Skip to content
GK24
Prime
Environment & EcologyMediumAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2021, GK

Which one of the following biosphere reserves comprises islands with estuaries, beaches, coral reefs, salt marshes and mangroves ?

  1. A.Sunderban biosphere reserve
  2. B.Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve
  3. C.Nilgiri biosphere reserve
  4. D.Nandadevi biosphere reserve

Correct answer

B. Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve

Explanation

The correct answer is B, Gulf of Mannar biosphere reserve. Lying between India and Sri Lanka off Tamil Nadu, it is built around a chain of 21 small islands with estuaries, beaches, coral reefs, salt marshes, seagrass beds and mangroves. Declared a biosphere reserve in 1989, the Gulf of Mannar was India's first marine biosphere reserve, and in 2001 it joined UNESCO's World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Its core is the Gulf of Mannar Marine National Park, with islands stretching roughly from Rameswaram to Thoothukudi. The reserve is rich in marine life, with hundreds of species of fish, corals, sponges and molluscs, and it is one of the last refuges of the dugong, or sea cow, which grazes on seagrass. Option A is wrong because the Sundarban reserve is a vast delta of mangrove forest and tidal creeks in West Bengal, not a group of coral islands. Option C is wrong because the Nilgiri reserve is a hill forest region in the Western Ghats. Option D is wrong because Nanda Devi is a high Himalayan reserve in Uttarakhand. Exam tip: Gulf of Mannar, first marine biosphere reserve, 21 islands, corals and dugongs; Nilgiri, India's first biosphere reserve, 1986.

Practice Questions

View all
Q1.Environment & EcologyAsked in: NDA · NDA-I 2020, GATEasy

Which one of the following statements is NOT correct?

  1. A.Biomass is a renewable source of energy
  2. B.Gobar gas is produced when cow-dung, crop residues, vegetable waste and sewage are allowed to decompose in the absence of oxygen
  3. C.Biogas generation reduces soil and water pollution
  4. D.Heating capacity of biogas is very low
Show answer
Correct answer: D. Heating capacity of biogas is very low

This statement is false: biogas is an excellent fuel with a high heating capacity. Biogas is mostly methane, about 50 to 75 percent, with carbon dioxide and small amounts of other gases.

Q2.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2024, GKMedium

Which of the following Ramsar Wetland sites is not situated in any of the Union Territories of India ?

  1. A.Hokera Wetland
  2. B.Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary
  3. C.Tsomoriri Lake
  4. D.Wular Lake
Show answer
Correct answer: B. Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary

Point Calimere, also called Kodiakkarai, lies in the Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, a state, where the Coromandel Coast turns west towards Palk Strait.

Q3.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-I 2018, GKHard

In which one of the following groups of States in India is the Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Project being implemented as a pilot investment?

  1. A.Gujarat, Kerala and Goa
  2. B.Kerala, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh
  3. C.Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal
  4. D.Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu
Show answer
Correct answer: C. Gujarat, Odisha and West Bengal

The India Integrated Coastal Zone Management Project was launched by the Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2010 with World Bank support.

Q5.Environment & EcologyAsked in: CDS · CDS-II 2017, GKEasy

Statement I : Global warming signifies the rise in global surface temperature. Statement II : The increase of concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere causes the rise in global surface temperature.

  1. A.Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I
  2. B.Both the statements are individually true but Statement II is not the correct explanation of Statement I
  3. C.Statement I is true but Statement II is false
  4. D.Statement I is false but Statement II is true
Show answer
Correct answer: A. Both the statements are individually true and Statement II is the correct explanation of Statement I

Global warming is the long-term rise in the average temperature at the earth's surface, and it is driven mainly by the growing amount of greenhouse gases in the air, so Statement II explains Statement I. Sunlight warms the ground, which gives off heat as infrared radiation.