Q.1 Which among the following is/are the features that characterizes the Pioneer species ?
1. Most of them are hardy species with non-photosynthetic activity
2. The plants that are often pioneer species tend to be insect-pollinated
3. Orchids, lichens & Algae are the examples of the pioneer species
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) Only 1
B) 2 & 3
C) 1 & 2
D) Only 3
Ans. D
Examples of the plants and organism that colonize such areas are pioneer species: • Barren sand – lyme grass (Leymus arenarius), sea couch grass (Agropyron pungens), Marram grass (Ammophila breviligulata) • Salt water – green algae, marine eel grass (Zostera spp.), pickleweed (Salicornia virginica), and cordgrass (hybrid Spartina × townsendii) and (Spartina anglica). • Clear water – algae, mosses, freshwater eel grass (Vallisneria americana). • Solidified lava flows – in Hawaii: swordfern (Polystichum munitum), ‘ōhi‘a lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha), ‘ohelo (Vaccinium reticulatum) and ‘āma‘u (Sadleria cyatheoides);[3] on Surtsey: lichen (Stereocaulon vesuvianum and Placopsis gelida) and moss (Racomitriumericoides);[4] green algae • Disturbed areas such as construction sites, road cuttings and verges, cultivated lands – Buddleia davidii, Nettles[clarification needed], Tagetes minuta, Bidens pilosa, Argemone mexicana • Bare clay – Orchids • Mountains – Lichens Pioneer species are hardy species which are the first to colonize previously disrupted or damaged ecosystems, beginning a chain of ecological succession that ultimately leads to a more biodiverse steady-state ecosystem Since some uncolonized land may have thin, poor quality soils with few nutrients, pioneer species are often hardy plants with adaptations such as long roots, root nodes containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria, and leaves that employ transpiration. They are often photosynthetic plants, as no other source of energy (such as other species) except light energy is often available in the early stages of succession, thus making it less likely for a pioneer species to be non-photosynthetic. The plants that are often pioneer species also tend to be wind-pollinated rather than insect-pollinated, Pioneering fauna will colonize an area only after flora and fungi have inhabited the area. Soil fauna, ranging from microscopic protists to larger invertebrates, have a role in soil formation and nutrient cycling. Bacteria and fungi are the most important groups in the breakdown of organic detritus left by primary producing plants such as skeletal soil, moss and algae. Though vertebrates in general would not be considered pioneer species, there are exceptions Pioneer species can also be found in secondary succession, such as an established ecosystem being reduced by an event such as: a forest fire, deforestation, or clearing; quickly colonizing open spaces which previously supported vegetation. Common examples of the plants in such areas include • Raspberry – Rubus spp. • Heaths – Ericaceae spp. • Graminoids, forbs, and wildflowers – native, introduced, and invasive species: such as fire dependent seed, cone, and resprouter chaparral genera.
Q.2 Which among the following plants is/are classified under the category of aquatic plants ?
1. Duckweed
2. Water Hyacinth
3. Lotus
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) Only 3
B) 2 & 3
C) 1 & 2
D) 1,2,3
Ans. D
One of the largest aquatic plants in the world is the Amazon water lily; one of the smallest is the minute duckweed. Many small aquatic animals use plants like duckweed for a home, or for protection from predators, but areas with more vegetation are likely to have more predators. Some other familiar examples of aquatic plants might include floating heart, water lily, lotus, and water hyacinth. Some aquatic plants are used by humans as a food source. Examples include wild rice (Zizania), water caltrop (Trapa natans), Chinese water chestnut (Eleocharis dulcis), Indian lotus (Nelumbo nucifera), water spinach (Ipomoea aquatica), and watercress (Rorippa nasturtium-aquaticum).
Q.3 Which among the following equipment(s) comes under the classification of energy efficient schemes ?
1. LED bulbs
2. Fans
3.LED tube lights
4. Street lights
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) 1,2,3
B) Only 1 & 3
C) 1,3,4
D) 1,2,3,4
Ans. D
Solar water pump sets : At present, solar water pumping system market in India is subsidy driven. Non-subsidized pumps accounts for marginal share in the market. High capital cost is the major hurdle in the growth of solar water pumping system market. Regardless of subsidies provided by the government, solar pumps are still unaffordable for small farmers due to their high upfront cost in comparison to diesel and electric pumps. With this background, EESL intends to develop a programme to provide a reliable source of supply to agricultural pump sets which are currently being operated by diesel generators or through grid supply by way of solar mini grids. By developing such renewable energy based grids, farmers will be able to receive considerable revenue on monthly basis by selling the excess power to the grid for a period of 25 years. The benefits of the programme to the farmers includes social emancipation as well as contribution to the society by means of water conservation
Q.4 With reference to the news there was a term “TERM CELLS”, What is this ?
A) It is an alternative of Stem cells that can differentiate into specialized cells
B) It is the vigilance and monitoring wing of the Indian Department of Telecommunications
C) These are the tiny cells in the form of pins that are used in laptops, torches, etc.
D) It has been set up by the government to combat illegal trafficking
Ans. B
Telecom Enforcement Resource and Monitoring (TERM), formerly known as Vigilance Telecom Monitoring (VTM), is the vigilance and monitoring wing of the Indian Department of Telecommunications (DoT) TERM is made up of 34 Cells in India’s 22 telecom circles and 10 large telecom districts,[2] each headed by a Senior Administrative Grade (SAG) level officer, termed as Deputy Director General (DDG).The main functions of TERM Cells are vigilance, monitoring and security of the network.Apart from this, TERM Cells also operate the Central Monitoring System (CMS), a clandestine mass electronic surveillance program, and carry out other functions. The TERM Cells function as the subordinate offices of the DoT in the field. These Cells represent the Telegraph Authority and the Licensor.
Q.5 Which of the following can be used to extract heavy metals from water ?
1. Aluminum oxide
2. Cellulose
3. Silica
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) Only 1
B) 2 & 3
C) 1 & 3
D) 1,2,3
Ans. D
Q.6 Which among the following is/are the list of prohibited substances by the World Anti-Doping Agency ?
1. Furosemide
2. Caffeine
3. Epinephrine
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) 1 & 3
B) Only 2
C) 1,2,3
D) 2 & 3
Ans. A
Caffeine, although a stimulant has not been banned by the International Olympic Committee or the World Anti Doping Agency
since 2004.
FRAMED FROM The Hindu
Q.210 Which among the following is correct with respect to the Mogadishu declaration ?
A) It is the declaration for the empowerment of women that was adopted recently in 2015 in Peru
B) It is the declaration adopted in 2016 that calls for the electoral process in Somalia to establish new bicameral federal parliament
C) It is the declaration adopted in 2015 for the reduction of greenhouse gases by the developed countries only
D) It is the declaration adopted in 2015 that calls for the electoral process in Somalia to establish new bicameral federal parliament
Ans. D
Q.7 CAM Photosynthesis is found in which of the following species ?
1. Vallisneria
2. Crassula aquatica
3. Sagittaria
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) Only 1
B) 2 & 3
C) 1,2,3
D) 1 & 3
Ans. C
CAM photosynthesis is also found in aquatic species in at least 4 genera, including: Isoetes, Crassula, Littorella, Sagittaria, and possibly Vallisneria,being found in a variety of species e.g. Isoetes howellii, Crassula aquatica. These plants follow the same nocturnal acid accumulation and daytime deacidification as terrestrial CAM species.However, the reason for CAM in aquatic plants is not due to a lack of available water, but a limited supply of CO2.CO2 is limited due to slow diffusion in water, 10000x slower than in air. The problem is especially acute under acid pH, where the only inorganic carbon species present is CO2, with no available bicarbonate or carbonate supply. Aquatic CAM plants capture carbon at night when it is abundant due to a lack of competition from other photosynthetic organisms. This also results in lowered photorespiration due to less photosynthetically generated oxygen. Aquatic CAM is most marked in the summer months when there is increased competition for CO2, compared to the winter months. However, in the winter months CAM still has a significant role. The majority of plants possessing CAM are either epiphytes (e.g., orchids, bromeliads) or succulent xerophytes (e.g., cacti, cactoid Euphorbias), but CAM is also foundin hemiepiphytes (e.g., Clusia); lithophytes (e.g., Sedum, Sempervivum); terrestrial bromeliads; wetland plants (e.g., Isoetes, Crassula (Tillaea), Lobelia; and in one halophyte, Mesembryanthemum crystallinum; one non-succulent terrestrial plant, (Dodonaea viscosa) and one mangrove associate (Sesuvium portulacastrum). Plants which are able to switch between different methods of carbon fixation include Portulacaria afra, better known as Dwarf Jade Plant, which normally uses C3 fixation but can use CAM if it is drought-stressed, and Portulaca oleracea, better known as Purslane, which normally uses C4 fixation but is also able to switch to CAM when drought-stressed. It is found in quillworts (relatives of club mosses), in ferns, and in Gnetopsida, but the great majority of plants using CAM are angiosperms (flowering plants). The C4 pathway bears resemblance to CAM; both act to concentrate CO2 around RuBisCO, thereby increasing its efficiency. CAM concentrates it temporally, providing CO2 during the day, and not at night, when respiration is the dominant reaction. C4 plants, in contrast, concentrate CO2 spatially, with a RuBisCO reaction centre in a “bundle sheath cell” being inundated with CO2. Due to the inactivity required by the CAM mechanism, C4 carbon fixation has a greater efficiency in terms of PGA synthesis. The most important benefit of CAM to the plant is the ability to leave most leaf stomata closed during the day.Plants employing CAM are most common in arid environments, where water comes at a premium. Being able to keep stomata closed during the hottest and driest part of the day reduces the loss of water through evapotranspiration, allowing such plants to grow in environments that would otherwise be far too dry. Plants using only C3 carbon fixation, for example, lose 97% of the water they uptake through the roots to transpiration – a high cost avoided by plants able to employ CAM.
Q.8 Pink Bollworm & cry toxins are associated with which of the following ?
A) Transgenic seeds
B) Bt cotton
C) Cisgenic organisms
D) Bt Brinjal
Ans. B
Bt cotton is ineffective against many cotton pests such as plant bugs, stink bugs, and aphids; depending on circumstances it may be desirable to use insecticides in prevention. The gene coding for Bt toxin has been inserted into cotton as a transgene, causing it to produce this natural insecticide in its tissues. In many regions, the main pests in commercial cotton are lepidopteran larvae, which are killed by the Bt protein in the genetically modified cotton they eat. This eliminates the need to use large amounts of broad-spectrum insecticides to kill lepidopteran pests (some of which have developed pyrethroidresistance). This spares natural insect predators in the farm ecology and further contributes to noninsecticide pest management. The important advantages of Bt cotton are briefly : • Increases yield of cotton due to effective control of three types of bollworms, viz. American, Spotted and Pink bollworms. • Insects belonged to Lepidoptera (Bollworms) are sensitive to crystalline endotoxic protein produced by Bt gene which in turn protects cotton from bollworms. • Reduction in insecticide use in the cultivation of Bt cotton in which bollworms are major pests. • Potential reduction in the cost of cultivation (depending on seed cost versus insecticide costs). • Reduction in environmental pollution by the use of insecticides. • Bt cotton exhibit genetic resistance or inbuilt resistance which is a permanent type of resistance and not affected by environmental factors. Thus protects crop from bollworms. • Bt cotton is ecofriendly and does not have adverse effect on parasites, predators, beneficial insecticides and organisms present in soil. • It promotes multiplication of parasites and predators which help in controlling the bollworms by feeding on larvae and eggs of bollworm. • No health hazards due to rare use of insecticides (particularly who is engaged in spraying of insecticides).
Q.9 Which among the following is/are correct with respect to the slurry of biogas plant ?
1. Replacement of nitrogenous fertilizer with slurry increases the yield of major crops
2. It has shown better yields in vegetable crops & in fodder crops.
3.It has been proved to completely remove the weed growth & their roots
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) 1 & 3
B) Only 2
C) 2 & 3
D) Only 1 & 2
Ans. B
The effectiveness of biogas plant slurry in combination with chemical fertilizers was studied for the production of various crops. Replacement of nitrogenous fertilizer with slurry decreased the yields of major crops, i.e. wheat, bajra, jawar and mustard. Application of slurry to replace half the nitrogenous fertilizer gave better yields in vegetable crops while replacement of the total nitrogenous fertilizer gave better yields in fodder crops. Bio-slurry reduces weed growth. Application of bio-slurry has proved to reduce weed growth by up to 50%. Bio-slurry is an excellent soil conditioner, adds humus, and enhances the soil’s capacity to retain water. Bio-slurry is pathogen-free. The fermentation of dung in the reactor kills organisms causing plant disease.Bio-slurry reduces weed growth. Application of bio-slurry has proved to reduce weed growth by up to 50%. Bio-slurry is an excellent soil conditioner, adds humus, and enhances the soil’s capacity to retain water. Bio-slurry is pathogen-free. The fermentation of dung in the reactor kills organisms causing plant disease.
Q.10 ketogenic diets are considered as the lifestyle choice & for weight loss. With reference to the Ketogenic diet,
consider the following statements :
1. These are the high fat & low carbohydrate diet to provide neuroprotective benefits
2.These are considered as the risk free diet
3. Paediatricians prefer this diet in treatment of liver & Kidney disorders
Select the correct answer using the codes given below :
A) Only 3
B) 1 & 2
C) Only 1
D) 1 & 3
Ans. C
The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, adequate-protein, low-carbohydrate diet that in medicine is used primarily to treat difficult-to-control (refractory) epilepsy in children. The diet forces the body to burn fats rather than carbohydrates. Normally, the carbohydrates contained in food are converted into glucose, which is then transported around the body and is particularly important in fueling brain-function. However, if there is very little carbohydrate in the diet, the liver converts fat into fatty acids and ketone bodies. The ketone bodies pass into the brain and replace glucose as an energy source. An elevated level of ketone bodies in the blood, a state known as ketosis, leads to a reduction in the frequency of epileptic seizures. Almost half of children, and young people, with epilepsy who have tried some form of this diet saw the number of seizures drop by at least half, and the effect persists even after discontinuing the diet. There is some evidence that adults with epilepsy may benefit from the diet, and that a less strict regimen, such as a modified Atkins diet, is similarly effective. The most common adverse effect is constipation, affecting about 30% of patients—this was due to fluid restriction, which was once a feature of the diet, but this led to increased risk of kidney stones, and is no longer considered beneficial
