[Mission 2024] STATIC QUIZ, 23 December 2023 – 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: b)

Option 2 and 4 is correct.

Everything that surrounds or affects an organism during its life time is collectively known as its environment which comprises both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic) components. The environment is not static. Both biotic and abiotic factors are in a flux and keep changing continuously.

Solution: d)

Intensive irrigation of farms depletes groundwater; causes hardening of soil due to higher salinity and water logging leading to soil degradation.

Practice of monoculture does not allow the soil to rotate and conserve crucial minerals as the same minerals and nutrients are depleted in each crop cycle.

Forest fires lead to loss of vegetation, top soil cover, crucial biodiversity like microorganisms and animals thereby degrading the natural balance of the ecosystem, and leads to soil degradation.

Solution: b)

Statement 2 is incorrect.

Invasive alien species are animals, plants or other organisms that are introduced by humans, either intentionally or accidentally, into places outside of their natural range, negatively impacting native biodiversity, ecosystem services or human economy and well-being.

Target 6 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework aims to reduce the rate of invasive alien species introduction by at least 50% by 2030.

Lantana Camara invasion threatens 40 per cent of India’s tiger habitat

Solution: b)

Statement 1 is incorrect.

• The Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) is an independent intergovernmental body established by States to strengthen the science-policy interface for biodiversity and ecosystem services for the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity, long-term human well-being and sustainable development.
• It was established in Panama City, on 21 April 2012 by 94 Governments.
• It is not a United Nations body.  However, at the request of the IPBES Plenary and with the authorization of the UNEP Governing Council in 2013, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) provides secretariat services to IPBES. It is intended to serve a similar role to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.