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 cant plants use it directly?
What needs to be done to it so that its 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?
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 Indias land is under forest cover?
22. What % of Indias 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 Indias 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 Indias 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. What is fly ash?
7. What are some ill effects of lead poisoning?
8. What is the full form of NAAQS?
9. What is meant by indicator species? (Page 57)
10. Among the 3 types of nuclear radiations. Which ones have the
most penetrative power?
11. What is bioremediation?
12. Name 2 major programmes of the Indian government with
regards to controlling air pollution.
13. What is thermal pollution?
14. With respect to landfills, what does leaching mean?
15. What is vermiculture?
16. What is bioremediation?
17. Explain bioventing, biosparging, and bioaugmentation.

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 worlds 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 Indias 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 * Worlds
Hog 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 Found only

Rock Rat/ in Eastern
Elvira Rat Ghats of
Tamil Nadu
5 Namdaph Found only
a Flying in
Squirrel Namdapha
in
Arunachal
Pradesh; it
is hunted
for food

6 Malabar One of the

Civet worlds
rarest
mammals;
nocturnal,
found only
in Western
Ghats

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

Endangered Mammals
1 Wild Ass/ Found only
Khur in Indian
Wild Ass
Sanctuary,
Rann of
Kutch
(Gujarat)
2 Asiatic or
Indian
Wild Dog/
Dhole

3 Elds Deer/ Found in

Thamin/ Keibul
Brow- Lamjao
Antlered National
Deer Park,
Manipur

4 Himalayan Indias
Brown/ largest
Red Bear animal in
the
Himalayas;
exhibits
sexual
dimorphis
m
5 Golden Assam/
Langur Bhutan
6 Himalayan
Wolf
7 Himalayan Lack
/ White- antlers, but
bellied have
Musk Deer enlarged
canines
that grow
continuousl
y; poached
for its
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 dimorphis
m, national
animal of
Pakistan

1 Nilgiri
2 Langur-
vulnerable
; not
endanger
ed
1 Nilgiri Tahr Tamil Nadu;
3 Tahrs look
like goats
but dont
have
beards

1 Great Himalayas
4 Indian One only
Horn
Rhinocero
s

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

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

4 Gaur Evergreen/
(Indian Moist
Bison) deciduous
forests

5 Four-
horned
antelope/
Chausingh
a
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 Sikkim,
cat Darjeeling
etc.;
arboreal

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

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

1 Manatee Not found

6 in India
Birds:

Mammals
Critically Endangered
1 Jerdons 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
Florican bustard
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
Lapwing migrant to
India

8 Spoon- Southern
billed 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 Indias 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/ C23qentral
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. Is such a recommendation also required for de-notification?
3. Write a note on Indias tiger conservation efforts (appropriate
body, state efforts, tiger census method, current estimates)
4. What is the biggest threat to elephants in India? (Page 140)
5. What is the MIKE programme? (Page 140)
6. What animal does the SAVE organisation focus on? (Page 144)
7. Where is the Keoladeo National Park located? (Page 142)
8. Name the drug that is responsible for death of vultures.
9. Describe the Maharashtra Governments Vulture Restaurant
scheme.
10. Which state has Kaziranga national park?
11. What variety of turtles migrates to Indian coastal waters every
year to nest? (Page 146)
12. Where will you find the Dachigam National Park? (Page 147)
13. Where is the Arignar Zoological Park?
14. Which animal is Indias National Aquatic Animal?
15. How many schedules does the WPA contain, with regards to
protection of listed animals?
16. Give examples of animals included in each schedule.
17. 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 Suns 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. What does Global Warming Potential mean? On what basis is
it calculated?
17. Arrange the following gases in terms of ascending GWP:
Methane, CFCs, CO2, Nitrous Oxide
18. 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 areas 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?
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 Indias National Action
Plan on climate change?
6. Describe the 2022 capacity target of Indias National Solar
Mission. What is the current installed capacity?
7. Define bio-energy. Describe the key features of Indias National
Bio-Energy Mission.
8. What is INCCAs 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 the Global Environment Facility? (Wikipedia)
12. 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 dont 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. What is the CoP 16 Cancun Agreement? (1 key feature, 3
mechanisms that came out of CoP 16)
12. Explain the key outcomes of the CoP 17 Durban Summit.
13. Which countries are part of the BASIC group?
14. What is Indias position on REDD and REDD+?
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. What is meant by photoperiodism? (Page 218)
5. What is the other name for multiple cropping? How is multiple
cropping different from double cropping?
6. Differentiate between monoculture and monocropping.
7. What does ratoon cropping mean? Name some crops that are
grown by such cropping.
8. What is intercropping? How is it different from multiple cropping
and mixed cropping? (Page 220-222)
9. What is relay intercropping?
10. What is garden land farming? (Page 222)
11. What is dry land farming?
12. What is mixed farming?
13. What is the difference between tap-rooted and fiber-rooted
crops?
14. What is organic farming?
15. What is the slogan of eco-farming?
16. What is permaculture?
17. Which element is responsible for the green colour in plants?
(Chlorophyll, but which element in chlorophyll?)
18. What is bone meal in agriculture?
19. What are bio-fertilizers? (Check: page 226)
20. Define watershed. (Page 227)
21. Define: micro, sprinkler, and drip/ trickle irrigation.
22. What is soil profile? What are the 5 master horizons? Which
horizon is also known as saprolite?
23. What are saline soils? Sodic soils?
24. What is podsolization?
25. What is heliotropism? (Page 230)
26. What is mulching?
27. Expand: SRI

Chapter 22: Acts and Policies

1. When is the World Environment Day celebrated?

2. 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
3. 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.)
4. What % of Indias land is under forest cover?
5. What are the key aims and methods used by the National Forest
Policy of 1988?
6. Describe the 3-tiered structure prescribed in the Biological
Diversity Act (2002) for regulating access to biological resources.
7. What is the most outstanding feature of the Forest Rights Act of
2006?
8. Which Ministry manages this Act? (Check: Page 236)
9. What is minor forest produce?
10. Are the rights conferred under the Forest Rights Act heritable?
Transferable? Alienable?
11. Which Act contains the rules related to Ozone Depleting
Substances?

Chapter 23: Institutions and Measures

1. What is the one salient feature of Joint Forest Management?

Under which Act does this fall?
2. What is social forestry?
3. What is extension forestry? (Page 241)
4. Expand CEPI.
5. Explain the Lighting a Billion Lives campaign. Who runs it?
(Page 242)
6. What is the Eco Mark?
7. 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)

N /
o. Plac
e
1. United Nations 1992 Resulted in 3 documents:
Conference on / Rio
Environment 1. Rio Declaration: contained principles to guide
and sustainable development across the world
Development 2. Agenda 21: actions to guide sustainable development;
(Rio Summit/ 21 refers to 21st century
Earth 3. Forest Principles
Summit)
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.
Biological Aims to ensure sustainable use, and fair and equitable
Diversity (CBD) sharing of benefits arising 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 theyre 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;
Convention on parties committed to wise use of national land-use
Wetlands planning
(Waterfowl
convention) Set up Montreux Record, which is a register of wetland
sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance
where changes in ecological character have occurred/ are
occurring/ likely to occur
4. CITES 1975 Only treaty to ensure that international trade in plants and
(Convention on animals does not threaten their survival in the wild; has
International three appendices- 1 has highest protection, with
Trade in restriction on any kind of trade
Endangered
Species) TRAFFIC is an NGO run by IUCN and WWF that is the
(Washington worlds largest wildlife trade monitoring programme
Convention)
5. Convention on Covers terrestrial aquatic, and avian migratory species.
the Convention has 2 appendices: 1st lists animals threated
Conservation of with extinction, and 2nd lists species that benefit or will
Migratory benefit from international cooperation
Species (Bonn
Convention)
6. Coalition 2005 Unique voluntary public-private coalition of governments
against Wildlife and organizations; aims at mobilizing opinion to properly
Trafficking implement wildlife laws, reduce consumer demand for
(CAWT) wildlife etc.
7. Stockholm 2004 Deals with organic (carbon containing) pollutants that are
Convention on not easily degradable, accumulate in fatty tissues of
Persistent organisms, and are toxic (such as DDT,
Organic hexachlorobenzene, endosulfan etc.)
Pollutants
8. Basel Deals with control of trans-boundary movements of
Convention 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
Convention substances and pesticides
10 UNCCD Desertification (land degradation in dry lands)
.
11 Vienna Protection of ozone layer
. convention
Montreal Protocol: deals with control of substances that
deplete the ozone layer
12 GIAHS- Globally Aims to recognize remarkable land use systems and
. Important landscapes which are rich in globally significant biological
Agricultural diversity evolving from co-adaptation of a community with
Heritage its environment and its needs and aspirations of
Systems 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.

Biogeograp Fauna Flora

hic Region
Trans- Snow leopard, Blacknecked Crane
Himalayas (migratory)
(high
altitudes)
 Himalayan Northern Himalayas: Markhor, Himalayan Pitcher Plant,
region Tahr, Takin, Hangul, Musk Deer; Himalayan yew
(endangered now,
Bharal (Himalayan Blue Sheep- least because of cancer
concern), Ibex (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 Nilgiri Langur, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Malabar
Ghats Civet, Nilgiri Tahr, Travancore Tortoise

Malabar Grey Hornbill

Deccan Chital, Sambar, Chousingha Mostly, deciduous
Plateau forests
(Semi-Arid) Nilgai, Barking Deer (Muntjac), Buffalo
Gangetic Swamp deer (Barasingha; only found in one
Plain 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 Southern India Insectivorous
Slippers
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)