UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on factors are contributing to the proliferation of jellyfish, stranding of whales and more (Week 123)

QUESTION 1

Which of the factors are contributing to the proliferation of jellyfish?

1. Climate change

2. Plastic pollution

3. Overfishing

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2 and 3 only

(c) 1 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Explanation

— One of the largest nuclear power plants in France was forced to temporarily shut down due to a slimy and spineless adversary: jellyfish. This is not the first time that jellyfish have thwarted nuclear plants. Swarms of these invertibrates have caused such disruptions across the world since at least the 1990s — Gravelines itself was disrupted in 1993.

— Nuclear power plants require a constant flow of water to cool their reactors and turbine systems, which is why many plants are typically built near large bodies of water. The plants’ intake pipes have screening areas that have grated barrier systems to remove solid materials and aquatic life, and allow the inflow of water, sometimes millions of gallons every minute.

Several factors are contributing to the proliferation of jellyfish:

— Climate Change: Global warming has caused higher ocean temperatures, resulting in an increase in plankton, jellyfish’s principal food supply. Jellyfish populations have grown significantly due to the availability of food available.

— Overfishing: It has also led to an increase in jellyfish populations. This is because other animals that prey on them, such as tuna and sea turtles, have been eliminated from the environment. These species also feed on plankton, and with a smaller population, jellyfish have more plankton to ingest and thrive uncontrolled.

— Plastic Pollution: Unlike other marine creatures, jellyfish can tolerate low oxygen levels in water, which is a consequence of pollution. This has also contributed to the increase in their population in recent years.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the stranding of whales, consider the following statements:

1. Sea surface temperature and rising ocean temperature were causing ecological disruptions that increased stranding.

2. There has been a tenfold increase in the stranding of whales along India.

3. Odisha and Andhra Pradesh emerged as the key hotspots for whale stranding.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— There has been a tenfold increase in the stranding of whales along India’s southwest coast in the last decade, a study conducted by the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) has found. Hence, statement 2 is correct.

— Kerala, Karnataka and Goa emerged as the key hotspots for whale stranding, accounting for most of the reported events. High vessel traffic, fishing activity, environmental factors and shallow coastal shelves were identified as contributing factors. Increased social media attention and citizen reporting also increased reporting of such events. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— The study highlighted that noise pollution, ship strikes, and habitat degradation are elevating risks for this endangered fauna.

— Sea surface temperature and rising ocean temperature were causing ecological disruptions that increased stranding, and strong converging currents also drag the weak or dead animals to shore, said the study. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

What is/are the factors behind the Arctic’s rapid warming?

1. Albedo effect

2. Lack of convection in higher latitudes

3. Hot sea surface temperatures in the north-east Atlantic

4. Higher volcanic aerosol emissions

5. Upwelling of cold deep water

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 2, 3 and 5

(c) 1, 3 and 4

(d) All of the above

Explanation

— Temperatures increased by more than 20 degrees Celsius above average at the north pole, crossing the threshold for ice to melt, on February 2. The current unusually mild temperatures in the region during the depths of the polar winter (it is from November to February) were due to a deep low-pressure system — a region where the atmospheric pressure is lower than that of surrounding locations — over Iceland. The system opened gates for the arrival of warmer air from lower latitudes, effectively bringing heat to the region.

— Another factor was really hot sea surface temperatures in the north-east Atlantic, which further intensified the wind-driven warming. Hence, 3 is correct.

— There are multiple factors behind the Arctic’s rapid warming. One of the most prominent factors is the albedo effect or how much sunlight a surface reflects. Sea ice keeps temperatures down in the polar regions, as its bright, white surface reflects more sunlight back to space than liquid water. As the ice cover in the Arctic is melting, more land or water is getting exposed to the Sun and more heat is getting absorbed, leading to a rise in temperatures. Hence, 1 is correct.

— The lack of convection in higher latitudes such as the Arctic is another reason. Convection occurs when air close to the ground is heated by the warm surface of the Earth. In the tropics, where more sunlight can reach the surface compared to the Arctic, strong convection takes place, causing warm air to rise. This vertical mixing distributes heat throughout the atmosphere. Hence, 2 is correct.

— Upwelling in select localised areas can bring colder water to the top, temporarily counteracting warming. Aerosols from big volcanic eruptions can temporarily lower the climate by obscuring sunlight; their cooling influence extends globally, including to the Arctic. Hence, 4 and 5 are not correct.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements:

Statement 1: In the neutral phase of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean (near the northwestern coast of South America) is cooler than the western side (near the Philippines and Indonesia).

Statement 2: It is due to the prevailing wind systems that move from west to east, sweeping the colder surface waters towards the Indonesian coast.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statements?

(a) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(b) Both Statement 1 and Statement 2 are correct and Statement 2 is not the correct explanation for Statement 1.

(c) Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect.

(d) Statement 1 is incorrect but Statement 2 is correct.

Explanation

— La Niña is a phase of what is known as the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO), a climate phenomenon characterised by changes in sea temperatures along the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean, accompanied with fluctuations in the atmosphere overhead. ENSO influences, alters, and interferes with global atmospheric circulation, which, in turn, influences the weather worldwide.

— ENSO has three phases – warm (El Niño), cool (La Niña), and neutral — which occur in irregular cycles of two to seven years. La Niña last occurred in 2020-2023, and El Niño in 2023-24.

— In the neutral phase, the eastern side of the Pacific Ocean (near the northwestern coast of South America) is cooler than the western side (near the Philippines and Indonesia). This is due to the prevailing wind systems that move from east to west, sweeping the warmer surface waters towards the Indonesian coast. The relatively cooler waters from below come up to replace the displaced water. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— In the El Niño phase, these wind systems weaken, leading to lesser displacement of warmer waters off the South American coast. Consequently, the eastern Pacific becomes warmer than usual. The opposite happens in the La Niña phase — the trade winds become stronger than usual, and push larger quantities of water to the western Pacific.

— In India, El Niño is associated with decreased rainfall and higher temperatures, while La Niña is associated with increased rainfall and hence lower temperatures.

Statement 1 is correct but Statement 2 is incorrect.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

Which of the following winds blow when high pressure builds over the Great Basin — the area between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada — and pressure is low over California’s coast?

(a) Chinook winds

(b) Bora

(c) Mistral

(d) Santa Ana winds

Explanation

— Santa Ana winds blow when high pressure builds over the Great Basin — the area between the Rocky Mountains and Sierra Nevada — and pressure is low over California’s coast. The difference in pressure triggers powerful winds that move from the Basin’s inland deserts east and north of Southern California towards the Pacific Ocean.

— As the wind comes down the mountains, it compresses and heats up, and its humidity falls — sometimes to less than 10%. The hot, dry wind dries out forests, and fuels wildfires.

— Santa Ana winds are a natural part of California’s climate pattern, and usually blow from October to January.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 6

In marine biology, the “wasting disease” observed in sea stars (starfish) is primarily associated with:

(a) Accumulation of plastic microfibres in the digestive tract causing starvation.

(b) Formation of calcium deposits on the skin leading to shell hardening.

(c) Detachment of limbs followed by disintegration of body tissue into organic residue.

(d) Development of abnormal spines due to mineral deficiency in seawater.

Explanation

— The starfish, or sea stars, of various species were dying off a wasting disease, in which their limbs fell off and their bodies melted away to leave just a pile of gunk.

— The epidemic was found along the Pacific coast of North America, all the way from the freezing waters off Alaska to the warmer shores of Mexico.

— The wasting disease was impacting whole populations of starfish, but the worst affected were sunflower sea stars, which lost almost 90 per cent of their population.

— Starfish perform a vital function in the marine ecosystem, maintaining a stable food chain.

— When billions of starfish died, the population of sea urchins, which they feed on, exploded.

— These sea urchins started eating away whole forests of kelp, a seaweed other marine animals thrive on and which helps sequester carbon.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 7

With reference to the Himalayan region, consider the following statements:

1. The Himalayas are geologically young mountains with not fully consolidated rocks, making them more prone to landslides.

2. Seismic activity in the Himalayas can exacerbate the impact of extreme rainfall events.

3. Compared to the Aravali mountains, the Himalayas are less vulnerable to flash floods due to their higher altitude.

How many statements given above is/are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Explanation

— The Himalayas are relatively young mountains. The rocks are not fully consolidated, and there are lots of relatively weak geological formations.

— The region is, therefore, more susceptible to landslides or flash floods than, say, the older Aravali mountains.

— The Himalayas are also earthquake-prone. Continuous seismic activity makes the region more vulnerable in case of an extreme rainfall event.

— Largescale construction activity and high volumes of vehicular traffic are contributing factors as well.

— The Dharali experience suggests that even moderate or normal rain can trigger a devastating flash flood.

— But some mitigation measures can certainly be taken. These would include avoiding construction activity near river banks, moving villages and populations some distance away from rivers, and storing and disposing of large boulders and construction debris in a way that they are not easily swept into rivers.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 8

Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a key financial mechanism established within the framework of:

(a) Stockholm Convention

(b) Convention on Biological Diversity

(c) Ramsar Convention

(d) UNFCCC

Explanation

The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is a fund for climate finance that was established within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Considered the world’s largest fund of its kind, GCF’s objective is to assist developing countries with climate change adaptation and mitigation activities.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

(source: greenclimate.fund)

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 121)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 123)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 123)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 123)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 122)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 122)

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