 is acidic, and a pH greater than 7 is basic.
• It is based on hydrogen ion concentration in an aqueous solution
• The exchange between hydrogen ions and the nutrient cations like potassium and magnesium in the soil cause leaching of the nutrients, making the soil infertile. This is accompanied by a decrease in the respiration of soil organisms.

Statement 1 is Correct:

A single plant or animal in a parasitic food chain may support numerous parasites, which might be further supporting a larger number of hyperparasites. Thus, the pyramid of numbers in a parasitic food chain is inverted.

Statement 2 is Incorrect:

In the aquatic system, the biomass can increase at higher trophic levels. For example, in Oceans, the food chain typically starts with phytoplankton and ends at predatory fish, which has largest biomass. Thus, the pyramid of biomass is inverted in the aquatic systems including marine, ponds etc

Statement 3 is Correct:

An energy pyramid represents the amount of energy at each trophic level and loss of energy at each transfer to another trophic level. Hence the pyramid is always upward, with a large energy base at the bottom.

The trees in the Taiga are mainly spruce, pine, and fir. The plants adapt to harsh weather in this environment, like icy and snowy winters.   For example, the needles of the pine are very smooth to help keep water inside the dark casing. The spruce’s cone like shape allows them to shed ice and sleet more efficiently.  Berry bushes that thrive in this biome are blueberry, bilberry, and cowberry. Berry bushes are a vital food source for mammals, birds and some types of insects.  Not very common trees that grow in the Taiga are birch, oak, willow, and alder.  They live in particularly wet or disturbed areas.