QUIZ – 2020: INSIGHTS STATIC QUIZ, 14 March 2020 – Environment

Solution: b)

The solid portion of the earth on which we live is called the Lithosphere.

The gaseous layers that surround the earth, is the Atmosphere, where oxygen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide and other gases are found.

Water covers a very big area of the earth’s surface and this area is called the Hydrosphere. The Hydrosphere comprises water in all its forms, that is, ice, water and water vapour.

The Biosphere is the narrow zone where we find land, water and air together, which contains all forms of life.

Solution: c)

In situ bioremediation is the application of a biological treatment to clean up hazardous compounds present in the environment. The optimization and control of microbial transformations of organic contaminants requires the integration of many scientific and engineering disciplines. Some of the in situ bioremediation practices have been discussed below.

Biosparging: This involves the injection of air under pressure below the water table to increase ground water oxygen concentrations and to enhance the rate of biological degradation of contaminants by naturally occurring bacteria. Biosparging increases the mixing in the saturated zone and thereby increases the contact between soil and ground water.

Bioventing: Bioventing is a promising new technology that stimulates the natural in situ biodegradation of any aerobically degradable compounds by providing oxygen to the existing soil microorganisms. It uses low air flow rates to provide only enough oxygen to sustain microbial activity. Oxygen is most commonly supplied through direct air injection into residual contamination in soil by means of wells. Henceforth, the adsorbed fuel residuals are biodegraded and volatile compounds are also biodegraded as vapors move slowly through biologically active soil.

Bioaugmentation: Bioaugmentation is the introduction of a group of natural microbial strains or a genetically engineered strain to treat contaminated soil or water. Most commonly, it is used in municipal waste water treatment to restart activated sludge bioreactors. At sites where soil and ground water are contaminated with chlorinated ethanes, such as tetrachloroethylene and trichloroethylene, bioaugmentation is used to ensure that the in situ microorganisms can completely degrade these contaminants to ethylene and chloride, which are nontoxic in nature.

Solution: b)

The National Tiger Conservation Authority is a statutory body under the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change.

The National Tiger Conservation Authority has been fulfilling its mandate within the ambit of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 for strengthening tiger conservation in the country by retaining an oversight through advisories/normative guidelines, based on appraisal of tiger status, ongoing conservation initiatives and recommendations of specially constituted Committees.

Set up under the Chairmanship of the Minister for Environment and Forests.

Functions of NTCA are as follows:

• Ensuring normative standards in tiger reserve management.
• Preparation of reserve specific tiger conservation plan.
• Laying down annual/ audit report before Parliament.
• Instituting State level Steering Committees under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister and establishment of Tiger Conservation Foundation.
• According approval for declaring new Tiger Reserves.

Solution: d)

The nitrogen cycle contains several stages:

1. Nitrification
2. Assimilation
3. Ammonification
4. Denitrification

 Nitrification – Nitrification is the biological oxidation of ammonia or ammonium to nitrite followed by the oxidation of the nitrite to nitrate. Nitrification is an aerobic process performed by small groups of autotrophic bacteria and archaea.

Assimilation – Nitrogen compounds in various forms, such as nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, and ammonium are taken up from soils by plants which are then used in the formation of plant and animal proteins.

Ammonification – When plants and animals die, or when animals emit wastes, the nitrogen in the organic matter re-enters the soil where it is broken down by other microorganisms, known as decomposers. This decomposition produces ammonia which is then available for other biological processes.

Denitrification – Nitrogen makes its way back into the atmosphere through a process called denitrification, in which nitrate (NO3-) is converted back to gaseous nitrogen (N2).

Solution: b)

Mangroves for the Future (MFF) is a unique partner-led initiative to promote investment in coastal ecosystem conservation for sustainable development. Co-chaired by IUCN and UNDP, MFF provides a platform for collaboration among the many different agencies, sectors and countries which are addressing challenges to coastal ecosystem and livelihood issues.

Mangroves are the flagship of the initiative, but MFF is inclusive of all types of coastal ecosystem, such as coral reefs, estuaries, lagoons, sandy beaches, sea grasses and wetlands.

The MFF grants facility offers small, medium and large grants to support initiatives that provide practical, hands-on demonstrations of effective coastal management in action.

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