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1. DAn ecosystem is a community of living organisms in conjunction with the nonliving components of their environment (things like air, water and mineral soil), interacting as a system. These biotic and abiotic components are regarded as linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. As ecosystems are defined by the network of interactions among organisms, and between organisms and their environment, they can be of any size but usually encompass specific, limited spaces (although some scientists say that the entire planet is an ecosystem). Energy, water, nitrogen and soil minerals are other essential abiotic components of an ecosystem. The energy that flows through ecosystems is obtained primarily from the sun. It generally enters the system through photosynthesis, a process that also captures carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By feeding on plants and on one another, animals play an important role in the movement of matter and energy through the system. They also influence the quantity of plant and microbial biomass present. By breaking down dead organic matter, decomposers release carbon back to the atmosphere and facilitate nutrient cycling by converting nutrients stored in dead biomass back to a form that can be readily used by plants and other microbes.
2. D
Freshwater ecosystems are a subset of Earth's aquatic ecosystems. They include lakes and ponds, rivers, streams, springs, and wetlands. They can be contrasted with marine ecosystems, which have a larger salt content.
Freshwater habitats can be classified by different factors, including temperature, light penetration, and vegetation.
Freshwater ecosystems can be divided into lentic ecosystems (still water) and lotic ecosystems (flowing water).
3. ATidal action plays a vital role in removal of waste products in estuaries and coastal wetlands. The availability of nutrients from the land and pure water favors more productivity in these areas.
Sunlight availability is same for both rivers and estuaries so this does not make much difference in the production process.
4. DThe objectives of Convention on Biological diversity is, to be pursued in accordance with its relevant provisions, are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, including by appropriate access to genetic resources and by appropriate transfer of relevant technologies, taking into account all rights over those resources and to technologies, and by appropriate funding.
5. B
In situ conservation means the conservation of ecosystems and natural habitats and the maintenance and recovery of viable populations of species in their natural surroundings and, in the case of domesticated or cultivated species, in the surroundings where they have developed their distinctive properties.Ex situ conservation means the conservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats.Examples of In situ Conservation
National Parks, Wild Life sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves, Gene Sanctuaries
Examples of Ex situ ConservationCaptive Breeding, Gene Banks, Seed Banks, Zoos, Aquaria, In
vitro fertilization, Cryopreservation, Tissue Culture
6. A
Corals are often called as “Rain forests of the sea”.Conditions Required for Healthy Growth of Coral Reef
Coral reefs are huge deposits made up dead shells and secretions of marine organisms like Corals, Calcarious algae, stomatopteroids, gartopods Mollusca etc. The deposits are mostly made up of Calcium Carbonate. Conditions required for their growth:
Warm tropical oceans located between 30 degree north and 25 degree south latitudes where a minimum temperature of 20 degree is found and this temperature favour the growth of coral organisms.
Oceanic water free of sedimentation.
Transparent parts of ocean bodies.
Relatively low salinity ocean bodies.
Corals are found across the world’s ocean, in both shallow and deep water, but reef-building corals are only found in shallow tropical and subtropical waters. This is because the algae found in their tissues need light for photosynthesis and they prefer water temperatures between 70-85°F (22-29°C).
There are also deep-sea corals that thrive in cold, dark water at depths of up to 20,000 feet (6,000 m). Both stony corals and soft corals can be found in the deep sea. Deep-sea corals do not have the same algae and do not need sunlight or warm water to survive, but they also grow very slowly. One place to find them is on underwater peaks called seamounts.
The major reef formations in India are restricted to the Gulf of Mannar, Gulf of Kachchh, Andaman and Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. Scattered coral growth has also been reported along certain inter-tidal belts and submerged banks both on the east and west coasts of the country.
7. ATen of the eighteen biosphere reserves are a part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, based on the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme list.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Name States Year
Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka 2000
Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve Tamil Nadu 2001
Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve West Bengal 2001
Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve Uttarakhand 2004
Name States Year
Nokrek Biosphere Reserve Meghalaya 2009
Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve Madhya Pradesh 2009
Simlipal Biosphere Reserve Odisha 2009
Great Nicobar Biosphere Reserve Great Nicobar 2013
Achanakmar-Amarkantak Biosphere Reserve
Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh
2012
Agasthyamalai Biosphere Reserve Kerala and Tamil Nadu 2016
8. A
Soil conservation methods
1. Afforestation.2. Contour ploughing (cultivation against the direction of the wind).3. Strip cultivation (cultivation in strips).4. Flood control by government initiatives.5. Reclamation of bad lands.6. Wind breaks in land; like trees at borders.7. Organic farming.8. Control/restrict shifting cultivation.9. Construction of proper drainage.
10.Leveling of gullies, ravines etc.11.Control of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in the market.12.Proper awareness about the need of conservation.
Mono cropping is the agricultural practice of growing a single crop year after year on the same land, in the absence of rotation through other crops or growing multiple crops on the same land (polyculture). Mono cropping leads to soil degradation.
9. C
10. C
The main difference between a wildlife sanctuary and a national park is that human activities are not at all allowed in a national park. On the other hand, rights of some limited human activities are provided within the boundary of a sanctuary.
Wildlife sanctuary is a natural area which is used for keeping the particular species of animals, especially the endangered ones. Sanctuary is a place which is suitable for protection and development of wildlife or its environment.
The suitability is determined by judging the ecological, floral, faunal, geomorphological factors associated with the area.
National park is also very similar to a wildlife sanctuary, as it is also declared reserved for the protection and development of wild life. Therefore, many people consider them synonymous. The main difference between the two is that in a sanctuary, some other activities may be allowed, whereas in a National park no other activities are allowed. For example, the people may possess rights for timber extraction in a wildlife sanctuary, but this right is not provided under the premises of a national park.
National parks have a proper boundary, whereas the wildlife sanctuaries usually do not have properly marked boundaries. In context to ownership rights, one may retain the private ownership rights if it is not affecting the cause of wildlife conservation. On the other hand, any type of private ownership rights does not exist in a national park.
Comparison between Wildlife Sanctuary and National Park:
Wildlife Sanctuary National Park
DefinitionRefers to the geographical area which is reserved exclusively for the
National park is another protected area kept apart for the conservation of
conservation of bio-diversity wild life
Human activity Limited human activity is allowed
No human activity is allowed
BoundaryUsually, not as well marked as in the case of a national
parkProperly marked
Degree of permanency A good level of permanency A higher level of
permanency
EstablishmentUsually through a
competent authority like chief conservator of forests,
etc.
Usually by the national or federal government
11. D
The Wildlife Protection Act 1972 is first umbrella act to protect plants as well as animals. It was last amended in 2006 to give statutory status to Project Tiger.
Key Provisions of the Wildlife Protection ActThe act extends to the whole of India, except the State of Jammu and Kashmir which has its own wildlife act. It defines five types of protected areas viz. National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, Community Reserves, Conservation Reserves and Tiger Reserves. The act has six schedules with varying degrees of protection to different kinds of animals and plants.
Wild Life SanctuaryA wildlife sanctuary is defined by State Government via a Notification. There is no need to pass a legislation (act) by the state assembly to declare a wildlife sanctuary. Fixation and alternation of boundary can be done by state legislature via resolution. No need to pass an act for alternation of boundaries.
No alternation of boundaries in wildlife sanctuaries can be done without approval of the NBWL (National Board of Wildlife) Limited human activities are permitted in the sanctuary.
National ParksSimilar to the Wildlife Sanctuaries, a National Park is defined by state government via notification. The state government can fix and alter boundaries of the National Parks with prior consultation and approval with National Board of Wildlife. There is no need to pass an act for alternation of boundaries of National Parks. No human activities are permitted in a National Park.
Conservation Reserves and Community ReservesThese areas provide a greater role and opportunity for local communities, stakeholders and civil society to protect many areas of conservation value that cannot be designated under strict categories such as wildlife sanctuaries or national parks.
Tiger ReservesTiger Reserves are declared by National Tiger Conservation Authority via Wild Life (Protection) Amendment Act, 2006 under centrally sponsored scheme called Project Tiger. To declare an area as Tiger Reserve, the state governments can forward their proposals in this regard to NTCA. Central Government via NTCA may also advise the state governments to forward a proposal for creation of Tiger Reserves. Tiger Reserves are managed by National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA). No alternation of boundary can be done without the recommendation of National Board for Wild Life and without the advice of the Tiger Conservation Authority.
Schedules of the Wild Life Protection ActThere are six schedules in wildlife protection act with varying degrees of protection. Out of the six schedules, Schedule I and part II of Schedule II provide absolute protection and offences under these are prescribed the highest penalties. The penalties for Schedule III and Schedule IV are less and these animals are protected. Schedule V includes the animals which may be hunted. Such animals include Common crow , Fruit bats, Mice & Rats only. Schedule VI contains the plants, which are prohibited from cultivation and planting.
12. D
13.AEdge SpeciesAn ecotone is a transition area between two biomes but different patches of the landscape, such as forest and grassland. The ecotone contains not only species common to the communities on both sides; it may also include a number of highly adaptable species that tend to colonize such transitional areas. This can produce an edge effect along the boundary line, with the area displaying a greater than usual diversity of species. The phenomenon of increased variety of plants as well as animals at the community junction is called the “edge effect” and is essentially due to a locally broader range of suitable environmental conditions or ecological niches.
14. B
15. CThe Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology from one country to another. It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September 2003.On 29 January 2000, the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a supplementary agreement to the Convention known as the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. The Protocol seeks to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by living modified organisms resulting from modern biotechnology. It establishes an advance informed agreement (AIA) procedure for ensuring that countries are provided with the information necessary to make informed decisions before agreeing to the import of such organisms into their territory. The Protocol contains reference to a approach and reaffirms the precaution language in Principle 15 of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development. The Protocol also establishes a Biosafety Clearing-House to facilitate the exchange of information on living modified organisms and to assist countries in the implementation of the Protocol.
16. B
Agenda 21 is a non-binding, action plan of the United Nations with regard to sustainable development.
It is a product of the Earth Summit (UN Conference on Environment and Development) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.
It is an action agenda for the UN, other multilateral organizations, and individual governments around the world that can be executed at local, national, and global levels.
The "21" in Agenda 21 refers to the 21st Century.
17. B
The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal, usually known as the Basel Convention, is an international treaty that was designed to reduce the movements of hazardous waste between nations, and specifically to prevent transfer of hazardous waste from developed to less developed countries (LDCs).
It does not, however, address the movement of radioactive waste.
The Convention is also intended to minimize the amount and toxicity of wastes generated, to ensure their environmentally sound management as closely as possible to the source of generation, and to assist LDCs in environmentally sound management of the hazardous and other wastes they generate.
The Convention was opened for signature on 22 March 1989, and entered into force on 5 May 1992. As of November 2016, 184 states and the European Union are parties to the Convention. Haiti and the United States have signed the Convention but not ratified it.
18. C A biodiversity hotspot is an area with unusual concentration of species, many of which are endemic. It is marked by serious threat to its biodiversity by humans. The concept was given in 1988 by Norman Myers.
Qualification for Biodiversity HotspotTo qualify as a hotspot, a region must meet two strict criteria:
Endemism: it must contain at least 1,500 species of vascular plants (> 0.5 percent of the world’s total) as endemics, and
Loss of Habitat: it has to have lost at least 70 percent of its original habitat.
Accordingly, 34 biodiversity hotspots have been so far identified. Collectively, the Biodiversity hotspots support 60% of world’s plant and animal species with a high share of endemics and cover around 2.5% of Earth’s land surface.
Biodiversity Hotspots in IndiaIndia shares its territories into three biodiversity hotspots viz. Eastern Himalaya, Western Ghats and Indo-Burma. Out of them, Eastern Himalaya and Western Ghats are mostly located within India’s territory. In the Indo-Burma Biodiversity hotspot, India shares only a small part in north East India.
19. AThe Montreux Record is a register of wetland sites on the List of Wetlands of International Importance where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring, or are likely to occur as a result of technological developments, pollution or other human interference.
It is a voluntary mechanism to highlight specific wetlands of international importance that are facing immediate challenges.It is maintained as part of the List of Ramsar wetlands of international importance.
Indian sites under Montreux Record:At present, 2 Indian sites are listed under it. 2017
Keoladeo National Park
Loktak Lake
20.D
21. C
22. C
Eutrophication is when the environment becomes enriched with nutrients. This can be a problem in marine habitats such as lakes as it can cause algal blooms.
Fertilisers are often used in farming, sometimes these fertilisers run-off into nearby water causing an increase in nutrient levels.
This causes phytoplankton to grow and reproduce more rapidly, resulting in algal blooms.
This bloom of algae disrupts normal ecosystem functioning and causes many problems.
The algae may use up all the oxygen in the water, leaving none for other marine life. This results in the death of many aquatic organisms such as fish, which need the oxygen in the water to live.
The bloom of algae may also block sunlight from photosynthetic marine plants under the water surface.
Some algae even produce toxins that are harmful to higher forms of life. This can cause problems along the food chain and affect any animal that feeds on them.
23. D
A water body can be oligotrophic, mesotrophic, eutrophic, and hypereutropic:
Oligotrophic: An oligotrophic lake or water body is one which has a relatively low productivity due to the low nutrient content in the lake. The waters of these lakes are usually quite clear due to the limited growth of algae in the lake. The waters of such lakes are of high-drinking quality. Such lakes support aquatic species who require well-oxygenated, cold waters such as lake trout. Oligotrophic lakes are usually found in the cold regions of the world where mixing of nutrients is rare and slow due to the low temperatures of the lake waters.
Mesotrophic: Lakes with an intermediate level of productivity are called mesotrophic lakes. These lakes have medium-level nutrients and are usually clear water with submerged aquatic plants.
Eutrophic: Lakes that are eutrophic in nature have high levels of biological productivity. An abundance of plants is supported by such
lakes due to the rich nutrient constitution, especially nitrogen and phosphorus. Initially, eutrophic lakes accelerate multiplication and growth of lake fauna due to the high levels of oxygen provided by a large number of plants growing in the lake. However, when things cross limits and plants or algal blooms overcrowd the lake, the lake fauna suffers due to the high levels of respiration by the living vegetative matter. Eutrophication might occur naturally or due to human impact on the environment.
Hypereutrophic: These lakes suffer from problems arising due to excessive plant and algal growth due to a high supply of growth nutrients. These lakes have little transparency due to the dense overgrowth of algae or aquatic flora. These lakes usually have visibility limited to lower than 3 feet. Hypereutrophic lakes also have more than 100 micrograms/liter of phosphorus and more than 40 micrograms/liter of total chlorophyll. The overgrowth of algae often suffocates the fauna below the water depths and this might create dead zones beneath the water surface.
Both natural and human-made factors might influence the trophic state of a water body. If the lake is located in a region that has a high level of nutrients, the lake will naturally be in the eutrophic state. Sewage entering the lake intentionally or accidentally, agricultural run-offs from crop-fields, or fertilizers leached into the waters are the different ways in which nutrients are added to a water body due to human activities.
24. D
25. DA Red Data Book contains lists of species whose continued existence is threatened. Species are classified into different categories of perceived risk. Each Red Data Book usually deals with a specific group of animals or plants and fungi. They are now being published in many different countries and provide useful information on the threat status of the species. It is published by IUCN
26. C1. Alpha-diversity (Within-Community diversity) refers to the diverse organisms sharing the same community/habitat.
2. Beta-diversity (Between-community diversity) refers to the rate of replacement of species along a gradient of habitats or communities. 3. Gamma diversity (Overall) refers to the diversity of habitats over the total landscape or geographical area.
27. C
Cultural (28)1. Agra Fort (1983)2. Ajanta Caves (1983)3. Archaeological Site of Nalanda Mahavihara (Nalanda University)
at Nalanda, Bihar (2016)4. Buddhist Monuments at Sanchi (1989)5. Champaner-Pavagadh Archaeological Park (2004)6. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus (formerly Victoria Terminus) (2004)7. Churches and Convents of Goa (1986)8. Elephanta Caves (1987)9. Ellora Caves (1983)10.Fatehpur Sikri (1986)11.Great Living Chola Temples (1987,2004)12.Group of Monuments at Hampi (1986)13.Group of Monuments at Mahabalipuram (1984)14.Group of Monuments at Pattadakal (1987)15.Hill Forts of Rajasthan (2013)16.Historic City of Ahmadabad (2017)17.Humayun's Tomb, Delhi (1993)18.Khajuraho Group of Monuments (1986)19.Mahabodhi Temple Complex at Bodh Gaya (2002)20.Mountain Railways of India (1999,2005,2008)21.Qutb Minar and its Monuments, Delhi (1993)22.Rani-ki-Vav (the Queen’s Stepwell) at Patan, Gujarat (2014)23.Red Fort Complex (2007)24.Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka (2003)25.Sun Temple, Konârak (1984)26.Taj Mahal (1983)27.The Architectural Work of Le Corbusier, an Outstanding
Contribution to the Modern Movement (2016)28.The Jantar Mantar, Jaipur (2010)
Natural (7)1. Great Himalayan National Park Conservation Area (2014)2. Kaziranga National Park (1985)
3. Keoladeo National Park (1985)4. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (1985)5. Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks (1988,2005)6. Sundarbans National Park (1987)7. Western Ghats (2012)
Mixed (1)Khangchendzonga National Park (2016)
28. D
PROJECT ELEPHANT was launched by the Government of India in the year 1992 as a Centrally Sponsored Scheme with following
Objectives:
1.To protect elephants, their habitat & corridors 2.To address issues of man-animal conflict 3.Welfare of captive elephants
The Project is being mainly implemented in 16 States / UTs , viz. Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
provides the financial and technical support to major elephant range states in the country through Project Elephant.
29. B
Mangroves CoverIn world’s total mangrove vegetation, India’s share stands at 3%.
Currently Mangrove cover in India is 4740 km² which is 0.14 % of the country’s geographical area. Sundarbans in West Bengal accounts for almost half of the total area. As compared to 2013 there is a net increase of 112 sq km in the mangrove cover. Top five states with maximum Mangrove cover are as follows:
1. West Bengal (2106)2. Gujarat (1107)3. Andaman & Nicobar Island (617)4. Andhra Pradesh (367)5. Odisha (231)
Mangroves are also found in Tamil Nadu, Goa, Kerala, Daman & Diu, Karnataka and Puducherry
Coondapur is in Karnataka lies to the west coast of India
30.DThe State of Forests Report (SFR) is brought out by the Forest Survey of India. The forest cover assessment of India is published in this biennial report.
31.A
32.A
Interspecies relations
InteractionSpecies A
Species B
Example
1. Mutualism Enjoys Enjoys Bees and flowers (pollination)
2. Commensalism Enjoys NeutralOrchid plant growing on a mango tree.
3. Predation Enjoys Harmed Tiger eating deer.
4. Parasitism Enjoys Harmed Tapeworm in human digestive tract.
5. Competition Harmed Harmed Jungle Deers vs domestic goats
grazing in same area.
6. Amensalism Neutral Harmedbread mold Penicillium secretes penicillin and it destroys other bacteria.
33.DBy looking at the shape of the age pyramid we can infer weather the population is stable or growing or declining.
34.B
35.C
36.D
37.D
38.D
39.D
40.A
Each step in the food chain is called a “Trophic level”.
The trophic level to which an organism belongs, indicates how far it is away from plants in the food chain.
Green plants (producers)= trophic level I
Herbivores (primary consumers)= trophic level II
Carnivores (secondary consumers) =trophic level III
top carnivores (tertiary consumers)= trophic level IV
Herbivores (deer, cow etc.) are always @second trophic level.
Higher trophic levels are made up of carnivores.
An organism cannot always be assigned to one specific trophic level.
E.g. man (omnivore), so he is both a herbivore (@2nd trophic level) and as a carnivore he can be (@>2nd trophic level)
Type of Food Chains
Food Chain Description
1. Grazing Starts with green plants.e.g. Grass> grasshoppers> birds> hawks.
2. Parasitic Also starts with green plants but here smaller organisms depending on larger organism. e.g. Grass> cow> lice.
3. Detritus* /saprophytic Starts with dead plant/animal/ waste material> decomposers.
*Detrius = dry leaves, dead plant, animal remains, dead skin cells, other organic waste (urine, excreta).
41.C
Ecological succession
Ecological succession is the steady and gradual change in a species of a given area with respect to the changing environment. It is a predictable change and is an inevitable process of nature as all the biotic components have to keep up with the changes in the environment. However, the ultimate aim of this process is to reach equilibrium in the ecosystem. The community that achieves this aim is called a climax community. In an attempt to reach this equilibrium, some species increase in number while some other decreases.In an area, the sequence of communities that undergo changes is called sere. Thus, each community that changes is called a seral stage or seral community.
All the communities that we observe today around us have undergone succession over the period of time since their existence. Thus, we can say that evolution is a process that has taken place simultaneously along with that
of ecological succession. Also, the initiation of life on earth can be considered to be a result of this succession process.If we consider an area where life starts from scratch by the process of succession, it is known as primary succession. However, if life starts at a place after the area has lost all the life forms existing there, the process is called secondary succession. It is obvious that primary succession is a rather slow process as life has to start from nothing whereas secondary succession is faster because it starts at a place which had already supported life before. Moreover, the first species that comes into existence during primary succession is known as pioneer species.
Plant succession
There are two types of ecological succession seen in plants. They are as follows:
Hydrarch succession – This kind of succession takes place in areas where the water content is very high as a result the plants grow in the availability of too much of water. Thus, the plants have a tendency to develop so as to minimize the water usage. Thus we can state that the plants replace from hydric to the mesic condition.
Xerarch succession – This succession mainly occurs in the areas where there is a scarcity of water, as a result, plants develop so as to conserve water. Thus, the plants change from xeric to the mesic condition.
Henceforth, both the plant successions move towards attaining mesic conditions.
42.A
TYPES OF BIO-GEOCHEMICAL CYCLES:From the viewpoint of the ecosphere as a whole, biogeochemical cycles
fall into two basic groups:
Gaseous Types, in which the reservoir is in the atmosphere or the
hydrosphere (ocean); and
Sedimentary Types, in which the reservoir is in the crust of earth.
CARBON CYCLECarbon is a constituent of all organic compounds, many of which are
essential to life on Earth. The source of the carbon found in living matter
is carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air or dissolved in water. Carbon is found
in all organic macromolecules and is also a key component of fossil fuels.
Steps in the carbon cycle1. Carbon enters the atmosphere as carbon dioxide from respiration and
combustion.
2. Carbon dioxide is absorbed by producers to make carbohydrates in photosynthesis.
3. Animals feed on the plant passing the carbon compounds along the
food chain. Most of the carbon they consume is exhaled as carbon dioxide formed during respiration. The animals and plants eventually
die.
4. The dead organisms are eaten by decomposers and the carbon in their bodies is returned to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide. In some
conditions decomposition is blocked. The plant and animal material may
then be available as fossil fuel in the future for combustion.
The cycle has four major reservoirs of carbon interconnected by pathways of exchange. The reservoirs are:1. the atmosphere
2. the terrestrial biosphere (which usually includes freshwater systems
and non-living organic material, such as soil carbon)
3. the oceans (which includes dissolved inorganic carbon and living and
non-living marine biota
4. the sediments (which includes fossil fuels).
The annual movements of carbon, the carbon exchanges between
reservoirs, occur because of various chemical, physical, geological, and
biological processes.
Other facts:Algae and terrestrial green plants (producers) are the chief agents of
carbon dioxide fixation through the process of photosynthesis, through
which carbon dioxide and water are converted into simple
carbohydrates.
These compounds are used by the producers to carry on metabolism,
the excess being stored as fats and polysaccharides. The stored products
are then eaten by consumer organisms, from protozoans to man, which
convert them into other forms.
CO2 is added directly to the atmosphere by animals and some other
organisms as a by-product of respiration. The carbon present in animal
wastes and in the bodies of all organisms is released as CO2 by decay, or
decomposer, organisms (chiefly bacteria and fungi) in a series of
microbial transformations.
Part of the organic carbon the remains of organisms has accumulated in
Earth’s crust as fossil fuels (e.g., coal, gas, and petroleum), limestone,
and coral. The carbon of fossil fuels, removed from the cycle in
prehistoric time, is now being released in vast amounts as CO2 through
industrial and agricultural processes, much of it quickly passing into the
oceans and there being “fixed” as carbonates. If oxygen is scarce (as in
sewage, marshes, and swamps), some carbon is released as methane
gas.
Phosphorus Cycle
Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants and animals in
the form of ions. It is a part of DNA-molecules, of molecules that
store energy (ATP and ADP) and of fats of cell membranes.
Phosphorus is also a building block of certain parts of the
human and animal body, such as the bones and teeth.
Phosphorus can be found on earth in water, soil and
sediments. Unlike the compounds of other matter cycles
phosphorus cannot be found in air in the gaseous state. This is
because phosphorus is usually liquid at normal temperatures and
pressures.
It is mainly cycling through water, soil and sediments.
In the atmosphere phosphorus can mainly be found as very
small dust particles.
Phosphorus moves slowly from deposits on land and in sediments,
to living organisms, and then much more slowly back into the soil
and water sediment. The phosphorus cycle is the slowest one of
the matter cycles. The phosphorus cycle appears somewhat
simpler than the nitrogen cycle, because phosphorus occurs in
fewer chemical forms.
Parts of the CycleAs shown in the Figure, phosphorus, a necessary
constituent of protoplasm, tends to circulate with organic compounds in the form of phosphates (PO4), which are again available to plants.
The great reservoir of phosphorus is not the air, however,
but in apatite mineral deposits formed in past geological ages
(that is, in the lithosphere).
Atmospheric dust and aerosols return a large amount of
phosphorus (not phosphate) to the land yearly, but phosphate
continually returns to the sea, where part of it is deposited in the
shallow sediments and part of it is lost to the deep sediments.
From above explanation we can infer that the Atmospheric inputs of phosphorus through rainfall are much smaller than carbon inputs as phosphorous availability in air is negligible. Through the process of respiration carbon dioxide is released in to atmosphere.
43.D
44.B
45.D
46.D
47.B
48.B
49.C
50.D
51.A
A biosphere reserve is divided into three zones: Core, buffer and manipulation.
(i) Core Zone:In core or natural zone human activity is not allowed. This area is legally protected and undisturbed ecosystem.
(ii) Buffer zone:The immediate surrounding area of core zone is buffer zone. Here limited human activities live like research, education and research strategy is permitted.
(iii) Manipulation zone:Manipulation or transition zone is the outermost or peripheral area of biosphere reserve. With the cooperation of reserve management and local people several human activities like settlements, cropping, recreation, and forestry are carried out without disturbing the environment. Buffer zone has different parts like forestry, agriculture, tourism and restoration regions. Through the restoration activities selected degraded area called restoration region is restored to natural form.
52.BRamsar is the oldest of the modern global intergovernmental environmental agreements. The treaty was negotiated through the 1960s by countries and non - governmental organizations concerned about the increasing loss and degradation of wetland habitat for migratory waterbirds. It was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and came into force in 1975.
53.A
TYPES OF CONSERVATION:Conservation can broadly be divided into two types:1. In-situ conservation 2. Ex-situ conservation
In-situ Conservation:In-situ conservation is on site conservation or the conservation of genetic resources in natural populations of plant or animal species, such as forest genetic resources in natural populations of tree species.
It is the process of protecting an endangered plant or animal species in its natural habitat, either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself, or by defending the species from predators.
It is applied to conservation of agricultural biodiversity in agro forestry by farmers, especially those using unconventional farming practices. In-situ conservation is being done by declaring area as protected area.
Advantages of in-situ conservation:1. The flora and fauna live in natural habitats without human interference.
2. The life cycles of the organisms and their evolution progresses in a natural way.
3. In-situ conservation provides the required green cover and its associated benefits to our environment.
4. It is less expensive and easy to manage.
5. The interests of the indigenous people are also protected.
Ex-Situ Conservation:Ex-situ conservation is the preservation of components of biological diversity outside their natural habitats. This involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated or species, and draws on a diverse body of techniques and facilities. Such strategies include establishment of botanical gardens, zoos, conservation strands and gene, pollen seed, seedling, tissue culture and DNA banks.
i. Seed gene bank:These are cold storages where seeds are kept under controlled temperature and humidity for storage and this is easiest way to store the germ plasma of
plants at low temperature. Seeds preserved under controlled conditions (minus temperature) remain viable for long durations of time.
ii. Gene bank:Genetic variability also is preserved by gene bank under normal growing conditions. These are cold storages where germ plam are kept under controlled temperature and humidity for storage; this is an important way of preserving the genetic resources.
iii. Cryopreservation:This is the newest application of technology for preservation of biotic parts. This type of conservation is done at very low temperature (196°C) in liquid nitrogen. The metabolic activities of the organisms are suspended under low temperature, which are later used for research purposes.
iv. Tissue culture bank:Cryopreservation of disease free meristems is very helpful. Long term culture of excised roots and shoots are maintained. Meristem culture is very popular in plant propagation as it’s a virus and disease free method of multiplication.
v. Long term captive breeding:The method involves capture, maintenance and captive breeding on long term basis of individuals of the endangered species which have lost their habitat permanently or certain highly unfavorable conditions are present in their habitat.
vi. Botanical gardens:A botanical garden is a place where flowers, fruits and vegetables are grown. The botanical gardens provide beauty and calm environment. Most of them have started keeping exotic plants for educational and research purposes.
vii. Animal Translocation:Release of animals in a new locality which come from anywhere else.
Translocation is carried in following cases:1. When a species on which an animal is dependent becomes rare.2. When a species is endemic or restricted to a particular area.3. Due to habit destruction and unfavorable environment conditions.4. Increase in population in an area.
viii. Zoological Gardens:
In zoos wild animals are maintained in captivity and conservation of wild animals (rare, endangered species). The oldest zoo, the Schonbrumm zoo which exists today also, was established in VIENNA in 1759.
In India, the 1st zoo came into existence at BARRACKPORE in 1800. In world there are about 800 zoos. Such zoos have about 3000 species of vertebrates. Some zoos have undertaken captive breeding programmes.
Advantages of ex-situ preservation:1. It is useful for declining population of species.2. Endangered animals on the verge of extinction are successfully breeded.3. Threatened species are breeded in captivity and then released in the natural habitats.4. Ex-situ centres offer the possibilities of observing wild animals, which is otherwise not possible.5. It is extremely useful for conducting research and scientific work on different species.
54.D
55.BEndemism is the ecological state of a species being unique to a
defined geographic location, such as an island, nation, country or other defined zone, or habitat type; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsewhere. The extreme opposite of endemism is cosmopolitan distribution. An alternative term for a species that is endemic is precinctive, which applies to species (and subspecific categories) that are restricted to a defined geographical area.
Pioneer species are hardy species which are the first to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, beginning a chain of ecological succession that ultimately leads to a more biodiverse steady-state ecosystem
56.AMoving from high latitudes to low latitudes the species diversity increases
Moving from poles to equator, the species diversity Increases.
57.A
58.C
Bioaccumulation refers to how pollutants enter a food chain; bio magnification refers to the tendency of pollutants to concentrate as they move from one trophic level to the next. Here are some definitions of these terms:
Bioaccumulation:Increase in concentration of a pollutant from the environment to the first organism in a food chain
Bio magnification:Increase in concentration of a pollutant from one link in a food chain to another
In order for biomagnification to occur, the pollutant must be:1. long-lived2. mobile3. soluble in fats4. biologically active
If a pollutant is short-lived, it will be broken down before it can become dangerous. If it is not mobile, it will stay in one place and is unlikely to be taken up by organisms. If the pollutant is soluble in water it will be excreted by the organism. Pollutants that dissolve in fats, however, may be retained for a long time. It is traditional to measure the amount of pollutants in fatty tissues of organisms such as fish. In mammals, we often test the milk produced by females, since the milk has a lot of fat in it and because the very young are often more susceptible to damage from toxins (poisons). If a pollutant is not active biologically, it may biomagnify, but we really don't worry about it much, since it probably won't cause any problems.Classic example: DDT
59.D
60.D
In most of the cases many food chains end with decomposers.
61. B Primary consumers are animals that eat primaryproducers; they are
also called herbivores (plant-eaters). Secondary consumers eat primary consumers. They are carnivores (meat-eaters) and omnivores (animals that eat both animals and plants)
61.D
62.B
ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS
The pyramidal representation of trophic levels of different organisms based on their ecological position [producer to final consumer] is called as an ecological pyramid.
The food producer forms the base of the pyramid and the top carnivore forms the tip. Other consumer trophic levels are in between.
The pyramid consists of a number of horizontal bars depicting specific trophic levels. The length of each bar represents the total number of individuals or biomass or energy at each trophic level in an ecosystem.
The ecological pyramids are of three categories.
1. Pyramid of numbers,2. Pyramid of biomass, and3. Pyramid of energy or productivity.
Pyramid of Numbers
Pyramid of numbers represents the total number of individuals of different species (population) at each trophic level.
Depending upon the size, the pyramid of numbers may not always be upright, and may even be completely inverted.
It is very difficult to count all the organisms, in a pyramid of numbers and so the pyramid of number does not completely define the trophic structure for an ecosystem.
Pyramid of numbers – upright
In this pyramid, the number of individuals is decreased from lower level to higher trophic level.
This type of pyramid can be seen in grassland ecosystem and pond ecosystem.
The grasses occupy the lowest trophic level (base) because of their abundance.
The next higher trophic level is primary consumer – herbivore (example – grasshopper).
The individual number of grasshopper is less than that of grass. The next energy level is primary carnivore (example – rat).
The number of rats are less than grasshopper, because, they feed on grasshopper. The next higher trophic level is secondary carnivore (example – snakes). They feed on rats.
The next higher trophic level is the top carnivore. (Ex: Hawk). With each higher trophic level, the number of individual decreases.
Pyramid of numbers – inverted
In this pyramid, the number of individuals is increased from lower level to higher trophic level. E.g. Tree ecosystem.
PYRAMID OF BIOMASS
Pyramid of biomass is usually determined by collecting all organisms occupying each trophic level separately and measuring their dry weight.
This overcomes the size difference problem because all kinds of organisms at a trophic level are weighed. Biomass is measured in g/m2.
The biomass of a species is expressed in terms of fresh or dry weight. Measurement of biomass in terms of dry weight is more accurate.
Each trophic level has a certain mass of living material at a particular time called as the standing crop.
The standing crop is measured as the mass of living organisms (biomass) or the number in a unit area.
Pyramid of Biomass – Upright
For most ecosystems on land, the pyramid of biomass has a large base of primary producers with a smaller trophic level perched on top.
The biomass of producers (autotrophs) is at the maximum. The biomass of next trophic level i.e. primary consumers is less than the producers. The biomass of next higher trophic level i.e. secondary consumers is less than the primary consumers. The top, high trophic level has very less amount of biomass.
Pyramid of Biomass – Inverted
In contrast, in many aquatic ecosystems, the pyramid of biomass may assume an inverted form. [Pyramid of numbers for aquatic ecosystem is upright]
This is because the producers are tiny phytoplankton that grow and reproduce rapidly.
Here, the pyramid of biomass has a small base, with the consumer biomass at any instant actually exceeding the producer biomass and the pyramid assumes inverted shape.
Pyramid of Energy
To compare the functional roles of the trophic levels in an ecosystem, an energy pyramid is most suitable.
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.
Suppose an ecosystem receives 1000 calories of light energy in a given day. Most of the energy is not absorbed; some is reflected back to space; of the energy absorbed only a small portion is utilized by green plants, out of which the plant uses up some for respiration and of the 1000 calories, therefore only 100 calories are stored as energy rich materials.
Now suppose an animal, say a deer, eats the plant containing 100 calorie of food energy. The deer uses some of it for its own metabolism and stores only 10 calorie as food energy. A lion that eats the deer gets an
even smaller amount of energy. Thus usable energy decreases from sunlight to producer to herbivore to carnivore. Therefore, the energy pyramid will always be upright.
Energy pyramid concept helps to explain the phenomenon of biological magnification – the tendency for toxic substances to increase in concentration progressively with higher trophic levels.
Ecological Efficiency
Ecological efficiency describes the efficiency with which energy is transferred from one trophic level to the next.
The number of trophic levels in the grazing food chain is restricted as the transfer of energy follows 10 per cent law – only 10 per cent of the energy is transferred to each trophic level from the lower trophic level. [above figure]
The decreases at each subsequent trophic level is due to two reasons:
1. At each trophic a part of the available energy is lost in respiration or used up in metabolism.
2. A part of energy is lost at each transformation, i.e. when it moves from lower to higher trophic level as heat.
Limitations of Ecological Pyramids
It does not take into account the same species belonging to two or more trophic levels.
It assumes a simple food chain, something that almost never exists in nature; it does not accommodate a food web.
Moreover, saprophytes (plant, fungus, or microorganism that lives on decaying matter) are not given any place in ecological pyramids even though they play a vital role in the ecosystem.
63.B
64.B
65.C
66.C
67.A
68.CThe Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity, also known as the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) is a 2010 supplementary agreement to the 1992 Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Its aim is the implementation of the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity
69.C
70.B
71.CTiger Reserves:Project Tiger was launched by the Government of India in the year 1973 to save the endangered species of tiger in the country. Starting from nine (9) reserves in 1973-2016 the number is grown up to fifty (50). A total area of 71027.10 km2 is covered by these project tiger areas. As per Ministry of Environment and Forests, the tiger population in India stood at 2,226 in 2014. Karnataka has the highest number of tigers in the age group of 1.5 years with more than 408 big cats. Other states with significant populations included Uttarakhand (340), Madhya Pradesh (308), Tamil Nadu (229), Maharashtra (190), Assam (167), Kerala (136) and Uttar Pradesh (117).
MAP REPRESENTING THE TIGER RESERVES 1
72.B
73.A
74.C
75.A
76. A
In India inland wetlands occupy a larger area than the coastal wetlands .
77. A
78. B The Catalonia region is in northeastern Spain,79. B
The Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC) functions in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC). As per Rules, 1989, it is responsible for appraisal of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle. The committee is also responsible for appraisal of proposals relating to release of genetically engineered (GE) organisms and products into the enviornment including experimental field trials.
GEAC is chaired by the Special Secretary/Additional Secretary of MoEF&CC and co-chaired by a representative from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). Presently, it has 24 members and meets every month to review the applications in the areas indicated above.
The functions of GEAC as prescribed in the Rules 1989 are as follows:
1. To appraise activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganisms and recombinants in research and industrial production from the environmental angle.
2. To appraise proposals relating to release of genetically engineered organisms and products into the environment including experimental field trials.
3. The committee or any persons authorized by it has powers to take punitive action under the Environment Protection Act.
80. D
81. D
The Union Government had launched SECURE Himalaya, a six-year project to ensure conservation of locally and globally significant biodiversity, land and forest resources in high Himalayan ecosystem spread over four states viz. Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Sikkim.
It was launched by Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) in association with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
It is meant for specific landscapes including Changthang (Jammu and Kasmir), Lahaul – Pangi and Kinnaur (Himachal Pradesh), Gangotri – Govind and Darma – Byans Valley in Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand) and Kanchenjunga – Upper Teesta Valley (Sikkim).
The key focus areas of the project is protection of snow leopard and other endangered species and their habitats and also securing livelihoods of people in region and enhancing enforcement to reduce wildlife crime. Under it, enhanced enforcement efforts and monitoring will be undertaken to curb illegal trade in some medicinal and aromatic plants which are among most threatened species in these landscapes.
82. DDachigam National Park, located 22 km from Srinagar, is popular as the
home of the rare and critically endangered Hangul or Kashmir stag. 83. B
Bhitarakanika National park is in Odisha.
84. C
Department of Animal husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries in co-operation with 12 States had undertaken Mass Embryo Transfer programme in indigenous breeds under National Mission on Bovine Productivity Scheme.
The programme is implemented with the objective of conservation and development of indigenous breeds under Rashtriya Gokul Mission using Embryo transfer technology (ETT).
Embryo transfer technology (ETT)ETT is one of the most important reproductive biotechnologies where male and female genetic material can be utilized for faster improvement of livestock. It has revolutionized breeding strategies in Bovines as tool to optimize genetic improvement in cattle. Using it, embryos of higher genetic merit indigenous bovines such as Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Ongole, Deoni and Vechur are being transferred in to surrogate cows. Government is taking this technology to doorstep of farmers for rapid propogation of high genetic merit indigenous cattle.
Benefits of using ETT: (i) Farmer can get 5-6 fold increase in number of offsprings. (ii) So born calves will be of high genetic merit (iii) Offsprings born will be free from diseases.
National Mission on Bovine ProductivityIt was launched in November 2016 with aim of enhancing milk production and productivity and thereby making dairying more remunerative to farmers. It is being implemented with following components(i) Pashu Sanjivni: It includes identification of animals in milk using UID, issuing health cards to all animals in milk and uploading data on INAPH data base.(ii) Advance reproductive Technique: Under it, sex sorted semen production facility is being created at 10 A graded semen stations and 50 EET Labs with IVF facilities.(iii) Creation of E Pashu Haat Portal: It is for linking farmers and breeders of indigenous breeds and
(iv) Establishment of National Bovine Genomic Centre for Indigenous Breeds (NBGC-IB): It is established for enhancing milk production and productivity through genomic selection among indigenous breeds.
Rashtriya Gokul MissionIt was launched in December 2014 for development and conservation of indigenous bovine breeds for enhancing milk production and productivity through induction of high genetic merit bulls for semen production, field performance recording, strengthening of bulls mother farms, setting up of Gokul Grams etc.
85. D
Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme (MPLADS) is a scheme formulated by Government of Indiaon 23 December 1993 that provides that each member of parliament of India has the choice to suggest to the Head of the District works to the tune of ₹5 crore (US$780,000) per year, to be taken up in his/her constituency. Initially, this scheme was administered by Ministry of Rural Development. Later, in October 1994, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI) has been looking into its working. Elected Members of Rajya Sabha representing the whole of the State as they do, may select works for implementation in one or more district(s) as they may choose. Nominated Members of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha may also select works for implementation in one or more districts, anywhere in the country. The allocation per MP per year stands increased to ₹2 crore (US$310,000) from the year 1998-1999 which has been further enhanced to ₹5 crore (US$780,000) from the year 2011.[1] It also allows MPs to spend up to ₹10 lakh (US$16,000) in any other constituency in India.
Since start there have been reports of malpractices in running the scheme and there have been demands to scrap it. In 2006, a scandal was exposed by a TV Channel, that showed MPs taking bribe for handing over project work under the MPLADS. A seven - member committee was set up to probe the matter.
Some new guidelines for MPLADS were announced by MOSPI :-
Projects implemented by government agencies would now be provided 75 per cent of the project cost as the first instalment, while those implemented by non-governmental agencies would be provided 60 per cent.
For smaller projects costing less than ₹2 lakh (US$3,100), the entire amount would be released at one go.
No project costing less than ₹1 lakh (US$1,600) would be sanctioned with exception in the case of essential projects, such as installation of hand pumps, and purchase of computers and their accessories, solar electric lamps, chaupals and equipments .
The basket of works that could be taken up under the scheme had been widened to include projects such as the purchase of books for libraries, and ambulances and hearse vans that would be owned and controlled by district authorities.
The purchase of Microsoft Office software along with the training of two teachers per school would be now allowed as part of an effort to promote computer literacy in the country.
MPs would be allowed to spend up to ₹10 lakh (US$16,000) a year on projects in any State or Union Territory other than the one from where they were elected.
A limit of ₹50 lakh (US$78,000) per annum has been imposed on contributions to trusts and societies so that more money was available for community-related works.
86. C
HISTORY OF TRIBUNALS:
ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNALS provide simple, cheap and speedy justice. Dicey apprehended danger from such tribunals to the liberty of subjects,1 but they have become a regular part of the system of judicial administration. The British Parliament enacted the Tribunals and the Inquiries Act in 1958 which has now been consolidated in the 1971 Act. Prior to the Constitution of India 1950, administrative adjudication was in vogue. The Constitution prior to 1973 used the word tribunal in articles 136 and 227. In 1973, provision for the administrative tribunals was specifically made by the Constitution (Thirty
Second Amendment) Act. With the acceptance of welfare ideology, there was mushroom growth of public services and public servants. The courts, particularly the High Courts were inundated with cases concerning service matters. The Swaran Singh Committee, therefore, inter alia, recommended the establishment of administrative tribunals as a part of constitutional adjudicative system. Resultantly, the Constitution (Forty Second Amendment) Act 1976 inserted Part XIV A in the Constitution consisting of articles 323^4 and 3235. Article 3234 provides for the establishment of administrative tribunals for adjudication or trial of disputes and complaints with respect to recruitment and condition of service of persons appointed to public services. Article 323 makes provision for the creation of tribunals for adjudication or trial of disputes, complaints or offences connected with tax, foreign exchange, industrial and labour disputes, land reforms, ceiling on urban property, elections to Parliament and State Legislatures, etc. Name of these two articles are self-executory. Parliament has exclusive power to enact a law under article 323/4 while both Parliament and State Legislatures can make laws on matters of article 3235 subject to their legislative competence.
Administrative Tribunals
In the Indian judicial system, apart from the judicial bodies, such as the Supreme Court and the High Court, there are numerous quasi-judicial bodies who are involved in dispute resolutions.
These quasi-judicial bodies are the Tribunals and Regulators. Tribunals are established as per appropriate statutory provisions and are observed as an alternative medium to the conventional judicial bodies for the redressal of grievances and settling disputes.
A tribunal, in a plain language, is a. body of administrative character that has been powered with judicial powers to adjudicate one question of law or fact that affects rights of citizens. It has judicial or a quasi-judicial function and works in a judicial manner.
Provision for setting up administration tribunals at the union and state levels has been made in part- XIV-A of the constitution by 42nd Amendment Act, 1976. Art. 323-A authorizes Parliament to establish administrative tribunals to
resolve disputes and complaints regarding the service commission of persons employed under the union/state governments. The Parliament provides for the jurisdiction, power and authority to such tribunals and prescribes the procedure to be followed by them.
Central Administrative Tribunal
Parliament has passed the Administrative Tribunals Act, 1985 which authorizes the central government to establish administrative tribunals for central services and on the application of the states even for the state services.
Composition of tribunals: A tribunal shall consist of a chairman and such number of vice-chairman and another member as may be provided for. The President appoints them in case of central tribunals and the Governor in case of the state tribunals.
Each tribunal shall consist of a chairman and such number of Vice Charmin and judicial and administrative members as the appropriate Government may deem fit. The additional benches must consist of one judicial member and one administrative member.
The chairman may transfer the vice-chairman or other member from one Bench to another Bench. Every bench shall include at least one judicial member and one administrative member. The Chairman may constitute a single member bench for certain classes of cases. The chairman if required by the nature of case may require that the matter be heard by a Bench of two members, the benches of the central Tribunal shall ordinarily sit at New Delhi (which shall be known as the principle bench). Allahabad, Calcutta, Madras, Bombay and such other places as the central government may by notification, specify.
Qualification, Term and removal of members: A person shall not appointed as Chairman unless he (a) is or has been a Judge of a High Court or (b) has for two years held the office of Vice Chairman or has for two years held the post of a secretary to the government of India or holding other post carrying the scale of pay of secretary.
No person can be appointed as the Vice-Chairman unless he (a) is or has been a judge of high court (b) has for 2 years held the post of secretary to the
Government or holding other post carrying the same scale under the central or state governments; (c) has for 5 years held the post of an additional secretary to the government of India or other post carrying the scales of pay of additional secretary. A person to be appointed as a judicial member must (a) be or have been a judge of the high court, or (b) have been a member of Indian legal service and has held a post in Grade I of the Service for at least 3 years.
A person to be appointed as an administrative member must (a) have held the post of an additional secretary to the Government of India or their equivalent post for at least 2 years or (b) have held the post of a joint Secretary to the government of India or other equivalent post, (c) have adequate administrative experience.
The Chairman, Vice Chairman and other members shall be appointed by the President. The judicial members shall appointed by the President with the consultation of the Chief Justice of India. The Chairman, Vice-Chairman and other members of the Tribunal for a state shall be appointed by the President after consultation with the Governor of the concerned state.
The Chairman, Vice-Chairman or other members shall hold office for a term of 5 years or until he attains (a) in the case of the chairman or Vice-Chairman the age of 65 years and (b) in the case of other members the age of 62 years.
The Chairman, Vice-Chairman or member may resign from his post by writing to the President. They shall be removed from their office only by an order made by the President on the ground of proved misbehaviour or incapacity after an enquiry made by a judge of the Supreme Court. They shall have the right to be informed of the charges against them and shall be given a reasonable opportunity of hearing. The central government may be rules regulate the procedure for the investigation of the charges against them.
87. C
eSamikSha is a real time, on-line system for monitoring of follow-up action on the decisions taken during the presentations made by different Ministries/Departments to the Prime Minister. The follow-up action in respect of each decision is to be updated by the concerned Ministry/Department/Agency as and when the status changes or at least every month. Different users such as the PMO/Cabinet
Secretariat/Ministries/Departments can securely access the system through a log-in/password. This system can also be configured to review the follow up action in respect of other meetings, if required.
88. C
89. B
Burundi became the first nation ever to leave the international criminal court, set up 15 years ago to prosecute those behind the world’s worst atrocities.
About ICC
The International Criminal Court (ICC or ICCt)[2] is an intergovernmental organization and international tribunal that sits in The Hague in the Netherlands. The ICC has the jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for the international crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The ICC is intended to complement existing national judicial systems and it may therefore only exercise its jurisdiction when certain conditions are met, such as when national courts are unwilling or unable to prosecute criminals or when the United Nations Security Council or individual states refer situations to the Court. The ICC began functioning on 1 July 2002, the date that the Rome Statute entered into force. The Rome Statute is a multilateral treaty which serves as the ICC's foundational and governing document. States which become party to the Rome Statute, for example by ratifying it, become member states of the ICC. Currently, there are 123 stateswhich are party to the Rome Statute and therefore members of the ICC.
The ICC has four principal organs: the Presidency, the Judicial Divisions, the Office of the Prosecutor, and the Registry. The President is the most senior judge chosen by his or her peers in the Judicial Division, which hears cases before the Court. The Office of the Prosecutor is headed by the Prosecutor who investigates crimes and initiates proceedings before the Judicial Division. The Registry is headed by the Registrar and is charged with managing all the administrative functions of the ICC, including the headquarters, detention unit, and public defense office.
90. B
The Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar has announced that Paika rebellion (Paika Bidroha) of 1817 will be named as First War of Independence against British Rule in history books from next academic
session. Earlier, 1857 Sepoy Mutiny was regarded as the First War of Indian Independence, but Paika Bidroha predates it. Paika Bidroha (rebellion) Paiks were traditional landed militia under Gajapati rulers of Odisha. They used to perform policing functions and owned rent-free land that was given to them for their military service to Kingdom of Khurda. However they were forcefully usurped their land rendering them landless by the policies of British East India Company. They were also subjected to repressive land revenue policies and humiliation by the British.
At that critical juncture, Bakshi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, the military chief of King of Khurda led army of Paikas forcing the East India Company (British) forces to retreat in 1817. During the rebellion, Paikas had attacked British symbols of power, setting ablaze policestations, administrative oces and treasury during their march towards Khurda, from where British ed. They were supported by local rajas of Kujang, Kanika, Nayagarh and Ghumusar and zamindars, village heads and ordinary peasants. The British were initially taken aback and then tried to regain lost ground from the rebelling Paikas. Many a battle ensued with some victories to the rebel Paiks but the British nally managed to defeat them within three months. Widespread suppression followed with killing and imprisonment of many Paiks. Some Paik rebels fought a guerilla war till 1819 but were captured and killed. Baxi Jagabandhu was nally arrested in 1825 and died in captivity in 1829. At present, Paika Bidroha enjoys a cult status in Odisha but unfortunately it has received less attention at the national level.
91. D
These companies were selected by Inter-Ministerial Oversight and Vision Committee of Ministry after detailed scrutiny of 57 responses ranging from travel industry, hospitality industry and banking industry for adopting monuments under the Adopt a Heritage Scheme. Adopt a Heritage Scheme (Apni Dharohar Apni Pehchan Project) The scheme was launched by Union Ministry of Tourism on World Tourism Day (27th September). Under it, Private, Public Sector Companies and Corporate individuals were invited to adopt heritage sites and to take up responsibility for making them and promote sustainable tourism through conservation and development under their CSR activities. This scheme was launched by Tourism Ministry in close collaboration with Ministry of Culture and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). It envisages
at developing monuments, heritage and tourist sites across India and making them tourist friendly and enhance their tourism potential and cultural importance in planned and phased manner. The project primarily focuses on development and maintenance of world-class tourist infrastructure and amenities including basic civic amenities and advanced amenities like cleanliness, public conveniences, secure environment, ease of access, illumination and night viewing facilities for inclusive tourist experience to increase both domestic and foreign tourists footfall.
92. B
CORPAT is India–Indonesia bilateral maritime exercise “Co-Ordinated Patrol (CORPAT)”
93. B
The Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals -- more commonly abbreviated to just the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS) or the Bonn Convention and CMS COP is known as Global Wildlife conference -- aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range. It is an international treaty, concluded under the aegis of the United Nations Environment Programme, concerned with the conservation of wildlife and habitats on a global scale.[1] Since the Convention's entry into force, its membership has grown steadily to include over 120 Parties from Africa, Central and South America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. The Convention was signed in 1979 in Bad Godesberg, a suburb of Bonn (hence the name), and entered into force in 1983. The depositary is the government of the Federal Republic of Germany.
The CMS is the only global and UN-based intergovernmental organization established exclusively for the conservation and management of terrestrial, aquatic and avian migratory species throughout their range. CMS and its daughter agreements determine policy and provide further guidance on specific issues through their Strategic Plans, Action Plans, resolutions, decisions and guidelines. All maintain on their websites a list of all decisions taken, guidelines issues and Action Plans adopted by the Member States.
94. A
The United States has announced its withdrawal from Parisbased United Nations Scientic and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), UN’s cultural agency accusing the body of antiIsrael bias. Besides US, Israel has also decided to pull out of UNESCO. US withdrawal will take effect on December 31, 2018. Until then, it will remain a full member. US has announced to establish an observer
mission to replace its representation at UNESCO. Background USA and UNESCO were at loggerheads since 2011, after UNESCO had admitted Palestinian territories to the organization as an independent member-state called Palestine. UNESCO was rst UN agency to recognise and admit Palestine as full member. The recognition was against US policy in Israeli-Palestinian conict.
95. A
Chabahar port is located on GULF OF OMAN
96. C
The International North–South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multi-modal connectivity project establish transport networks (ship, rail, and road route) for moving freight between India, Russia, Iran, Europe and Central Asia.
INSTC would enhance accessibility to the land locked central Asian nations. It is a not a new concept. This ancient route was used by European, Indian
and many other foreign traders to reach out to the Central Asian markets. During the time of the Safavid dynasty, it is estimated that around 10,000 Indian traders were spread across the empire. (Safavids were one of the
GULF OF OMAN
most significant ruling dynasties of Persia (modern Iran) from 1501 to 1736.)
The current INSTC project was initiated by Russia, India and Iran in September 2000 in St. Petersburg.
The modern day INSTC is a multi-modal transportation route linking Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf to the Caspian Sea via Iran, and then onwards to northern Europe via St. Petersburg in Russia.
The Route :The route primarily involves moving freight from India, Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia via ship, rail and road. The objective of the corridor is to increase trade connectivity between major cities such as Mumbai, Moscow, Tehran, Baku, Bandar Abbas, Astrakhan, Bandar Anzali and etc.
Mumbai is at the southern hub of the route. Route extends to Bandar Abbas in Iran via sea. Bandar Abbas is a
sprawling port city on the southern coast of Iran, on the Persian Gulf. It occupies a strategic position on the narrow Strait of Hormuz.
From Bandar Abbas to Bandar-e-Anzali by road on Iranian mainland. Bandar-e-Anzali is another Iranian port but on the Caspian Sea side.
From Bandar-e-Anzali to Astrakhan by ship across the Caspian Sea. Astrakhan is a Caspian port in the Russian federation. The city lies on the two banks of the Volga River.
From Astrakhan to other regions of the Russian federation, and further into Europe by Russian Railways.
97. B
India has been placed at 130th position among the 190 countries in the recently released World Bank’s ease of doing business index for the year 2017. The index was released as part of the World Bank’s annual report Doing Business 2017: Equal Opportunity for All. This report had revised India’s rank to 130 from earlier 131st for the year 2016. Thus, India has improved its place by
one spot in the 2017 index and its place remained unchanged from the previous original ranking of 130 in the year 2016.
98. B
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved two new World Bank supported schemes of Rs. 6,655 crore - Skills Acquisition and Knowledge Awareness for Livelihood Promotion (SANKALP) and Skill Strengthening for Industrial Value Enhancement (STRIVE). SANKALP is Rs 4,455 crore Centrally sponsored scheme including Rs. 3,300 crore loan support from World Bank whereas STRIVE is a Rs. 2,200 crore - central sector scheme, with half of the scheme outlay as World bank loan assistance. SANKALP and STRIVE are outcome focused schemes marking shift in government's implementation strategy in vocational education and training from inputs to results.
There has been a long felt need for a national architecture for promoting convergence, ensuring effective governance and regulation of skill training and catalysing industry efforts in vocational training space. The two schemes shall address this need by setting up national bodies for accreditation & certification which shall regulate accreditation and certification in both long and short term Vocational Education and Training (VET). The architecture shall help, for the first time in the history of vocational education in India, to converge the efforts of various central, state and private sector institutions thereby avoiding duplication of activities and bringing about uniformity in vocational training thus, creating better impact.
Both the schemes are aimed at institutional reforms and improving quality & market relevance of skill development training programs in long and short term VET. In past many government schemes such as Vocational Training Improvement Project (VTIP) have focussed on strengthening ITIs and over 1600 ITIs have already been modernized under the schemes. STRIVE scheme shall incentivize ITIs to improve overall performance including apprenticeship by involving SMEs, business association and industry clusters. The schemes aim to develop a robust mechanism for delivering quality skill development training by strengthening institutions such as State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs), National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), Sector Skill Councils (SSCs), ITIs and National Skill Development Agency (NSDA) etc. The schemes
shall support universalization of National Skills Qualification Framework (NSQF) including National Quality Assurance Framework (NQAF) across the skill development schemes of central and state governments thus ensuring standardization in skill delivery, content and training output.
The schemes shall provide the required impetus to the National Skill Development Mission, 2015 and its various sub missions. The schemes are aligned to flagship Government of India programs such as Make in India and Swachhta Abhiyan and aim at developing globally competitive workforce for domestic and overseas requirements. To this end, over 700 industry led institutions are being set up for providing job oriented skill training to lakhs of aspirants. An innovative challenge fund model has been employed to select and support proposals to set up such institutions in identified sectors and geographies. 66+ India International stalling institutions are being promoted to focus upon skill training as per global standards for overseas placements. Over 30,000 aspirants shall be trained in IISCs and get certificates from International Awarding Bodies (lABs). Upgrading 500 ITIs, as model ITIs across India and improving their industry connect, is also envisaged by ushering in reforms such as on-line examination, centralised admission, improving efficiency and transparency in the system.
National Policy of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship 2015 highlighted the need of quality assurance measures such as building a pool quality trainers and assessors. SANKALP envisages setting up of Trainers and Assessors academies with self-sustainable models. Over 50 such academies are to be set up in priority sectors. DOT, MSDE has already made significant progress in this direction by setting up a number of Institutes for Training of Trainers (IToT) in public and private sector, offering training in over 35 trades. The schemes shall leverage such institutions for training the trainers in both long & short term VET thereby bringing about convergence. Additional trainer academies shall be set up on the basis of identified sectoral and geographical gaps.
Greater decentralization in skill planning will be ensured by institutional strengthening at the State level which includes setting up of State Skill Development Missions (SSDMs) and allowing states to come up with District and State level Skill Development Plans (DSDP/SSDP) and design skill training interventions to suit the local needs. SANKALP aims at enhancement of
inclusion of marginalized communities including women. Scheduled Castes (SCs), Schedule Tribes (STs) and Persons with Disabilities (PWD) to provide skill training opportunities to the underprivileged and marginalised section of the society.
The schemes will develop a skilling ecosystem that will support the country's rise in the Ease of Doing Business index by steady supply of skilled workforce to the industry. The schemes will also work towards increasing the aspirational value of skill development programs by increasing the marketability of skills, through better industry connect and quality assurance.
99. A
Recently Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare has launched a new project called CHAMAN. Under this project sound methodology for estimation of Horticulture crops is being developed and implemented on pilot basis using Sample Survey methodology and Remote Sensing technology.
100. C
Ministries of Power and Textiles have joined hands under SAATHI (Sustainable and Accelerated Adoption of ecient Textile technologies to Help small Industries) initiative. Under this initiative, Energy Eciency Services Limited (EESL), a PSU under Ministry of Power, will procure energy ecient powerlooms, motors and rapier kits in bulk and provide them to small and medium Powerloom units at no upfront cost. Key Facts The SAATHI initiative will be jointly implemented by EESL and oce of Textile Commissioner on pan-India basis. It will be implemented in key clusters such as Erode, Surat, Ichalkaranji, etc. It is based on the aggregation, bulk procurement and nancing model that EESL has successfully deployed in several sectors like LED bulbs, Smart Meters and Electric Vehicles. Benets The aggregation of demand and bulk procurement will lead to reduction in capital cost and benets of it will be passed on to powerloom units so that their repayment amount and period would reduce. Moreover, use of these ecient equipment will result in energy savings and cost savings to unit owner and they can repay in instalments to EESL over a 4 to 5 year period. Background The Powerloom sector in India is predominantly an unorganized sector and has a large number of micro and
small units which produce 57% of total cloth in country. There are total 24.86 lakhs Powerloom units in the country, most of them use obsolete technology. Government is implementing INSITU upgradation of plain Powerlooms as part of Power Tex India Scheme with a view to upgrading the technology. Under it, plain Powerlooms are attached with process control equipment leading to higher productivity, better quality and more than 50% additional value realisation. So far, 1.70 lakhs plain powerlooms have been upgraded under scheme by providing government subsidy.
