UPSC Essentials daily subject quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs (Week 175)

4. The species spends most of its life high in the forest canopy and rarely comes down to the ground.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Relevance: The question tests knowledge of species distribution, IUCN conservation status and CITES protection, important areas under biodiversity and wildlife conservation.

Explanation

— Actor Chiyaan Vikram has found himself at the centre of a wildlife controversy after a video showing him interacting with a Lar Gibbon, an endangered primate native to Southeast Asia, sparked criticism from wildlife activists and conservationists.

— The Lar Gibbon (Hylobates lar) is native to Southeast Asia and is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. It is also listed under Appendix I of CITES, which provides the highest level of protection to species threatened by international trade. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are not correct and statement 3 is correct.

— In India, the species is also protected under the country’s wildlife laws. Lar Gibbons, endemic to Southeast Asia, are endangered. IUCN list. A primate that is protected under law.

— The distinction is important because international protection under CITES and India’s domestic wildlife regulations can place strict controls on the import, possession, breeding and transfer of protected species. Any investigation would therefore need to establish the animal’s origin, how it entered India and whether the requisite documentation and permissions exist.

— The species spends most of its life high in the forest canopy and rarely comes down to the ground. Its agility, vocalisations, body shape and distinctive colouring make it easily recognisable. Hence, statement 4 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

Consider the following statements with reference to invasive species:

1. A species may become invasive when introduced outside its natural range, particularly when it encounters fewer natural predators or other ecological checks in the new environment.

2. A species that is native to a region can be classified as invasive in that same region merely because its population increases and causes human-wildlife conflict.

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.

Relevance: The question tests the conceptual distinction between native, non-native and invasive species, an important area under ecology and biodiversity. It is also relevant to invasive alien species, ecosystem balance and human-wildlife conflict.

Explanation

— The nilgai, India’s largest antelope, is a familiar sight across parts of the Indian subcontinent. But thousands of kilometres away, the same animal has become an ecological concern. A recent Business Today report details how nilgai introduced to Texas nearly a century ago eventually established feral populations, finding suitable habitat and few natural checks to limit their spread. The report notes that their wide-ranging movements and ability to host ticks associated with pathogens affecting cattle have also created challenges for livestock producers.

— “Invasive species are non-native life forms and organisms. They can spread rapidly and cause harm to the environment, economy or human health, while also creating conflicts.

— One reason introduced species can become problematic is the absence of the ecological checks they encounter in their native habitats. Lacking natural predators and forced into the environment, they multiply quickly and become competition for essential resources for endemic life.

— A species transferred outside its normal area may become invasive if it quickly establishes and spreads, especially if the new environment lacks the natural predators, rivals, or other biological constraints that govern its population in its original range. Hence, statement 1 is correct.

— Invasive” refers to a non-native species whose introduction and expansion has or is anticipated to have negative ecological, economic, or societal consequences. The nilgai is native to India, although its presence can cause crop loss and human-wildlife conflict. Hence, statement 2 is not correct.

Therefore, option (c) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

A female pied flycatcher’s ability to recognise a change in a male’s song after he has acquired a mate most directly demonstrates that animal communication can:

(a) carry information about an individual’s social or reproductive status

(b) eliminate competition between individuals of the same species

(c) prevent males from engaging in extra-pair mating behaviour

(d) remain unchanged throughout an individual’s breeding cycle

Relevance: The question tests understanding of animal behaviour, communication and sexual selection in the context of biodiversity. The topic helps broaden species-based current affairs preparation beyond conventional taxonomy and habitat-based questions.

Explanation

— As per the findings of the new study published in Ethology, male pied flycatchers change their songs after mating and moving to another territory to court a second female. Their songs become shorter, and they repeat syllables less often.

— The pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) has a mating strategy known as polyterritoriality. After a first female lays eggs, a male may set up another territory several hundred metres away and court another female.

— To see whether his song changes, ethologist Helene Lampe and her colleagues recorded 17 wild males twice — first when they were bachelors and again after they had mated and moved to a second territory.

— When the males became polyterritorial, their songs became shorter, falling from about two seconds to roughly 1.7 seconds. They also repeated syllables less often.

— Normally, a male tends to sing his syllables in an orderly pattern, often repeating one or two syllables from one song to the next. After mating, that repetition became less frequent.

— This does not mean the males suddenly developed a bigger vocabulary or more complicated songs. The specific change the researchers found was less repetition and more switching between syllables.

Therefore, option (a) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

With reference to El Niño, consider the following statements:

1. It is the cold phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

2. It is a naturally occurring climate pattern driven by changes in sea-surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions across the tropical Pacific.

3. It can alter weather patterns around the world.

Which one of the following conclusions based on the above statements is correct?

(a) All three statements are correct.

(b) There are two correct statements, that include statement 2.

(c) There is only one correct statement.

(d) There is no correct statement.

Relevance: The question tests conceptual understanding of ENSO and the distinction between El Niño and La Niña. It is also relevant to Indian monsoon variability, global weather patterns and climate extremes.

Explanation

— El Niño is the warm phase of ENSO, a naturally occurring climate pattern driven by changes in sea-surface temperatures and atmospheric conditions across the tropical Pacific. It can alter weather patterns around the world and is associated with a higher likelihood of drought, extreme heat, and below-normal rainfall in some regions. Hence, statement 1 is not correct and statements 2 and 3 are correct.

— For India, El Niño is significant because years in which the phenomenon occurs have historically been associated with below-average southwest monsoon rainfall. However, there is no one-to-one relationship between the two, and the Indian monsoon is influenced by several other ocean and atmospheric factors.

— ENSO has three phases — El Niño, neutral and La Niña — determined largely by sea-surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific. An El Niño is declared when the relevant three-month average sea-surface temperature anomaly crosses the prescribed threshold.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 5

The Mt Marion and Wodgina mines in Australia are associated with:

(a) Uranium

(b) Bauxite

(c) Coal

(d) Lithium

Relevance: The question tests knowledge of minerals and mines in news and their global geographical distribution, particularly mineral-rich regions and mining locations. The question is relevant to economic geography, energy transition and strategic resources.

Explanation

— India’s efforts to secure critical mineral assets overseas are facing a series of hurdles, ranging from high asset valuations, volatile mineral prices, financial constraints, to socio-political risks in resource-rich countries.

— Incorporated in 2019, the government’s flagship overseas acquisition vehicle, Khanij Bidesh India Ltd (KABIL) — a joint venture of National Aluminium Company Ltd., Hindustan Copper Limited, and Mineral Exploration & Consultancy Limited — is mandated to identify, explore and acquire overseas critical mineral assets to help meet India’s growing demand for these strategic resources.

— In Argentina, KABIL has so far acquired five lithium brine blocks in Catamarca province. It is also evaluating seven additional greenfield lithium blocks in Catamarca and is in discussions for two more lithium projects in Jujuy province.

— In December 2024, a consortium comprising KABIL, Coal India Ltd (CIL), Oil India Ltd (OIL), and ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) submitted a non-binding offer (NBO) of $184 million to acquire 10% equity stake each in the Mt Marion and Wodgina lithium mines in Australia. The proposed transaction involved acquiring a 20% stake in the holding company, Mineral Resources Ltd, which owned 50% stakes in both mines.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 159)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 175)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 175)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 175)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 174)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 174)

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