Biology

Biodiversity and Conservation

Question:

What is co-extinction? Explain with a suitable example.

Answer:

When a species becomes extinct, the plant and animal species associated with it in an obligatory way also become extinct. When a host fish species becomes extinct, its unique assemblage of parasites also meets the same fate. Another example is the case of a coevolved plant-pollinator mutualism where extinction of one invariably leads to the extinction of the other.

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Biodiversity and Conservation

Q 1.

Define gene pool.

Q 2.

What could have triggered mass extinctions of species in the past?

Q 3.

The species diversity of plants (22 per cent) is much less than that of animals (72 per cent).What could be the explanations to how animals achieved greater diversification?

Q 4.

What are the major causes of species losses in a geographical region ?

Q 5.

What are sacred groves? What is their role in conservation?

Q 6.

Name the three important components of  biodiversity.

Q 7.

What is an endangered species? Give an example of an endangered plant and animal species each.

Q 8.

List any two major causes other than anthropogenic causes of the loss of biodiversity.

Q 9.

What does Red' indicate in the IUCN Red list (2004)?

Q 10.

How can you, as an individual, prevent the loss of biodiversity?

Q 11.

How do scientists extrapolate the total number of species on Earth?

Q 12.

How is the presently occurring species extinction different from the earlier mass extinctions?

Q 13.

Elaborate how invasion by an alien species reduces the species diversity of an area.

Q 14.

What is Red Data Book?

Q 15.

Why is genetic variation important in the plant Rauwolfia vomitorial ?

Q 16.

What is co-extinction? Explain with a suitable example.

Q 17.

Suggest a place where one can go to study coral reefs, mangrove vegetation and estuaries.

Q 18.

Of the four major causes for the loss of biodiversity (Alien species invasion, habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation and co-extinctions which according to you is the major cause for the loss of biodiversity? Give reasons in support.

Q 19.

Humans benefit from diversity of life. Give two examples.

Q 20.

Why are the conventional methods not suitable for the assessment of biodiversity of bacteria?

Q 21.

Is it true that there is more solar energy available in the tropics? Explain briefly.

Q 22.

According to David Tilman, greater the diversity, greater is the primary productivity. Can you think of a very low diversity man-made ecosystem that has high productivity?

Q 23.

What is an ecosystem service? List any four important ecosystem services provided by the natural ecosystems. Are you in favour or against levying a charge on the service provided by the ecosystem?

Q 24.

What is common to the species shown in figures A and B?
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-biology-biodiversity-conservation-7

Q 25.

Is it possible that productivity and diversity of a natural community remain constant over a time period of, say one hundred years?

Q 26.

What criteria should one use in categorizing a species as threatened?

Q 27.

Can you think of a situation where we deliberately want to make a species extinct? How would you justify it?

Q 28.

What characteristics make a community stable?

Q 29.

What is common to the species shown in figures A and B?
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-biology-biodiversity-conservation-6

Q 30.

Though the conflict between humans and wildlife started with the evolution of man, the intensity of conflict has increased due to the activities of modem man. Justify your answer with suitable examples.

Q 31.

How do ecologists estimate the total number of species present in the world?

Q 32.

How is biodiversity important for ecosystem functioning?

Q 33.

Give three hypothesis for explaining why tropics '”show greatest levels of species richness.

Q 34.

What does the term Frugivorous' mean?

Q 35.

What are sacred groves and their role in biodiversity conservation?

Q 36.

Match the animals given in column A with their location in column B.
ncert-exemplar-problems-class-12-biology-biodiversity-conservation-1
Choose the correct match from the following:
(a) i  ”A, ii ”C, iii B, iv D (b) i ”D, ii”C, iii ”A, iv”B
(c) i”C, ii”A, iii”B, iv”D (d) iâC, iiA, iii”D, iv”B

Q 37.

What is the significance of the slope of regression in a species – area relationship?

Q 38.

How does species diversity differ from ecological diversity?

Q 39.

Among the ecosystem services are control of floods and soil erosion. How is this achieved by the biotic components of the ecosystem?

Q 40.

The relation between species richness and area for a wide variety of taxa turns out to be a rectangular hyperbola. Give a brief explanation.

Q 41.

Define the terms (i) Bioprospecting (ii) Endemism

Q 42.

Explain as to how protection of biodiversity hot spots alone can reduce up to 30% of the current rate of species extinction.  

Q 43.

What accounts for the greater ecological diversity of India?

Q 44.

What is the expanded form of IUCN?

Q 45.

A species-area curve is drawn by plotting the number of species against the area. How is it that when a very large area is considered the slope is steeper than that for smaller areas?

Q 46.

Species diversity decreases as we move away from the equator towards the poles. What could be the possible reasons?

Q 47.

What could be the possible explanation for greater vulnerability of amphibians to extinction as compared to other animal groups?

Q 48.

he one-homed rhinoceros is specific to which of the following sanctuary
(a) Bhitar Kanika (b) Bandipur (c) Kaziranga (d) Corbett park

Q 49.

What is the difference between endemic and exotic species?

Q 50.

Describe the consumptive use value of biodiversity as food, drugs and medicines, fuel and fiber with suitable examples.