Chapter 19 Biodiversity and its Conservation

RBSE Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 19 Biodiversity and its Conservation.

In this article we will post the multiple choice question, short, very short, long and numerical problem of Chapter 19 Biodiversity and its Conservation.

RBSE Solutions for Class 10 Science Chapter 19 Biodiversity and its Conservation.

 Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:

Which is the unit of measurement for balance of an ecosystem?
(a) Species
(b) Biodiversity
(c) Animal diversity
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Species

Question 2:
India is at which place in terms of agriculture?
(a) Eighth
(b) Ninth
(c) Seventh
(d) Tenth
Answer:
(c) Seventh

Question 3:
How many biodiversity hotspots are there in the world?
(a) 25
(b) 20
(c) 34
(d) 33
Answer:
(c) 34

Question 4:

Which is the National Water Animal of India?
(a) Gangetic Dolphin
(b) Whale
(c) Starfish
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Gangetic Dolphin

Question 5:
Which of the following biodiversity hotspot is in India?
(a) Madagascar Islands
(b) East Malaysian Islands
(c) Indo-Burma
(d) None of these
Answer:
(c) Indo-Burma

Question 6:
International Biodiversity Day is celebrated on which date?
(a) 21 May
(b) 23 May
(c) 22 May
(d) 24 th May
Answer:
(c) 22 May

Question 7:

The International Year of Biodiversity was celebrated in which year?
(a) 2012
(b) 2010
(c) 2011
(d) 2009
Answer:
(b) 2010

Question 8:
How many species are on the verge of extinction, as per latest data?
(a) 8000
(b) 2000
(c) 2800
(d) 4000
Answer:
(d) 4000

Question 9:
Which of the following animals is killed because of superstition?
(a) Goira
(b) Godavan
(c) Frog
(d) Dodo
Answer:
(a) Goira

Question 10:
The Earth Summit was held at which city?
(a) New Delhi
(b) Paris
(c) Perth
(d) Rio de Janeiro
Answer:
(d) Rio de Janeiro.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 11:
Which are the three levels of biodiversity?
Answer:
Species diversity, Genetic diversity and Ecosystem diversity

Question 12:
What percentage of species on earth has been identified by scientists till date?
Answer:
14%

Question 13:

What are biodiversity hotspots?
Answer:
Regions with great amount of biodiversity are called ‘Biodiversity Hotspots’.

Question 14:
Which is the national water animal of India?
Answer:
Gangetic Dolphin

Question 15:
Which are the Biodiversity hotspots of India?
Answer:
Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats and Indo-Burma

Question 16:
Name any two endemic species.
Answer:
Nilgiri Tahr, Lion-tailed Macaque

Question 17:
Name any two endangered species.
Answer:
Cheetah, Tiger

Question 18:
India is at which position in world, in terms of biodiversity?
Answer:
India is among the 17 countries with mega biodiversity and has about 7-8% of the total biodiversity of the word. India holds 7th position in terms of agricultural biodiversity.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Short Answer Type Questions

Question 19:
What do you understand by biodiversity?
Answer:
Biodiversity is an all encompassing term because living beings include plants, animals and microbes. Biodiversity encompasses all living beings, starting from microscopic algae to giant banyan trees, microscopic zooplanktons to the huge elephant and whale.
As per ‘Technology Assessment Report, 1987’ by the USA, biodiversity is defined as follows: “The variety, differences and ecological complexity, found among creatures is called biodiversity.”

Question 20:
Write a short note on biodiversity in eastern Himalayas.
Answer:
Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim and some areas of West Bengal come under this biodiversity hotspot. The Himachal mountain range is well endowed with biodiversity. This hotspot is spread over 750,000 square km. There are about 10,000 species, out of which 3,160 are endemic species. Some important animals found in this region are, Himalayan Tahr, Golden Langur, Hoolock Gibbon, Pigmy Hog, Flying Squirrel, Snow Leopard, Takin,
Gangetic Dolphin, etc.

Question 21:

Which countries come under Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot?
Answer:
China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia.

Question 22:
What is the effect of introduction of foreign species on biodiversity?
Answer:
Sometimes, intentional or non-intentional introduction of a foreign species endangers the existence of indigenous species. This creates an imbalance in the whole ecosystem. Lantana and water hyacinth were introduced for beautification. Lantana was brought by the British in 1807 and it was first planted in the Botanical Garden in Calcutta. Gradually, this plant proliferated in the entire subcontinent. Now, this plant poses great danger to the local biodiversity because no other plant can grow near it and none of the animals eat this plant.

Question 23:
“Export of frog legs has adversely affected biodiversity.” Explain this statement.
Answer:
People in Europe and North America use legs of frog to make popular dishes. Many Asian countries, including India, export frogs for this purpose. India exported 3650 metric tonnes of frogs in 1983. It resulted in drastic fall in population of frogs in forests, which resulted in population explosion of some insects which were eaten by frogs.

Question 24:
Write about national efforts on biodiversity conservation.
Answer:
India is one of the signatories to Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). In context of this, the Union Government enacted the Biodiversity Act 2002. This act has three main goals which are as follows:

• Conservation of biodiversity
• Sustainable use of biodiversity
•  Equitable distribution of bio-resources to ensure their reach to maximum number of people

Question 25:
What are the different types of biodiversity conservation?
Answer:
Following are the two types of biodiversity conservation:

• In-situ conservation: The conservation which is carried out in natural habitat and with human intervention is called in-situ conservation.
• Ex-situ Conservation: When an endangered species is given protection in an artificial habitat, it is called ex-situ conservation, e.g. in a zoo or botanical garden.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Long Answer Type Questions

Question 26:
Explain different levels of biodiversity.
Answer:
There are three levels of biodiversity, viz. species diversity, genetic diversity and ecosystem diversity.

(1) Species Diversity: The total number of species of plants and animals in a given region is called species diversity of that region. Species diversity is considered as the most common meaning of biodiversity. This is taken as a unit of measurement for balance of any ecosystem. Population of microorganisms is impossible to count because they can be in millions or even billions in numbers. Only 10 gm of soil may contain a billion bacteria and more than 50,000 fungi. Hence, number of microorganisms is not counted while defining the biodiversity at a place.

(2) Genetic Diversity: The variation among members of a single species because of genes is called genetic diversity. This type of diversity is seen in different population groups of a species or even among different members of a population. For example, different varieties of rice show genetic diversity. Similarly, differences in height, skin colour, facial features, hair colour, etc. among human beings show genetic diversity. A higher level of genetic diversity among members of a species ensures that the species is at lower risk of becoming extinct; because genetic diversity increases the ability to adapt to the environment. Genetic diversity is responsible for giving birth to a new variety of a species.

(3) Ecosystem Diversity: The system of interaction among different creatures and between living beings and abiotic components in a region is called ecosystem. There are many types of
ecosystem on earth, e.g. grasslands, mountains, desert, marshes, ocean, river valley, tropical forest, etc. Each ecosystem has its unique geographical and environmental features. Such features are responsible for diversity among creatures in a particular region. This type of diversity is called ecosystem diversity. In other words, the differences in geographical and environmental conditions in different ecosystems is are called ecosystem diversity.

Question 27:
What do you understand by biodiversity hotspots?
Answer:
To be eligible to be categorized as biodiversity hotspot, a region must fulfill following criteria:

1. It should have more than 0.5% of total endemic species of the world. It should have at least 1500 endemic species.
2. At least 70% of original habitat of the region should have been destroyed, i.e. is under threat because of human activities.
3. Such regions are in immediate need of conservation and hence are categorized as biodiversity hotspots. Conservation programmes are implemented at large scale in such regions. The 34 biodiversity hotspots of the world are home to 42% endemic species, 55% freshwater fish and 50% endemic species of plants. Some important biodiversity hotspots of the world are, Atlantic forest, group of east Malaysian islands, Mountains of south west China, islands of Madagascar, Central America, Columbia, Central Chile, Eastern Himalayas, Western Ghats, Sri Lanka, Indo-Burma, etc.

Question 28:
What is the significance of biodiversity?
Answer:
The importance of biodiversity can be in three forms, viz. economic value, medicinal value and environmental value.

1. Economic Value: Biodiversity has immense economic value. We get food, fuel, fodder, timber, industrial raw materials, etc. directly from biodiversity. We are able to get different types of food, like rice, wheat, pulses, vegetables, fruits, etc. because of biodiversity.
2. Medicinal Value: Herbs are being used as cure for many diseases since ancient times. As per one estimate, about 40% of the medicines are obtained from plants. Many incurable diseases have appeared on earth from times to time. Cure for such disease has been searched in the biodiversity. For example, malaria was considered as incurable but bark of cinchona gave its cure.
3. Environmental Value: Biodiversity has immense environmental value, as it helps in conservation of food chain, nutrient cycle, etc.

Question 29:
Analyze the reasons which are responsible for reduction in biodiversity.
Answer:
Following are the reasons of threat to biodiversity:

1. Habitat Loss: Because of growing population, we are destroying these habitats so that we can do farming and other activities to fulfill our needs.
2. Habitat Fragmentation: Construction of roads, rail lines, gas pipeline, canals, electricity transmission lines, farms, etc. has fragmented the habitats. It has badly affected the life of wild animals and they are always at risk of some accident.
3. Climate Change: Human activities are also causing significant changes in climate. Increased emission of greenhouse gases has increased the temperature of earth. This phenomenon is called global warming. It is resulting in melting of glaciers and icebergs.
4. Environmental Pollution: Environmental pollution has adverse effect on plants and animals.
5. Over Exploitation of Natural Resources: We have indulged in over exploitation of these resources for commercial interests. It has resulted in increased risk for many species.
6. Commercial Practices in Agriculture and Forestry: Farmers now grow a selected type of seeds and rear certain selected breeds of cattle. This practice has drastically reduced genetic diversity of crops and cattle.
7. Invasion of Foreign Species: Sometimes, intentional or non-intentional introduction of a foreign species endangers the existence of indigenous species. This creates an imbalance in the whole ecosystem.
8. Superstition and Ignorance: Sometimes, superstition and ignorance also threaten a particular species. People in rural parts of Rajasthan believe that Goira (Monitor Lizard) has poisonous breath. Hence, people instantly kill a Goira whenever they see one.

Question 30:
Write an essay on efforts for conservation of biodiversity.
Answer:
Many efforts are on to save endangered species, at local, national and international levels. International Efforts:
The United Nations constituted International Union for Conservation of Nature in 1968. This organization studied different species of plants and animals for four years and came with a book named ‘Red Data Book’. A comprehensive list of endangered species, their habitat and their current population was included in this book.
IUCN organized the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) in 1973. In this convention, the participant countries gave their consensus on controlling the trade of endangered species.
The earth summit held in 1992 at Rio de Janeiro, Brazil resulted in Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). The CBD is now accepted by 193 countries. These countries have expressed their commitment towards conservation of biodiversity.

National Efforts:
India is one of the signatories to Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). In context of this, the Union Government enacted the Biodiversity Act 2002. This act has three main goals which are as follows:

• Conservation of biodiversity
• Sustainable use of biodiversity
• Equitable distribution of bio-resources to ensure their reach to maximum number of people.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Additional Questions Solved

I. Multiple Choice Questions

Question 1:
Amazon rainforest is present in which continent?
(a) North America
(b) South America
(c) Africa
(d) Asia
Answer:
(a) South America

Question 2:
Biodiversity is the maximum in which zone of earth?
(a) Tropical zone
(b) Temperate zone
(c) Arctic Circle
(d) None of these
Answer:
(a) Tropical zone

Question 3:
Which of the following is an endemic species to Western Ghats?
(a) Asiatic elephant
(b) Asiatic lion
(c) Nilgiri Tahr
(d) One-homed rhino
Answer:
(c) Nilgiri Tahr

Question 4:
Which of the following is a weed which was introduced as foreign species in India?
(a) Parthenium
(b) Penicillium
(c) Pseudomonas
(d) Hyacinth
Answer:
(a) Parthenium

Question 5:
The headquarters of National Green Tribunal is at which city?
(a) New Delhi
(b) Kolkata
(c) Mumbai
(d) Bhopal
Answer:
(d) Bhopal

Biodiversity and its Conservation Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What is the definition of biodiversity; as per Technological Assessment Report 1987 USA?
Answer:
The variety, differences and ecological complexity, found among creatures is called biodiversity.

Question 2:
Who proposed biodiversity hotspots?
Answer:
Norman Myers

Question 3:
Which biodiversity hotspot is partially in India?
Answer:
Indo-Burma

Question 4:
Which biodiversity hotspots are completely in India?
Answer:
Eastern Himalayas and Western Ghats

Question 5:
What is global warming?
Answer:
Increased emission of greenhouse gases has increased the temperature of earth. This phenomenon is called global warming.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What do you understand by species biodiversity?
Answer:
The total number of species of plants and animals in a given region is called species diversity of that region. Species diversity is considered as the most common meaning of biodiversity. This is taken as a unit of measurement for balance of any ecosystem.

Question 2:
What do you understand by genetic biodiversity?
Answer:
The variation among members of a single species because of genes is called genetic diversity. This type of diversity is seen in different population groups of a species or even among different members of a population. For example, different varieties of rice show genetic diversity. Similarly, differences in height, skin colour, facial features, hair colour, etc. among human beings show genetic diversity.

Question 3:
Write a short note on the Western Ghats biodiversity hotspot.
Answer:
The Western Ghats is along the western coast of Indian peninsula. It is one of the important biodiversity hotspots of the world. This is spread over 160,000 square km. The state of Kerala comes within the Western Ghats. There are 5916 species of plants and animals in this hotspot, out of which about 50% are endemic species.

Question 4:
Write a short note on Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
Answer:
This region is spread over China, India, Myanmar, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Malaysia. This is spread over 2,373,000 square km. This huge hotspot is home to 13500 species of plants, 433 species of mammals, 1266 types of amphibians and 1262 types of fish.

Question 5:
How does rich biodiversity help in conservation of food chain?
Answer:
A rich biodiversity means there could be numerous food chains to make a food web. This would help in conserving the ecosystem. Presence of biodiversity can help in compensating the loss of a species (from a food chain) with another species.

Biodiversity and its Conservation Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1:
What do you understand by habitat fragmentation? What is its impact on biodiversity?
Answer:
The natural habitat of wildlife was earlier spread over huge areas. But construction of roads, rail lines, gas pipeline, canals, electricitv transmission lines, farms, etc. has fragmented the habitats. It has badly affected the life of wild animals and they are always at risk of some accident. Many wild animals often get hit by vehicles and trains. Sometimes, an animal may stray into human settlement and may get killed by people. About half a dozen tigers and many small animals become victims to accidents on the railway line which passes through Dudhwa National Park.

Question 2:
What do you understand by invasion by foreign species? How does it affect biodiversity?
Answer:
Sometimes, intentional or non-intentional introduction of a foreign species endangers the existence of indigenous species. This creates an imbalance in the whole ecosystem. Lantana and water hyacinth were introduced for beautification. Lantana was brought by the British in 1807 and it was first planted in the Botanical Garden in Calcutta. Gradually, this plant proliferated in the entire subcontinent. Now, this plant poses great danger to the local biodiversity because no other plant can grow near it and none of the animals eat this plant.
Similarly, water hyacinth was brought from Brazil. Today, it has spread to water bodies throughout India.
Some foreign species of grass came along with imported foodgrains, e.g. Gajar grass (Parthenium) came along with wheat which was imported from America in 1950. Parthenium is among the most notorious weeds which is not even eaten by animals. This plant has many chemicals which cause allergy. Parthenium has become a threat for our biodiversity.

Question 3:
What steps have been taken by India to conserve biodiversity?
Answer:
India is one of the signatories to Convention on Biodiversity (CBD). In context of this, the Union Government enacted the Biodiversity Act 2002.
Under the Biodiversity Act 2002, there is a provision for a three-tier organization. National Biodiversity Authority works at national level, State Biodiversity Board is in states and Biodiversity Management Committees work at local level.
National Green Tribunal was constituted on 2nd June 2010 to bring all the laws related to environment, forest, water, air and biodiversity, to the High Court bu to the National Green Tribunal so that these cases can be quickly dealt with the headquarter of NGT is at Bhopal, under one umbrella. Now any case pertaining to these matters will not go to the High Court but to the National Green Tribunal so that these cases can be quickly dealt with. The headquarters of NGT is at Bhopal.

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