Consider the following statements : 1. Agricultural soils release nitrogen oxides into environment. 2. Cattle release ammonia into environment. 3. Poultry industry releases reactive nitrogen compounds into environment. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.1 and 3 only
- B.2 and 3 only
- C.2 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is D, 1, 2 and 3. Fertilised soils, cattle and poultry are all major sources of reactive nitrogen in the environment.
Reactive nitrogen means nitrogen in forms other than the inert N₂ gas of the air, such as ammonia, nitrogen oxides, nitrous oxide and nitrate. In farm soils, microbes act on fertiliser and manure through nitrification and denitrification and give off nitric oxide and nitrous oxide, a strong greenhouse gas. Cattle dung and urine break down to release ammonia. Poultry litter is rich in uric acid, which turns into ammonia and other nitrogen compounds. The Indian Nitrogen Assessment (2017) found agriculture, and within it cereal farming and livestock, to be the largest source of reactive nitrogen pollution in India.
A is wrong because it leaves out statement 2. B is wrong because it leaves out statement 1. C is wrong because statements 1 and 3 are also correct.
Exam tip: Reactive nitrogen sources = fertilised soils (NOx, N₂O), cattle (ammonia), poultry (ammonia, nitrogen compounds).
Practice Questions
View allWhat is 'Climate Neutral Now' initiative?
1. It encourages organizations and other interested stakeholders to act now in order to achieve a carbon neutral world by 2030.
2. It derives its aims from the Paris Agreement.
Select the correct answer using the code given below :
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
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Climate Neutral Now takes its aim from the Paris Agreement, but the target it works towards is a climate-neutral world by the middle of the century, not by 2030.
Read the full explanation →Which of the following statements is/are correct about 'Action for Climate Empowerment' (ACE)?
1. It is a term adopted by the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
2. This term is related to the Paris Agreement.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- A.1 only
- B.2 only
- C.Both 1 and 2
- D.Neither 1 nor 2
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Action for Climate Empowerment is the UNFCCC's own name for its work on climate education and public awareness, and it covers the Paris Agreement too.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is NOT correct about organic farming?
- A.It does not use genetically modified seeds
- B.Synthetic pesticides or fertilizers are not used
- C.It uses minimal crop rotation
- D.It uses ecologically protective practices
Show answer
Organic farming relies heavily on crop rotation, not on as little of it as possible, so this is the statement that is not correct.
Read the full explanation →"If rainforests and tropical forests are the lungs of the Earth, then surely wetlands function as its kidneys." Which one of the following functions of wetlands best reflects the above statement ?
- A.The water cycle in wetlands involves surface runoff, subsoil percolation and evaporation.
- B.Algae form the nutrient base upon which fish, crustaceans, molluscs, birds, reptiles and mammals thrive.
- C.Wetlands play a vital role in maintaining sedimentation balance and soil stabilization.
- D.Aquatic plants absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients.
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Kidneys filter waste from the blood, and wetlands likewise filter pollutants out of the water that passes through them.
Read the full explanation →What is/are unique about 'Kharai camel', a breed found in India?
1. It is capable of swimming up to three kilometres in seawater.
2. It survives by grazing on mangroves.
3. It lives in the wild and cannot be domesticated.
Select the correct answer using the code given below.
- A.1 and 2 only
- B.3 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.1, 2 and 3
Show answer
The Kharai camel of Kutch in Gujarat can swim through seawater to reach mangrove islands, where it feeds on mangrove leaves.
Read the full explanation →