Environment Quiz: Environment Revision Test | Nov 22,2020

Important acts related to environment and biodiversity conservation in India are:
•Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act, 1960.
•Customs Act, 1962.
•Seeds Act, 1966.
•The Patents Act, 1970.
•Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972.
•Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974.
•Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980.
•Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.
Source: ENVIS

The desert flora is drought resistance such as cactus, euphorbias, sagebrush. Fauna: Reptiles, Small Mammals and birds.
Source: NCERT

Trophic level interaction deals with how the members of an ecosystem are connected based on nutritional needs.
•Energy flows through the trophic levels: from producers to subsequent trophic levels.
•This energy always flows from lower (producer) to higher (herbivore, carnivore etc.) trophic level.
•It never flows in the reverse direction that is from carnivores to herbivores to producers.
Source: NCERT

Detritus food chain: The detritus food chain includes different species of organisms and plants like algae, bacteria, fungi, protozoa, mites, insects, worms and so on.
•The detritus food chain begins with dead organic material.
•The food energy passes into decomposers and detritivores, which are further eaten by smaller organisms like carnivores.
•Carnivores, like maggots, become a meal for bigger carnivores like frogs, snakes and so on.
•Primary consumers like fungi, bacteria, protozoans, and so on are detritivores which feed on detritus.
Source: Shankar

To compare the functional roles of the trophic levels in an ecosystem, an energy pyramid is most suitable.
•An energy pyramid reflects the laws of thermodynamics, with conversion of solar energy to chemical energy and heat energy at each trophic level and with loss of energy being depicted at each transfer to another trophic level.
•Hence the pyramid is always upward, with a large energy base at the bottom.
Source: Shankar

Carbon is present in the atmosphere, mainly in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon cycle involves a continuous exchange of carbon between the atmosphere and organisms.
•Carbon from the atmosphere moves to green plants by the process of photosynthesis, and then to animals.
•By process of respiration and decomposition of dead organic matter it returns back to atmosphere. It is usually a short term cycle.
Source: NCERT

Pokkali is a unique saline tolerant rice variety that is cultivated using extensive aquaculture in an organic way in the water-logged coastal regions, spread in about 5000 hectares area in Alappuzha, Thrissur and Ernakulam districts of Kerala in Southern India.
Source: Shankar

There are 4 biodiversity hot spots present in India. They are:
1. The Himalayas
2. Indo- Burma and
3. The western Ghats & Sri Lanka
4. Sunderland
Source: Shankar

Project Elephant was launched in February, 1992 as centrally sponsored scheme to assist states having free ranging populations of wild elephants and to ensure long term survival of identified viable populations of elephants in their natural habitats.
•The Project is being mainly implemented in 13 States / UTs , viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Uttaranchal, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
•Small support is also being given to Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
•States are being given financial as well as technical assistance in achieving the objectives of the Project.
•Help is also provided to other states with small populations of elephants for the purpose of census, training of field staff and mitigation of human-elephant conflict.
Source: Shankar

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has declared Sukhna Lake legal entity and has ordered demolition of legal/unauthorized constructions in its catchment area.
•Sukhna Lake in Chandigarh is a reservoir at the foothills (Shivalik hills) of the Himalayas.
•This lake was created in 1958 by Le Corbusier and the Chief Engineer P L Verma by damming the Sukhna Choe, a seasonal stream coming down from the Shivalik Hills.
•The lake is a sanctuary for many exotic migratory birds like the Siberian duck, storks and cranes during the winter months.
Source: The Hindu