UPSC Essentials brings to you its initiative of subject-wise quizzes. These quizzes are designed to help you revise some of the most important topics from the static part of the syllabus. Attempt today’s subject quiz on Environment and Geography to check your progress. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for March 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at manas.srivastava@indianexpress.com🚨 QUESTION 1 Which of the following is/are the consequences or impacts of the melting of polar ice? 1. Change in weather patterns 2. High increase in sea level in tropical regions 3. Opening of northern sea route Select the correct answer using the codes given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Explanation — When the Arctic Ocean becomes ice-free in the summer in the next decades, the region will become a "hotbed" of world geopolitics, according to Dr. Thamban Meloth, director of the Goa-based National Centre for arctic and Ocean Research (NCPOR) Goa, the nodal agency for India's arctic expeditions. — Antarctica and the Arctic are important in controlling the global weather patterns. — "Recent research has demonstrated that diminishing Arctic sea ice might affect Indian monsoon precipitation and its extremes. Antarctica contains almost 70% of the world's freshwater in frozen form. If it melts, sea levels might rise by much to 60 metres, potentially sinking all coastal communities. Although ice melts in the polar areas, the real rise in sea level is significantly greater in tropical places like ours due to a variety of compounding reasons. So what happens in Antarctica or the Arctic is not permanent. "It has a serious impact on us," he explained. — The Arctic sea ice will evaporate throughout the summer in the coming decades, and the region will become a hotbed of world geopolitics due to the availability of mineral and fishery resources hidden beneath the frozen sea, as well as the possibility of opening a northern sea route. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. QUESTION 2 The term “strike slip faulting” is related to: (a) Landslides (b) Volcanoes (c) Tsunamis (d) Earthquake Explanation — A powerful earthquake of magnitude 7.7 and at least six aftershocks struck central Myanmar, bringing buildings down in the country’s second-largest city, Mandalay. What caused the earthquake? — Earth's lithosphere, the planet's stiff outermost rocky shell, is composed of several tectonic plates. These have been steadily migrating for the past three to four billion years, and their interaction is responsible for many of the planet's geological features. — Earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates unexpectedly slip past one other. This releases accumulated "elastic strain" energy in the form of seismic waves, causing the ground to tremble. — According to the USGS, the Myanmar earthquake occurred as a result of "strike slip faulting" between the Indian and Eurasian plates, which means they rubbed sideways against one another. Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer. QUESTION 3 Consider the following statements: 1. This tiger reserve is nestled in the picturesque and extensive Anamalai Nelliyampathy landscape of the Western Ghats Mountains in the Palakkad and Thrissur districts of Kerala. 2. The habitat comprises predominantly mixed deciduous, evergreen and semi-evergreen forests. The above mentioned statements refer to: (a) Periyar Tiger Reserve Pampa (b) Parambikulam Tiger Reserve (c) Sathyamangalam Tiger Reserve (d) Anamalai Tiger Reserve Explanation — The Supreme Court refused to overturn the Kerala High Court's order to relocate the wild tusker known as 'Arikomban' from the Munnar-Chinnakanal area in Idukki district to the Parambikulam Tiger Reserve in Palakkad district. — Parambikulam Tiger Reserve is located in Kerala's Palakkad and Thrissur districts, inside the magnificent and expansive Anamalai Nelliyampathy scenery of the Western Ghats Mountains. — It is endowed with nature's wealth, including great habitat richness and species diversity. The habitat consists primarily of mixed deciduous, evergreen, and semi-evergreen forests. — The natural vegetation of Parambikulam combines Malabar and Deccan features. Microclimatic changes, combined with edaphic, topography, and biotic variables, have resulted in a diverse floral landscape. The reserve supports a variety of habitat types, including evergreen, semi-evergreen, moist deciduous, dry deciduous, and shola woods. Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer. (Other Source: ntca.gov.in) QUESTION 4 With reference to the Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, consider the following statements: 1. It has a chain of 21 islands and adjoining coral reefs. 2. It has been notified of India's first Conservation Reserve for the highly endangered Dugong (Sea Cow). 3. It was declared the first Marine Biosphere Reserve of India in 1989 by the Government of India. How many of the statements given above are correct? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All three (d) None Explanation — Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting that he "reconsider the proposal for offshore mining activities in the Gulf of Mannar (located between Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka)". — The Gulf of Mannar Marine Biosphere Reserve, which includes the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, was designated as a biodiversity hotspot in 1989, including a variety of ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass beds, mangroves, estuaries, mudflats, islands, and forests. — According to the Tamil Nadu government, the biosphere reserve consists of 21 islands and adjacent coral reefs covering 560 square kilometres. Hence, statement 1 is correct. — The Tamil Nadu government has declared India's first Conservation Reserve for the critically endangered Dugong (Sea Cow) at Palk Bay in September 2021. This encompasses 448 square km of coastal waters. Hence, statement 2 is correct. — The Government of Tamil Nadu named the Gulf of Mannar a Marine National Park in 1986, and the Government of India designated it as India's first Marine Biosphere Reserve in 1989. Hence, statement 3 is correct. Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer. (Other Source: wii.gov.in) QUESTION 5 The Gulf of Tonkin is located off: (a) the coast of Northern Vietnam and Southern China (b) west of South Korea in the Yellow Sea (c) between mainland China and Taiwan (d) the south of Thailand and Cambodia Explanation — In response to a question about China's establishment of a baseline in the Gulf of Tonkin earlier this month, Vietnam's foreign ministry stated that international law, as well as the rights and interests of other countries, must be respected. — China's government demarcated the baseline in the Gulf of Tonkin, also known as Beibu Gulf, with straight lines far from the coast, claiming that this was in accordance with international law. — It is unclear how the adjustment will affect boundaries in the Gulf of Tonkin, which lies off the coasts of Northern Vietnam and Southern China, as the two nations have agreed on a demarcation line in that area. Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer. Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 104) Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 104) Daily subject-wise quiz — Science and Technology (Week 104) Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 104) Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 103) Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 102) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter and stay updated with the news cues from the past week. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X.
