UPSC Essentials | Daily subject-wise quiz : Environment and Geography MCQs on higher ocean temperatures, Shaksgam Valley and more (Week 145)

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 2, 3 and 4

(c) 2 and 4 only

(d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Relevance: Climate change–ocean linkages are a recurring UPSC Prelims theme. This question tests understanding of cause–effect relationships, not just factual recall, in environment and geography.

Explanation

— Higher ocean temperatures can have irreversible consequences for marine ecosystems. For instance, warmer oceans lead to an increase in ocean stratification — the natural separation of an ocean’s water into horizontal layers by density, with warmer, lighter, less salty, and nutrient-poor water layering on top of heavier, colder, saltier, nutrient-rich water. Usually, ocean ecosystems, currents, wind, and tides mix these layers.

— The rise in temperatures, however, has made it harder for the water layers to mix with each other. Due to this, oceans are able to absorb less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and the oxygen absorbed is not able to mix properly with cooler ocean waters below, threatening the survival of marine life.

— Warmer oceans cause marine heat waves (MHWs), which occur when the surface temperature of a particular region of the sea rises to 3 or 4 degrees Celsius above the average temperature for at least five days. Between 1982 and 2016, such heatwaves have doubled in frequency and have become longer and more intense, according to a 2021 study by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

— According to several studies, higher ocean temperatures may also result in more frequent and more intense storms like hurricanes and cyclones. Warmer temperatures lead to a higher rate of evaporation as well as the transfer of heat from the oceans to the air. That’s why, when storms travel across hot oceans, they gather more water vapour and heat. This results in more powerful winds, heavier rainfall, and more flooding when storms reach the land — meaning heightened devastation for humans.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 2

With reference to the Shaksgam Valley, consider the following statements:

1. It is part of the Hunza-Gilgit region.

2. It lies to the west of the Siachen glacier.

3. It borders China to the north and the Gilgit-Baltistan region to the west.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Relevance:This question tests India’s territorial claims in PoK and the 1963 Sino-Pakistan Boundary Agreement, a recurring UPSC theme in border disputes. One needs to work on the map-based factual clarity on Siachen–Ladakh–Xinjiang–Gilgit-Baltistan geography.

Explanation

— During the MEA’s media briefing, a reporter asked about Chinese infrastructure build-up under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in Pakistan-Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, and in the Shaksgam Valley. Jaiswal replied, “Shaksgam Valley is Indian territory.

— Shaksgam Valley, or the Trans Karakoram Tract, is part of the Hunza-Gilgit region occupied by Pakistan and lies to the north of the Siachen glacier. Spread over more than 5,000 sq km, its terrain and climatic conditions make it difficult for human habitation. While it is claimed by India, Pakistan used to control it. Hence, statement 1 is correct and statement 2 is not correct.

— It borders China’s Xinjiang province to the north and the Gilgit-Baltistan region (Pakistan-occupied Kashmir) to the west. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 3

Which of the following crops is increasingly susceptible to infestation by Orobanche, a parasitic weed that attaches to the root?

(a) Wheat

(b) Cotton

(c) Coffee

(d) Mustard

Relevance:Agriculture ecology questions often test crop–pest/weed specificity, especially parasitic weeds. These types of questions help in eliminating options in prelims by linking weeds to their typical host crops.

Explanation

— Mustard is India’s largest indigenous edible oil source, farmed in nearly nine million hectares – mainly Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana and West Bengal.

— But mustard is also a crop increasingly susceptible to infestation by Orobanche aegyptiaca. This is a parasitic weed that attaches to the roots of mustard plants and extracts nutrients, carbon and water from them. By depriving the host crop of these, it causes wilting, yellowing and stunted growth of the plants and, thereby, lower mustard seed yields.

Therefore, option (d) is the correct answer.

QUESTION 4

Consider the following statements about Eco-Sensitive Zones (ESZ):

1. It is defined under the National Environment Policy, 2006.

2. These zones indicate areas that are rich in environmental resources and require special protection.

3. There are restrictions on agricultural and horticultural practices run by local communities under ESZ.

4. New commercial constructions are permitted within one kilometre of the boundary of a protected area or an eco-sensitive zone.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) Only three

(d) All four

Relevance:UPSC Prelims repeatedly tests policy vs statutory authority, especially in environment topics like ESZs. Permitted vs prohibited activities and Supreme Court directions around protected areas are frequent factual traps.

Explanation

— The Central Empowered Committee (CEC), headed by Chairman Siddhanta Das, submitted its report to the Supreme Court, recommending that the Ecologically Sensitive Zone (ESZ) around Bengaluru’s Bannerghatta National Park (BNP) should be restored to its original 2016 extent. The ESZ’s area was considerably reduced in 2020 after the publication of a government notification.

— The National Environment Policy (2006) defines Eco-Sensitive Zones as “areas/zones that possess unique environmental resources that require special attention for their conservation” because they contain landscape, wildlife, biodiversity, historical and natural values. Hence, statements 1 and 2 are correct.

— The ESZ notification does not cover the displacement and eviction of farmers/village residents. Activities within the ESZ are generally regulated and not prohibited, except for a few: (i) commercial mining, stone quarrying, and crushing units; (ii) major hydroelectric projects; (iii) management of hazardous substances; (iv) discharge of unwanted wastes; (v) establishment of brick kilns; (vi) establishment of polluting industries with a high potential for environmental damage.

— There are no restrictions on agricultural and horticultural practices run by local communities, dairy farming, aquaculture, fisheries, poultry farms, goat farms, food-related units, etc. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.

— No new commercial construction is permitted within one kilometer of the boundary of a protected area or an eco-sensitive zone. However, there are no restrictions for local residents; they can build on their own land for their own use. Hence, statement 4 is not correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

(Other Source: moef.gov.in)

QUESTION 5

With reference to the octopuses, consider the following statements:

1. They are warm-blooded animals.

2. They are known to thrive in warm waters.

3. Most of the octopus’s brain is dedicated to vision, and it plays a crucial role in communication and detecting predators and prey.

How many of the statements given above are correct?

(a) Only one

(b) Only two

(c) All three

(d) None

Relevance:The UPSC often links animal physiology with climate change, testing traits such as ectothermy and habitat preference.

Explanation

— Octopuses are considered to be extraordinarily smart. They have great problem-solving skills (such as opening jars and untying knots), and are champions of camouflaging.

— Octopuses are cold-blooded animals, and they are known to thrive in warm waters. A 2023 study, published in the journal Science Advances, showed that higher temperatures increase the rate of embryonic development in the animal. It found that at 11 degrees Celsius, octopus eggs hatched in less than two years. On the other hand, eggs of the deep-sea octopuses, which live at roughly 1.6 degrees Celsius, took four-and-a-half years to hatch. Hence, statements 1 is not correct and statement 2 is correct.

Octopuses have an impressive ability to recognise individual humans (Source: Freepik)

— Octopus is a voracious predator, as it requires three times its weight to sustain itself. This means that a sustained high number of octopuses could impact the population of their favourite prey, such as crabs, scallops, and lobsters.

— Warmer waters help octopuses proliferate, extreme temperatures are detrimental to them. About 70% of the octopus’s brain is dedicated to vision, and it plays a crucial role in communication and detecting predators and prey, according to a report by The Guardian. Hence, statement 3 is correct.

Therefore, option (b) is the correct answer.

Previous Daily Subject-Wise-Quiz

Daily Subject-wise quiz — History, Culture, and Social Issues (Week 140)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Polity and Governance (Week 145)

Daily subject-wise quiz —  Science and Technology (Week 145)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Economy (Week 145)

Daily subject-wise quiz — Environment and Geography (Week 144)

Daily subject-wise quiz – International Relations (Week 144)

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