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#	Question	Answer
1	Approximately how many species of ants are mentioned in the text?	More than 20,000 species.
2	Approximately how many species of beetles are mentioned?	About 3,00,000 species.
3	Approximately how many species of fishes are mentioned?	Around 28,000 species.
4	Approximately how many species of orchids are mentioned?	Nearly 20,000 species.
5	What is biodiversity?	Biodiversity refers to the immense diversity or heterogeneity existing at all levels of biological organisation, from macromolecules within cells to biomes.
6	What does biodiversity describe?	The combined diversity at all levels of biological organisation.
7	Name the three important levels of biodiversity mentioned in the text.	Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecological diversity.
8	What is genetic diversity?	Diversity shown by a single species at the genetic level over its distributional range.
9	Which medicinal plant is used as an example of genetic diversity?	Rauwolfia vomitoria.
10	What variation is seen in Rauwolfia vomitoria growing in different Himalayan ranges?	Variation in potency and concentration of the active chemical reserpine.
11	How many genetically different strains of rice are found in India?	More than 50,000 strains.
12	How many varieties of mango are found in India?	About 1,000 varieties.
13	What is species diversity?	Diversity at the species level.
14	Which region has greater amphibian species diversity: Western Ghats or Eastern Ghats?	Western Ghats.
15	What is ecological diversity?	Diversity at the ecosystem level.
16	Which ecosystems in India are mentioned as examples of ecological diversity?	Deserts, rain forests, mangroves, coral reefs, wetlands, estuaries, and alpine meadows.
17	Which country is compared with India to explain ecological diversity?	Norway.
18	Why are biodiversity and its conservation considered vital environmental issues?	Because biodiversity is critically important for human survival and well-being on Earth.
19	According to IUCN (2004), how many plant and animal species had been described so far?	Slightly more than 1.5 million species.
20	Why is it difficult to estimate the total number of species on Earth?	Because many species are yet to be discovered and described.
21	In which regions are species inventories more complete?	Temperate regions.
22	Where are most undiscovered species believed to exist?	In tropical regions.
23	Who estimated the global species diversity to be about 7 million?	Robert May.
24	What is the conservative estimate of total global species diversity according to Robert May?	About 7 million species.
25	What type of comparison do biologists use to estimate total species on Earth?	Statistical comparison of temperate-tropical species richness.
26	What range do some extreme estimates give for total species on Earth?	Between 20 and 50 million species.
27	Why is biodiversity important to the biosphere?	It is critical for survival and well-being on the planet.
28	What percentage of all recorded species are animals?	More than 70 per cent.
29	What percentage of recorded species are plants?	No more than 22 per cent.
30	Which groups are included under plants in biodiversity records?	Algae, fungi, bryophytes, gymnosperms, and angiosperms.
31	Which animal group is the most species-rich taxonomic group?	Insects.
32	What percentage of all animal species are insects?	More than 70 per cent.
33	According to the text, out of every 10 animals on Earth, how many are insects?	Seven.
34	The number of fungal species is greater than the combined total of which vertebrate groups?	Fishes, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals.
35	Why are estimates of prokaryotic species difficult to make?	Conventional taxonomic methods are not suitable for identifying microbial species.
36	Why are many microbial species difficult to study in laboratories?	Many species are not culturable under laboratory conditions.
37	What may happen to estimates of prokaryotic diversity if biochemical or molecular criteria are used?	Their diversity alone might run into millions.
38	What percentage of global species diversity is found in India?	8.1 per cent.
39	Approximately how many plant species have been recorded in India?	Nearly 45,000 species.
40	Approximately how many animal species have been recorded in India?	About twice the number of plant species.
41	Based on estimates, how many plant species in India may still be undiscovered?	More than 1,00,000 species.
42	Based on estimates, how many animal species in India may still be undiscovered?	More than 3,00,000 species.
43	What major problem threatens many undiscovered species?	They may become extinct before being discovered.
44	What is meant by latitudinal gradient in biodiversity?	Species diversity decreases as we move away from the equator towards the poles.
45	Which regions generally harbour more species: tropical or polar regions?	Tropical regions.
46	How many bird species are found in Colombia?	Nearly 1,400 species.
47	Approximately how many bird species are found in India?	More than 1,200 species.
48	How does a tropical forest in Ecuador compare with a temperate forest in the USA in plant species richness?	It has up to 10 times as many species of vascular plants.
49	Which ecosystem is said to have the greatest biodiversity on Earth?	Amazonian rain forest in South America.
50	How many plant species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	More than 40,000 species.
51	How many fish species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	About 3,000 species.
52	How many bird species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	About 1,300 species.
53	How many mammal species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	427 species.
54	How many amphibian species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	427 species.
55	How many reptile species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	378 species.
56	Approximately how many invertebrate species are found in the Amazonian rain forest?	More than 1,25,000 species.
57	According to scientists, how many insect species may still be undiscovered in tropical rain forests?	At least two million species.
58	What is one reason tropics have greater biodiversity according to ecologists?	Tropical regions have remained relatively undisturbed for millions of years.
59	How does seasonality differ between tropical and temperate regions?	Tropical environments are less seasonal and more constant and predictable.
60	How does greater solar energy in the tropics contribute to biodiversity?	It leads to higher productivity, which indirectly contributes to greater diversity.
61	Who observed the species-area relationship during explorations in South American jungles?	Alexander von Humboldt.
62	What did Alexander von Humboldt observe about species richness and area?	Species richness increased with increasing explored area, but only up to a limit.
63	What type of curve represents the relationship between species richness and area?	A rectangular hyperbola.
64	Which taxa are mentioned as examples for species-area relationship studies?	Angiosperm plants, birds, bats, and freshwater fishes.
65	What kind of relationship is obtained on a logarithmic scale in species-area relationships?	A straight-line relationship.
66	What is the equation for species-area relationship on a logarithmic scale?	log S = log C + Z log A
67	What is the usual range of Z values in species-area relationships?	0.1 to 0.2.
68	For what scale are Z values generally between 0.1 and 0.2?	For most taxonomic groups and regions.
69	What happens to the slope of the species-area relationship for very large areas like continents?	The slope becomes much steeper.
70	What is the Z value range for very large areas such as continents?	0.6 to 1.2.
71	What was the slope found for frugivorous birds and mammals in tropical forests of different continents?	1.15.
72	What does a steeper slope in species-area relationships indicate?	Greater increase in species richness with increase in area.
73	What question do ecologists ask regarding species diversity and ecosystems?	Whether the number of species in a community matters to ecosystem functioning.
74	What did ecologists traditionally believe about communities with more species?	They tend to be more stable than communities with fewer species.
75	What is one characteristic of a stable biological community?	It should not show too much variation in productivity from year to year.
76	A stable community should be resistant or resilient to what?	Occasional natural or man-made disturbances.
77	What type of invasions should a stable community resist?	Invasions by alien species.
78	Which scientist conducted long-term ecosystem experiments using outdoor plots?	David Tilman.
79	What did David Tilman find about plots with more species?	They showed less year-to-year variation in total biomass.
80	Why is rich biodiversity essential according to the text?	It is essential for ecosystem health and the survival of the human race.
81	Which hypothesis did Paul Ehrlich use to explain biodiversity importance?	The rivet popper hypothesis.
82	In the rivet popper hypothesis, what does the airplane represent?	The ecosystem.
83	In the rivet popper hypothesis, what do rivets represent?	Species.
84	According to the rivet popper hypothesis, what happens as more rivets are removed?	The airplane becomes dangerously weak over time.
85	Which factor is mainly blamed for biodiversity loss?	Human activities.
86	What happened due to human colonisation of tropical Pacific Islands?	More than 2,000 species of native birds became extinct.
87	According to the IUCN Red List (2004), how many species became extinct in the last 500 years?	784 species.
88	How many vertebrate species were included among the extinct species listed by IUCN (2004)?	338 species.
89	How many invertebrate species were included among the extinct species listed by IUCN (2004)?	359 species.
90	How many plant species were included among the extinct species listed by IUCN (2004)?	87 species.
91	Which tiger subspecies mentioned in the text became extinct?	Bali, Javan, and Caspian tiger subspecies.
92	How many species disappeared in the last twenty years according to the text?	27 species.
93	Which group of animals appears to be more vulnerable to extinction according to records?	Amphibians.
94	Approximately how many species worldwide are facing the threat of extinction?	More than 15,500 species.
95	What percentage of bird species face the threat of extinction?	12 per cent.
96	What percentage of mammal species face the threat of extinction?	23 per cent.
97	What percentage of amphibian species face the threat of extinction?	32 per cent.
98	What percentage of gymnosperm species face the threat of extinction?	31 per cent.
99	How many episodes of mass extinction occurred before humans appeared on Earth?	Five episodes.
100	What is the present ongoing extinction event called?	The Sixth Extinction.
101	How are current extinction rates different from previous mass extinctions?	Current extinction rates are 100 to 1,000 times faster than pre-human times.
102	What is mainly responsible for the faster current extinction rates?	Human activities.
103	What warning do ecologists give if current trends continue?	Nearly half of all species on Earth might be wiped out within the next 100 years.
104	What can loss of biodiversity lead to in plant production?	Decline in plant production.
105	How does biodiversity loss affect resistance to environmental perturbations?	It lowers resistance to disturbances such as drought.
106	What ecosystem processes become more variable due to biodiversity loss?	Plant productivity, water use, and pest and disease cycles.
107	What term is used to describe the four major causes of biodiversity loss?	The Evil Quartet.
108	What is the most important cause of biodiversity loss?	Habitat loss and fragmentation.
109	Which ecosystems provide the most dramatic examples of habitat loss?	Tropical rain forests.
110	Why is the Amazon rain forest being cut and cleared?	For cultivating soya beans and converting land into grasslands for beef cattle.
111	Besides habitat loss, what else threatens species survival?	Habitat degradation due to pollution.
112	How does habitat fragmentation affect mammals and birds?	Species requiring large territories and migratory animals are badly affected.
113	What is over-exploitation?	Excessive use of natural resources when human need turns into greed.
114	What is happening to many marine fish populations around the world?	They are being overharvested.
115	What is the effect of overharvesting marine fish populations?	It endangers the continued existence of commercially important species.
116	What are alien species invasions?	Introduction of alien species that become invasive and cause decline or extinction of indigenous species.
117	Which fish introduced into Lake Victoria caused extinction of many cichlid fishes?	Nile perch.
118	Approximately how many cichlid fish species became extinct in Lake Victoria due to Nile perch?	More than 200 species.
119	Name the invasive weed species mentioned in the text.	Parthenium (carrot grass), Lantana, and water hyacinth (Eichhornia).
120	Which illegally introduced fish threatens indigenous catfishes in Indian rivers?	African catfish (Clarias gariepinus).
121	What are co-extinctions?	Extinction of species associated obligatorily with another species that becomes extinct.
122	What happens to parasites when their host fish species becomes extinct?	The parasites also become extinct.
123	In a coevolved plant-pollinator mutualism, what happens if one species becomes extinct?	The other species also becomes extinct.
124	Into how many categories are reasons for conserving biodiversity grouped?	Three categories.
125	Name the three categories of reasons for conserving biodiversity.	Narrowly utilitarian, broadly utilitarian, and ethical.
126	What are some direct economic benefits humans derive from biodiversity?	Food, firewood, fibre, construction material, industrial products, and medicines.
127	What percentage of drugs sold worldwide are derived from plants?	More than 25 per cent.
128	Approximately how many plant species contribute to traditional medicines used by native peoples?	25,000 species.
129	What is bioprospecting?	Exploring molecular, genetic, and species-level diversity for products of economic importance.
130	What does the broadly utilitarian argument for biodiversity conservation state?	Biodiversity plays a major role in ecosystem services provided by nature.
131	Which ecosystem service is provided by pollinators?	Pollination.
132	Name the pollinators mentioned in the text.	Bees, bumblebees, birds, and bats.
133	What are some intangible benefits humans derive from nature?	Aesthetic pleasures such as walking through woods, watching flowers bloom, and hearing birds sing.
134	What does the ethical argument for conserving biodiversity emphasise?	Every species has intrinsic value and humans have a moral duty to protect them.
135	What moral responsibility do humans have regarding biodiversity?	To care for species and pass biological legacy in good order to future generations.
136	What is meant by in situ conservation?	Conservation of species in their natural habitats by protecting the whole ecosystem.
137	What is meant by ex situ conservation?	Conservation of endangered species outside their natural habitats in special settings.
138	Why is ex situ conservation used?	When species are endangered or threatened and require urgent protection from extinction.
139	What are biodiversity hotspots?	Regions with very high species richness and a high degree of endemism.
140	What is endemism?	Species being confined to a region and not found anywhere else.
141	How many biodiversity hotspots were initially identified?	25 hotspots.
142	How many biodiversity hotspots are currently recognised in the world according to the text?	34 hotspots.
143	Why are biodiversity hotspots important for conservation?	Strict protection could reduce ongoing mass extinctions by almost 30 per cent.
144	What protected areas are used for in situ conservation in India?	Biosphere reserves, national parks, and wildlife sanctuaries.
145	How many biosphere reserves are there in India according to the text?	14.
146	How many national parks are there in India according to the text?	90.
147	How many wildlife sanctuaries are there in India according to the text?	448.
148	What are sacred groves?	Forest tracts protected due to religious and cultural traditions.
149	In which hills of Meghalaya are sacred groves found?	Khasi and Jaintia Hills.
150	Which hills of Rajasthan contain sacred groves?	Aravalli Hills.
151	Which regions of Karnataka and Maharashtra contain sacred groves?	Western Ghat regions.
152	Which areas of Madhya Pradesh contain sacred groves?	Sarguja, Chanda, and Bastar areas.
153	What is the importance of sacred groves in Meghalaya?	They are the last refuges for many rare and threatened plants.
154	What happens to threatened species in ex situ conservation?	They are taken out of natural habitats and given special protection and care.
155	Name some institutions used for ex situ conservation.	Zoological parks, botanical gardens, and wildlife safari parks.
156	What is one advantage of zoological parks in conservation?	Some animals extinct in the wild continue to survive there.
157	What technique allows preservation of gametes for long periods?	Cryopreservation.
158	What does cryopreservation help preserve?	Gametes in viable and fertile condition for long periods.
159	What reproductive method mentioned in the text can be carried out outside the body?	In vitro fertilisation.
160	Which method is used to propagate plants in ex situ conservation?	Tissue culture.
161	What are seed banks used for?	Preserving seeds of different genetic strains of commercially important plants.
162	Why is biodiversity conservation considered a collective responsibility?	Biodiversity knows no political boundaries.
163	Which historic convention on biodiversity was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992?	The Earth Summit.
164	What was the main aim of the Convention on Biological Diversity (1992)?	Conservation of biodiversity and sustainable utilisation of its benefits.
165	Where was the World Summit on Sustainable Development held in 2002?	Johannesburg, South Africa.
166	How many countries pledged commitment to reduce biodiversity loss at the 2002 summit?	190 countries.
167	What target year was set for significant reduction in biodiversity loss?	2010.
168	Approximately when did life originate on Earth according to the summary?	Nearly 3.8 billion years ago.
169	What does biodiversity refer to?	The sum total of diversity existing at all levels of biological organisation.
170	Which three levels of biodiversity are particularly important?	Genetic diversity, species diversity, and ecosystem diversity.
171	At which levels are conservation efforts mainly aimed?	Genetic, species, and ecosystem levels.
172	How many species have been recorded in the world?	More than 1.5 million species.
173	Approximately how many species may still be waiting to be discovered on Earth?	Nearly 6 million species.
174	What percentage of recorded species are animals?	More than 70 per cent.
175	What percentage of animal species are insects?	About 70 per cent.
176	Which group has more species than all vertebrate species combined?	Fungi.
177	Approximately how many plant species are found in India?	About 45,000 species.
178	India is recognised as one of how many mega diversity countries?	12 mega diversity countries.
179	How is species diversity distributed across Earth?	Unevenly, with highest diversity in the tropics and decreasing towards the poles.
180	Why do tropics have greater species richness according to the summary?	They had more evolutionary time, more constant environments, and greater solar energy availability.
181	What type of function generally represents the species-area relationship?	A rectangular hyperbolic function.
182	How are highly diverse communities generally described?	Less variable, more productive, and more resistant to biological invasions.
183	Present extinction rates are how many times higher than earlier rates?	100 to 1000 times higher.
184	What is mainly responsible for the current high extinction rates?	Human activities.
185	Approximately how many species have become extinct in recent times?	Nearly 700 species.
186	How many species currently face the threat of extinction globally?	More than 15,500 species.
187	Approximately how many threatened species are from India?	More than 650 species.
188	What are the major causes of present high extinction rates?	Habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation, biological invasions, and co-extinctions.
189	What are the three categories of reasons for conserving biodiversity?	Narrowly utilitarian, broadly utilitarian, and ethical reasons.
190	Name some direct benefits humans obtain from biodiversity.	Food, fibre, firewood, and pharmaceuticals.
191	Name some ecosystem services provided by biodiversity.	Pollination, pest control, climate moderation, and flood control.
192	What are the two main methods of biodiversity conservation?	In situ conservation and ex situ conservation.
193	What happens in in situ conservation?	Endangered species are protected in their natural habitats.
194	How many biodiversity hotspots have been proposed globally for intensive conservation?	34 hotspots.
195	How many biosphere reserves are present in India according to the summary?	14 biosphere reserves.
196	How many national parks are present in India according to the summary?	90 national parks.
197	Approximately how many wildlife sanctuaries are present in India according to the summary?	More than 450 wildlife sanctuaries.
198	What are sacred groves?	Protected forest areas conserved through cultural and religious traditions.
199	What are examples of ex situ conservation methods?	Zoological parks, botanical gardens, tissue culture, in vitro fertilisation, and cryopreservation of gametes.
200	What is cryopreservation used for in biodiversity conservation?	Long-term preservation of gametes.
201	What is tissue culture used for in biodiversity conservation?	Propagation of plants.
202	What is the purpose of seed banks?	Preservation of seeds of different genetic strains of commercially important plants.
203	What does in vitro fertilisation help achieve in conservation?	Conservation and reproduction of threatened species outside natural habitats.