BIOLOGY
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Deforestation : The loss or continual degradation
of forest habitat due to natural or human
activities.
Afforestation : Planting of trees on a
large scale to regenerate forest.
Desertification : The process of
conversion of fertile land into deserts due to
the removal of top layer of soil.
Ecosystem : The basic unit of ecology
which consists of the biotic and abiotic
components.
Reforestation : It is the restocking of the
destroyed forests by planting new trees.
Fauna : The community of animals in a
specific region or habitat.
Flora : The plant life of particular area.
Endemic species : The species that are
exclusively found in any geographical unit like
a state, zone or a country or a habitat type are
referred as endemic species.
Sanctuaries : The protected area which
is reserved for the conservation of animals only
and human activities upto a certain extent are
allowed in these areas.
National Park : The large and diverse
reserves to protect whole sets of ecosystem
including flora, fauna, landscape and historical
objects of an area are termed as national park.
Biosphere Reserve : A biosphere
reserve is a unique concept which includes one
or more protected areas and surrounding lands
that are managed to combi ne both
conservation and sustainable use of natural
resources.
INTRODUCTION
We have read in earliar classes that humans
use a number of natural resources for their
survival. However, as human population has
been increasing at a high rate, the natural
resources are also being used in greater
quantity than ever before. W ith recent
advances in science and technology, people
now have a higher standard of living. As a
result, there is a far great demand for the
natural resources.
It is for this reason that the natural resources
must be 'conserved' so that there will be
enough resources available for the future
generations.
It must be clearly understood that conservation
does not mean that we have to stop the use of
these resources completely. It only means that
we have to use the resources wisely and
judiciously. conservation is the wise and
judicious use of resources. The overuse or
wastage of resources would lead to
imbalanaces among the various components
of nature.
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CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Aims of conservation
To preserve the quality of environment, i.e.,
maintain a pollution-free environment.
To ensure a continuous yield of useful plants,
animals and materials for generations to come.
Importance of Forests
Forests are natural habitat of wild animals and
plants.
Roots of trees keep the topsoil bound and
prevent it from being washed away through
water erosion as well as through wind erosion.
Trees give a large amounts of water by the
process of transpiration. This helps in formation
of rain clouds and bringing fresh water to the
earth.
Forests help in maintaining oxygen and
carbondioxide levels in atmosphere.
Forests also act as saviour from various solar
radiations.
Forests provide raw material for paper industry.
Forests have various protective functions like
prevention of drought, protection against wind,
cold, noise, radiations and even conservation
of soil and water.
Forests are important for production of timber,
bamboos, food and wide variety of compounds
like resins, alkaloids, essential oils, latex and
various pharmaceutical products.
Forests are home to several kinds of plants
and animals. The number and type of plants
and animals found in a forest depends on the
soil and climatic conditions of the region. For
example, a type of forests called the rainforests
are believed to house of millions of the species
of plants and animals, some of them yet
undiscovered by human beings. Rainforests
cover less than 6% of the earth's total land
surface, but are home for up to almost three-
fourths of all known species of plants and
animals.
DEFORESTATION
The loss or continual degradation of forest
habitat due to natural or human activities is
called deforestation.
OR
Large scale cutti ng of trees is cal led
deforestation
Causes of Deforestation
Trees are cut in the forest on a large scale to
clear the land for some useful purposes listed
below.
Procuring land for agricultural use.
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Procuring timbers for building houses, roads,
railway tracks, dams, etc.
Procuring land for setting up industries and
mining.
Procuring land for setting up special economic
zones (SEZ).
To obtain forest products like wood, food, rubber,
honey, resins, etc.
Overgrazing.
Natural Causes of deforestation
(i) Forest fire (ii) Drought
CONSEQUENCES OF DEFORESTATION
Flood and Droughts : Trees check the flow of
rainwater. When mountain slopes and uplands
are deforested, the water rushes down and
causes rivers to overflow and flood in lower lands.
The silt carried by the water from denuded slope
chokes rivers and aggravates the problem of
flooding. Siltation of rivers not only causes
floods, but harms fisheries and waterways.
Deforestation can lead to droughts as well.
Forests hold water and release it slowly. When
they are cut down, the water rushes down very
fast, and the uplands, especially, are deprived
of water soon after the rains. By holding water
and improving the water-retaining capacity of
the soil , f orests also help recharge
groundwater. In India, deforestation of the
Himalayas has changed perennial streams into
seasonal streams, which run out of water soon
after the monsoon. It has causes an acute
shortage of water even in Cherapunji (in
Meghalaya), which is one of the wettest place
in the world.
Induces More Soil Erosion : The top soil is
easily carried away by wind or water in the
absence of tree cover, thus increases soil
erosion. The soil thus loses its fertility. Gradually
a fertile land gets converted into a desert. It is
called desertification.
Imbalance of Atmospheric Gases
Change in Climate : Most (over 95%) of the
warter absorbed by trees from the soil is
released into the air during transpiration. This
increases rainfall and brings down temperature
in the region around a forest. Naturally, when
a large area is deforested, there are changes
in the climate of that area.
Deforestation can also lead to global changes
in the weather pattern by increasing the amount
of carbon dioxide in the air. This is because
trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Cutting
down trees means a loss of this service. Also,
when trees are used as fuel, the carbon locked
in them is released into the air as carbon
dioxide. Even when they are used as timber or
BIOLOGY
for other purposes, the branches and leaves rot
and carbon dioxide is released into the air. It is
estimated that the destruction of tropical forests
alone accounts for more than 25% of the carbon
dioxide released into the air annually.
Global warming is believed to be causing
uncharacteristically frequent and severe cyclones,
floods, droughts and forest fires across the world.
It is also affecting plants and animals in the polar
region. According to one study, for example, the
number of emperor penguins in the Antarctic has
reduced alarmingly due to global warming.
Natural Calamities : Deforestation increases
the chances of natural calamities such as floods,
droughts, landslides, cloudburst, etc.
Destruction of Natural Habitat : Cutting of
trees on a large scale destroys the natural
habit at of sev eral plant s, animal s and
microorganisms. This disturbs the ecological
balance in nature. Several food chains and food
webs get affected due to this imbalance.
The destruction, degradation or modification of
forests endangers the survival of the organisms
in it. It may even cause some to become extinct
(disappear) from a region, a country or the world.
Habitate destruction often has a direct impact
on the lives of the people living near forests. It
makes wild animals stray into villages and
destroy crops, kill livestock or even attack
people. It also disturbs natural pollinators, like
birds, bats, butterflies and bees. The pollinators
move away to other areas and stop pollinating
the crop and fruit plants cultivated near forests.
Scarcity of Forest Products
Reducing Water Table : In the absence of tree
cover, rainwater cannot infiltrate into the ground
to recharge the aquifer. It leads to the lowering
of ground water level in the absence of
replenishment.
STEPS FOR THE CONSERVATION OF FORESTS
The people living in cities, villages, forests, etc.,
must be educated about the importance of
f orests through Gov ernment and Non-
Government social agencies. As a matter of
fact, people must realise that cutting a tree is a
crime like killing a human being or an animal.
The forst department must be highly organised.
They should see to it that no illegal felling of
trees take place and the criminals must be
brought to justice.
As we need wood for various purposes, we
cannot altogether stop cutting the forests.
Therefore, Forest Department must earmark the
trees in a given forest, so that only dead or very
old trees are cut. Furthermore, for cutting each
tree, two or more tree saplings should be
planted so that in 10 years or more they grow
into fully grown trees.
11
BIOLOGY
As the forests provide grass for the domestic
animals, people living around the forest let their
animals in it for grazing. This should be altogether
stopped. It is because the grazing animals,
especially the goats and the sheep uproot the
grass. This leads to soil erosion. Instead, the
grass should be cut manually and then fed to
the animals. Furthermore, the grazing animals
trample the young saplings, thereby, slowing
down the growth of trees.
In summer, the grass in the forest is very dry.
Any spark can set it on fire. Thus, the people
living in the forest must be taught not to leave
uncovered fire or throw butts of burning cigarettes
or "bidis" carelessly in the dry grass. Any forest
fire leads to large economic loss and makes the
land infertile.
Timberwood should be used only where it is
absolutely necessary. For example, doors,
windows, chairs, tables, etc., can be easily made
from plastics and they are durable like wood.
Large amounts of wood and grass are used in
the manufacture of paper. The wood and grass
are converted into pulp by chemicals. The pulp
is then converted into paper by the use of
machines. The paper so produced finds use in
printing books, newspapers, copy books and
for packaging. Every year vast tracts of forest
are cut to prepare paper. This leads to
deforestation. To reduce the deforestation we
must recycle the waste paper, by again
converting it into pulp. This no doubt reduces
the quality of paper, but can be used for
packaging. Furthermore, in order to reduce
deforestation, the cleared forest land should be
replanted with fast growing grass and bamboo.
This will meet future requirements of paper
industry. Even the old cotton clothes should be
collected and sent to paper mills for making
pulp and the paper.
CONSERVATION OF FORESTS
The maintenance and upkeep of forest is called
forest conservation. The following steps should
be undertaken to conserve them.
 Massiv e af f orestat ion work should be
undertaken to cover large areas of land with
appropriate trees.
 Felling of trees in the forest should be banned.
 Every piece of barren land should be planted
with trees.
 W eeds, damaged trees, crowded trees,
diseased trees, etc. should be removed.
 Forest fire must be prevented.
 Forest nurseries should be established on a large
scale.
12
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Biodiversity or Biological Diversity
If you look around yourself, you may get to see
several different kinds of plants and animals. A
typical neighbourhood park may be home to a
variety of flowers, each differing in size, shape,
colour, and smell. The kind of trees found here
could range from big trees such as the banyan
tree to small bushes that may have been planted
to border the pavement.
Biodiversity refers to existence of a wide range
of different types of organisms in a given place
at a given time.
Variety of life on earth and variability
among living organisms.
OR
Variety of life forms and habitats found in a
particular area.
Uses of Biodiversity
 Source of food and improved varieties :
Biodiversity is used to modern agriculture in
three ways as a source of
(a) New crops
(b) Material for breeding improved varieties
(c) New biodegradable pesticides.
 Drugs & Medicines : e.g. Morphine : Papaver
somniferum [Analgesic], Quinine- Chincona
ledgeriana [Treatment of malaria], Taxol- Taxus
brevifolia [Anticancer drug].
 Aesthetic and cultural benefits : e.g. Ocimum
sanctum- Tulsi, Ficus religiosa- Pipal, Prosopis
cineraria- Khejri.
 Ecosystem services
Project Tiger : 'Project Tiger' is one of the
successful operations for conserving wildlife in
India. There were about 40,000 Bengal tigers in
1910. There was a sharp decline in their
numbers to 1827 in 1972. The main reasons for
the extinction of tigers are hunting, deforestation
and taming of rivers for human needs. Realizing
this decline, a project named 'Project Tiger' was
initiated in 01 April 1973. The project was
funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature.
The project focussed on protecting tiger habitats
by creating sanctuaries and extending the
existing ones. Under this project, there are 18
tiger reserves in India.
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS BIOLOGY
 Jim Corbett National Park (Uttaranchal) (v) Vulnerable
 Periyar National Park (Kerala) (vi) Near Threatened
 Ranthambore National Park (Rajasthan) (vii) Least concern
 Kanha National Park (Madhya Pradesh) (viii) Data deficient
 Sariska National Park (Rajasthan) (ix) Not evaluated
 Sunderban National Park (West Bengal)  Head office of IUCN - Morges in Switzerland.
Species : A group of population which are  Red Data Book listed about 11096 species in 2000.
capable of interbreeding. Animal species - 5485, Plant species - 5611.
This means that the members of a species can
reproduce fertile offspring only with the CAUSES OF EXTINCTION AND DEPLETION OF
members of their own species and not with WILDLIFE
members of other species.  Indiscriminate Hunting : Several species have
become extinct due to their hunting by man for
Endemic Species : Those species of plants
food, pleasure and animal products. The
and animals which are found exclusively in a
examples are disappearance of the bird dodo
particular area. in Mauritius and the cheetah in India.
OR
 Destruction of Natural Habitat : Man has
Plant and animal species confined to
destroyed the natural habitats of wildlife for his
specific geographic areas are called
settlement, cropping, plantation, mining and
endemic species.
raising of dams, overgrazing by domestic
Sal, Wild mango, Bison, Indian giant squirrel
animals, etc.
and flying squirrel are endemic species in
 Introduction of Exotic Species : Man not only
Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve.
destroys the natural habitat, but also
Some Endemic Species of India
sometimes changes the structure of the biotic
1. Lion-tailed Macaque (Western Ghats)
community of a place by introducing exotic
2. Malabar Parakeet (Malabar region)
species of his interest. Such species compete
3. Nilgiri Langur (Nilgiri hills)
with the native species for food and space and
4. Nilgiri Tahr (Nilgiri hills)
may threaten the later will extinction. For
WHO CONSERVES ?
example, the introduction of exotic trout and
Conserving the biodiversity on earth is the duty
bass fish in the USA is endangering the native
of ev ery hum an being. To prom ote
species of fish.
conserv ation, gov ernm ent and non-
 Forest Fires : Setting the forest on fire not only
government bodies at the international,
kills the useful animals but also causes large-
national, and local levels are constantly
scale destruction of the plant life.
organizing awareness programmes and issuing
 Overexploitation of Natural Resources :
rules and regulations to protect the existing
Several animals and plants are valuable
forests and wildlife.
sources of food and other materials. Fish,
The International Union for Conservation of Nature
prawns and crabs constitute an important part
and Natural Resources (IUCN), now known as
of human food. Man has, however, over-
the World Conservation Union, works towards
exploited these resources. Overfishing in sea
assessing the global conservation status of plant
is causing a grave situatoin and the picture is
and animal species.
not encouraging with respect to fresh water
IUCN maintains a comprehensive list known as
fishing. The rate of consumption of fish is
the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Here,
species are classified into nine groups, set greater than its replenishment.
 International Trade of Animal Products
through criteria such as rate of decline, population
 Legal lapse : The failure of enforcement of the
size, area of geographic distribution, and degree
existing laws of wildlife management is yet
of population and distribution fragmentation.
another reason for the rapid depletion of wild
Red Data Book : It is a record of animals
life.
and plant species which are in danger.
 Human Ignorance : Man is mainly responsible
On the basis of degree of threat 9 red list
for depletion and extinction of wildlife on the
categories have been given :
earth. This is largely due to ignorance of
(i) Extinct
common man regarding the value of wildlife
(ii) Extinct in the wild
and the probable consequences of the
(iii) Critically Endangered.
disappearance of wildlife to man himself.
(iv) Endangered
13
BIOLOGY
Poaching : Illegal hunting of animals is called
poaching.
Organized poaching by anti-social elements
threatens extinction of a number of species,
especially those which have valuable body
parts. These include:
(A) Body parts valued as ornaments : Examples
include elephants for ivory and turtles for shells.
(B) Body parts used in traditional medicine
(particularly in Asia) : Examples include the
rhinoceros for horns and tigers for bones.
(C) For fur and hides : Animals killed for their hides
include deer and cattle for leather, alligators and
snakes for their skins, and wild cats, minks,
and bears for fur.
(D) The Tibetan antelope, also known as chiru, is
mainly killed for its fine fleece, which is popularly
known as shahtoosh. Shahtoosh shawls are very
expensive, and considered a fashion statement
by many. To check the population of the Tibetan
antelope, a ban has been declared in India on the
sale and usage of Shahtoosh shawls.
Threatend Species : The living species which
have been greatly reduced in their number are
called threatend species.
 Bengal fox,
DODO
(Extinct animal from Mauritius)
Endangered Species : T hese are the
species which face immediate threat of
extinction. T heir number h as b een
drastically reduced to a critical level either
due to their indiscriminate hunting or due
to destruction of their habitats. If the same
factors continue, these species would soon
become extinct. Indian rhino, Asiatic lion &
Great Indian bustard.
Endangered species in Satpura National Park :
Lion, Elephants, Wild buffaloes and Barasingha.
 Vulnerable Species : These are species that
are declining but still have sufficient number
of individuals in their natural habitat.
However, in near future they might represent the
category of endangered species, in case the
causal factors for their decline are not removed.
Musk deer, Sambhar, Spotted deer and Black
buck.
14
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
 Rare Species : These are localised in
certain geographical area and exhibit
scattered population considering the global
environment. Thus their overall population in
the world is small. In future these species may
enter into the category of v ulnerable or
endangered species. Indian elephant, Wild
buffalo and Asiatic wild ass.
PROTECTED SPECIES OF INDIAN WILDLIFE
The following wild animals have been enlisted
as threatened and protected species in India.
1. Musk deer 2. Bharat Swamp Deer
3. Duck 4. Horned Pheasant
5. Monal Pheasant 6. Great Indian Bustard
7. Indian Gazelle or Chinkara 8. Pea fowl
9. Gharial 10. Marsh crocodile
11. Python 12. Leathery turtle
13. Albino snow leopard
 Karnataka Government had launched "Project
Elephant" to save Asian elephants in the
states.
 One of the most important factor that threatens
wildlife today is habitat destruction due to
encroachment.
 India contains 172 species of animals considered
globally threatend or 2.9% of the world's total
number of threatened species. This includes 53
species of mammals, 69 of birds, 23 of reptiles
and 3 species of amphibians.
 India contains globally important population of
some of Asia's rarest animals such as the
Marbled cat, Asiatic lion, Indian elephant,
Asiatic wild ass, Indian rhinoceros, Wild asiatic
water buffalo etc.
PROTECTED AREAS IN INDIA
To protect and conserve the wildlife in India the
government has passed the Wildlife Protection
Act in 1972.
(A) National park : A national park is characterised
by an area reserved for the betterment of
wildlife where foresting, grassing or cultivation
is prohibited. It protects the flora and fauna of
the reserved area. Private ownership is not
allowed in a national park.
OR
Areas reserved for wild life where they can
freely use the habitats and natural resources.
There are 97 national parks in India.
 World's first National park - Yellow Stone
National Park, Kew [England]
 India's first National park - Jim Corbett
National Park, Nainital [Uttaranchal]
 Kaziranga National Park - Assam
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
 Kanha National Park (M.P.) - Tiger
 Gir Forest National Park (Gujarat) - Asiatic
Lion, Chital, Sambhars.
 Khangchendzonga National Park- Gangtok
 famous for protection of Snow Leopard
(Panthera uncia)
(B) Sanctuaries : A wildlife sanctuary is aimed at
protecting the wild animals. In a wildlife
sanctuary, cutting of trees for timber and other
forest products is permitted to private operators
with specific instructions to ensure that the well
being of wild animals does not suffer. At present
there are 508 santuaries in India.
OR
Areas where animals are protected from any
disturbance to them and their habitat.
 Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur
(Rajasthan) Famous for migratory bird - Siberian
Crane, Egrets.
 Shikari Devi Sanctuary- Mandi (Himachal
Pradesh) Black bear, Snow leopard, Flying fox,
Barking deer.
 Dachigam Sanctuary, Srinagar (Jammu &
kashmir) Hangul- Kashmir stag.
 Ann amalai San ctuary, Co imbatore
[Tamilnadu] Tiger, elephants
 Desert National Park - Jaiselmer, Rajasthan
 Sariska National Park - Alwar, Rajasthan
(C) Biosphere Reserves : A biosphere reserve is
designed to provide protection to the wild flora
and fauna, the domesticated animals and
plants, as well as to the traditional life styles of
the tribals of the area.
OR
Large areas of protected land for conservation
of wild life, plant and animal resources and
traditional life of the tribals living in the area.
At present there are 14 biosphere reserves in
India.
This concept was launched by MAB [Man and
Biosphere] programme in 1971.
A biosphere reserve is much larger than a
national park or a sanctuary.
There are 3 zones of biosphere Reserve.
(1) Core Zone (2) Buffer Zone
(3) Manipulating zone or Transition zone.
Important Biosphere Reserves in India
1. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve
2. Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve
3. Uttarakhand Biosphere Reserve
4. Nokrok Biosphere Reserve
5. Sundarbans Biosphere Reserve
(D) Zoological Park : Zoos are places where
animals and birds are protected by keeping
them in special cages or enclosures for public
exhibition.
BIOLOGY
(E) Botanical Gardens : Botanical gardens have
been established to conserv e rare and
threatened plants. There are about 1600
botanical gardens all over the world.
CONSERVATION OF WILD LIFE
(A) Ex-situ Conservation : The protection of wild
life in other than their natural habitate e.g., zoos
and botanical gardens,
Other examples of Ex-situ conservation are -
(a) Gene banks
(b) Germ plasm bank.
(c) Seed bank.
(B) In situ conservation : It is the protection of
species (wild life) in their natural habitat e.g.,
National parks.
Wildlife can be conserved by :
(a) Preventing illegal hunting of animals.
(b) Preventing sale and export of animal
products and hunting of rare and endangered
animals.
(c) Setting up wildlife sanctuaries and national
parks.
(d) Reforestation.
MIGRATION
The movement of animals in large numbers
from one place to another and back to their
original home is called migration. Animals
migrate during winter and breeding seasons.
Birds are well known for their long migratory
flights.
The Arctic tern is a sea bird which travels from
the north pole to the south pole each year.
Siberian cranes travel large distances and
come to India during winter.
Migration often provides the migrating species
wit h more f av ourable condi tions of
temperature, food, or water. For instance, bats
of cold and temperate regions are known to
migrate to warmer areas during winter.
Reforestation : Restocking of the destroyed forests by
planting new trees is called reforestation.
 The planted trees should generally be of the same
species which were found in that forest.
 We should save, reuse the used paper and recycle
it because 17 full grown trees required to make
one tonne of paper. And by it we cannot only
save trees but also save energy and water needed
for manufacturing paper.
15
BIOLOGY CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

1. Which of the following is a famous bird sanctuary 11. Chipko movement is related to -
of Rajasthan ? (A) conservation of trees
(A) Kaziranga (B) Keoladeo (B) conservation of fossils
(C) Pariyar (D) Bandhavgarh (C) conservation of soil
(D) conservation of water
2. Which of the following is killed for its’s horn ?
(A) Elephant (B) Black rhino
12. Hot spots are those area where
(C) Peacock (D) Tiger
(A) Endemic species is found
(B) Minium biological diversity is observed
3. Which national park preserves Asiatic lions ?
(C) Climatic temparature is high
(A) Gir (B) Keoladeo
(D) Maximum biological diversity is found
(C) Periyar (D) Corbett

4. How many botanical gardens are there all over 13. Environment in which an animal lives is called
the word ? its
(A) 1632 (B) 62 (A) habitat (B) home
(C) 1600 (D) 432 (C) reservoir (D) resort

5. What is the expanded form of IUCN ? 14. Indiscriminate cutting of forests is called
(A) International Union for Conservation of Na- (A) afforestation (B) reforestation
ture and natural Resources (C) deforestation (D) none of these
(B) Indian Union for Conservation of Nature and
National Resources 15. Species which are at the verge of extinction are
(C) International Union for Culture and nature called
(D) Indian Union for Culture and Natural Re- (A) extinct (B) endangered
sources
(C) endemic (D) none of these

6. Which of the following is a threatened species ?

16. Species which are restricted only to specific area
(A) Dodo (B) Dinosaur
and not in any other geographical area are called
(C) The giant panda (D) All of the above
(A) exticnt (B) endangered
(C) endemic (D) none of these
7. Kaziranga sanctuary is located in -
(A) Kerala (B) Gujrat
(C) Bharatpur (D) Assam 17. Natural causes of deforestation include
(A) forest fires (B) lightning
8. Blue whale has been killed for - (C) electric currents (D) both (A) and (B)
(A) ivory (B) skin
(C) oil and blubber (D) bones 18. Growing of plants in an area where forest existed
earlier but has been removed is known as
9. The diverse plant species found in their natural (A) deforestation (B) reforestation
surrounding is called - (C) afforestation (D) both (A) and (B)
(A) flora (B) fauna
(C) both of above (D) none of above 19. The practice of clearing a part of a forest for
cultivation and then moving on to a new part is
10. Dinosaurs can be included in which of the fol- called
lowing category ? (A) shifting cultivation (B) crop rotation
(A) Threatened (B) Extinct (C) step farming (D) monoculture
(C) Endangered (D) Vulnerable
16
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS BIOLOGY
20. Which of the following are the uses of IUCN Red 23. How does our Government protect the rain forests
Data Book ? of our country ?
(A) Developing awareness about the importance (i) Prohibit the cutting of trees that are not mature
of threatened biodiversity enough
(B) Identification and documentation of (ii) Trees that have been chopped down are
endangered species. replanted
(C) Providing a global index of the decline of (iii) Discourage the use of pesticides in
biodiversity. agriculture.
(D) All of these (A) (i) and (ii) (B) (i) and (iii)
(C) (ii) and (iii) (D) (i), (ii) and (iii)
21. Which of the following are living resources in
nature?
(A) Flora (B) Fauna
(C) Soil (D) Both (A) and (B)

22. What is an endangered animal ?

(A) An animal on the verge of extinction.
(B) An animal which is extinct
(C) An animal that is dangerous to other animals
(D) An animal that is useful to other animals

ANSWER KEY
Q ue . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12
A n s. A B B A C A C D C A B A
Q ue . 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23
A n s. A A C B C D B A D D A
17
BIOLOGY CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

1. More soil erosion occurs where there is- 11. Conservation refers to -
(A) No rainfall (B) Low rainfall (A) Management of natural resources
(C) High rainfall (D) None of the above (B) Protection of natural resources
(C) Proper use of natural resources
2. Which is most suitable soil for plant growth ?
(D) All of the above
(A) Gravel (B) Loam
(C) Sand (D) Clay 12. Deforestation is the major cause of-
(A) Environmental pollution
3. Frequent floods in plains of Northern India is
(B) Genetic erosion
due to–
(C) Desertification of habitat
(A) Excessive rainfall
(D) Depletion of natural resources
(B) Siltation of dams
(C) Deforestation in catchment areas 13. 'Red Data Book' provides information of :
(D) Agriculture (A) Threatened species (B) Biota of Red Sea
(C) World flora (D) World fauna
4. Conservation refers to -
(A) Management of natural resources 14. Forests control drought through-
(A) Increasing rainfall
(B) Judicious use of natural resources
(B) Functioning as water shed
(C) Protection of natural ecosystems
(C) Large trees
(D) All of the above
(D) Retention of water and prevention of soil
5. Soil conservation is – erosion
(A) Aeration of soil
15. Plants and animals are best protected in-
(B) Erosion of soil
(A) Sanctuaries (B) Botanical gardens
(C) Protection of soil against loss (C) Zoos (D) National parks
(D) Conversion of sterile soil into fertile soil
16. Forests-
6. Removal of top fertile layer of soil by wind or (A) Maintain natural balance
water is called – (B) Control atmospheric pollution
(A) Leaching (B) Erosion (C) Prevent soil erosion
(C) Siltation (D) Weathering (D) All of the above
7. Soil erosion can be prevented by– 17. 5th June is -
(A) Increase in bird population (A) World population day
(B) Afforestation (B) World health day
(C) Over-grazing (C) World environment day
(D) Removal of vegetation (D) World animal day
8. MAB stands for – 18. 'Chipko movement' is connected with-
(A) Man and Biodiversity (A) Project tiger
(B) Mammals and Biosphere (B) Plant breeding
(C) Man and Biosphere (C) Protection of environment including habitat
(D) Man and Biology and wild life
(D) Conservation of natural resources
9. What is the main cause of extinction of wild
life ? 19. A threatened species is-
(A) Urbanisation (B) Poaching (A) Rare (B) Endangered
(C) Felling of trees (D) All of the above (C) Vulnerable (D) All of the above

10. A National Park provides protection to - 20. An example of in situ conservation is-
(A) Flora only (B) Fauna only (A) Zoo (B) Pond
(C) Flora and fauna (D) Entire ecosystem (C) Biosphere reserve (D) Seashore

18
CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS BIOLOGY
21. Wildlife refers to : 28. Which of the following statement is incorrect :
(A) Any living organism kept in cage (A) Project tiger was initiated on 1 April 1973
(B) Any living organism present in sanctuary (B) Biosphere reserves are multipurpose
(C) Any plant species growing in garden protected areas.
(D) Any living organism in its natural habitat (C) Sanctuaries are special protected areas for
protection of wild animals.
22. The cause of extinction of species is : (D) None of them
(A) Man made forest fire 29. Which of the following is a biosphere reserve :
(B) Excessive grazing (A) Bandipure Sanctuary, Karnataka.
(C) Inroduction of exotic species (B) Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Rajasthan.
(D) All of the above (C) Kaziranga National Park, Assam
(D) Sunderban, West Bengal
23. Aim of conservation is :
(A) To preserve the quality of environment i.e. 30. Which of the following is the site of project tiger :
maintain a pollution - free environment. (A) Jim Corbett National Park, Uttaranchal.
(B) To ensure a continuous yield of useful plants, (B) Periyar National Park, Kerala.
animals and materials for generations to come (C) Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
(D) All the above.
(C) 1 and 2 both
(D) None of the above 31. The main object of Man and Biosphere
programme is to :
24. How many megadiversity centres present in all (A) Conserve representativ e samples of
over the world? ecosystem
(A) 5 (B) 7 (C) 10 (D) 12 (B) Provide opportunities for education and
training
25. Asiatic lion protected in :
(C) Prov ide appropriate sustainable
(A) Gir Forest National Park, Gujarat. managements of the living resources.
(B) Sunderban National Park, Westbengal. (D) All te above
(C) Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh.
32. Which of the following is killed for oil and
(D) All the above
blubber?
26. Which of the following is endangered species : (A) Tiger (B) Blue whale
(A) Indian Rhinoceros (B) Asiatic lion (C) Chiru (D) All of them
(C) Blue whale (D) All the above 33. Which of the following is a wildlife sanctuary
in Rajasthan?
27. We can conserve biodiversity by :
(A) Ranthambore (B) Periyar
(A) Planting of trees should be undertaken (C) Kaziranga (D) Bandhavgarh
(B) Hunting of animals which is banned should
be strictly enforced. 34. Which of the following is a bird sanctuary?
(C) Protected areas like National Parks, Wildlife (A) Ranthambore (B) Periyar
sanctuaries and biosphere reserves should (C) Keoladeo (D) All of them
be established. 35. The black rhino is killed for its :
(D) All the above (A) Ivory (B) Fur (C) Horn (D) Meat

ANSWER KEY
Que . 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
Ans. C B C D C B B C D D D C A A D
Que . 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Ans. D C C D C D D C D A D D D C,D D
Que . 31 32 33 34 35
Ans. D B A C C
19
BIOLOGY CONSERVATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

1. Write definition of National Park. 21. What is shifting cultivation ? What impact does
if have on forests ?
2. Give the name of place where India's first national
park is located. 22. What is the purpose of making national parks,
wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves ?
3. How many wild life sanctuaries established in
India ? 23. How does deforestation reduce rainfall on the
one hand and lead to floods on the other ?
4. What do you mean by biosphere reserve ?
24. What will happen if :
5. What do you mean by Ex-Situ conservation ? (i) we go on cutting trees.
(ii) the habitat of an animal is disturbed.
6. What are Botanical and Zoological garderns ? (iii) the top layer of soil is exposed.

7. Give the name of leaders of Appiko and Chipko 25. In order to meet the ever-increasing demand in
movement. factories and for shelter, trees are being
continually cut. Is it justified to cut trees for such
8. Give the name of national park which is famous projects? Discuss and prepare a brief report.
for Rhinoceros.
26. Explain how deforestation leads to reduced
9. Why should we conserve biodiversity? rainfall.

10. Protected forests are also not completely safe 27. Why should paper be saved? Prepare a list of
for wild animals. Why? ways by which you can save paper.

11. Some tribals depend on the jungle. How? 28. Differentiate between the following :
(i) Wildlife sanctuary and biosphere reserve
12. What are the causes and consequences of
(ii) Zoo and wildlife sanctuary
deforestation?
(iii) Endangered and extinct species
13. What is Red Data Book? (iv) Flora and fauna

14. What do you understand by the term migration? 29. Discuss the effects of deforestation on the
following :
15. What do you mean by Flora & Fauna ? (i) Wild animals
(ii) Environment
16. What do you mean by Global warming ? (iii) Villages (Rural areas)
(iv) Cities (Urban areas)
17. Write a short note on migration. (v) Earth
(vi) The next generation
18. How wild life can be conserved ?
30. Define followings :
19. Mention some human activities that cause
(i) Threatened species
deforestation.
(ii) Biodiversity
(iii) Ecosystem
20. What impact does deforestation have on the
climate ? (iv) Endemic species

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