Day-627 | Daily MCQs | UPSC Prelims | CURRENT AFFAIRS

Answer. A
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The snow leopard (Panthera uncia with IUCN Status of ‘Vulnerable’) is the smallest member of the genus Panthera of the family Felidae and is the sister species to the tiger (Panthera tigris). It is adapted to montane habitats in Central Asia, including principally the Altai, Tian Shan, Kun Lun, Pamir, Hindu Kush, Karakorum, and Himalayan mountain ranges, where it preys on ungulates, particularly blue sheep (Pseudois spp.), goats and ibex (Capra spp.), marmots (Marmota spp.), and lagomorphs.
Statement 2 is incorrect: The Snow Leopard Population Assessment in India (SPAI) Program is the first-ever scientific exercise that reports Snow leopard population of 718 individuals in India. The Wildlife Institute of India (WII)is the National Coordinator for this exercise that was carried out with the support of all snow leopard range states and two conservation partners, the Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysuru and WWF-India.
Statement 3 is incorrect: A total of 241 unique Snow leopards were photographed. Based on data analysis, the estimated population in different states are as follows: Ladakh (477), Uttarakhand (124), Himachal Pradesh (51), Arunachal Pradesh (36), Sikkim (21), and Jammu and Kashmir (9). Therefore, it is clear that even collectively the states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand recorded lesser snow leopards as compared to the UT of Ladakh alone.

Answer. B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: The combustion of fossil fuels at higher temperature leads to generation of NOx and SO2 emissions which react with moisture in the air to give rise to acid rain. The natural factors that lead to acid rain include lightning, volcanoes, earthquakes and forest fires which release SO2 and NOx into the atmosphere.
The rapid heating and cooling of the gases within a lightning bolt produces nitric oxide (NO) which combines with Oxygen to form NO2, especially when it is moving downwind.
Statement 2 is correct: Acid rain harms plants by inducing soil acidification and nutrient deficiency. It triggers leaching of soil nutrients such as aluminium, thereby lowering their fertility. Further, it decreases the pH of the soil causing its acidity to increase, which negatively impacts the overall growth of plants and crops.
Statement 3 is incorrect: India is not a member of EANET. EANET (Acid deposition and air quality management from data to policy) was established in 2001 as an intergovernmental initiative to create a common understanding on the state of acid deposition problems in East Asia, provide useful inputs for decision making at various levels, and promote cooperation among countries.
The participating countries in the EANET include Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos PDR, Thailand, Myanmar, China, Mongolia, Russia, South Korea and Japan.

Answer. C
Explanation:
Statement 1 is incorrect: Today, ferns are the second-most diverse group of vascular plants on Earth, outnumbered only by flowering plants. With around 10,500 living species, ferns outnumber the remaining non-flowering vascular plants (the lycophytes and gymnosperms) by a factor of 4 to 1.
Statement 2 is correct: Ferns are part of the Epiphytic family. They grow naturally in a soilless condition. The plants obtain water and nutrients through leaching from trees.
Statement 3 is correct: Ferns are the plants which bear no flowers. They can propagate or reproduce both sexually and asexually. They reproduce sexually via spores. Some ferns may reproduce via asexual means through apogamy, the proliferation of baby ferns, and rhizome proliferation.
Statement 4 is correct: India’s first ‘Fernarium’ was established April 20, 2023 in Eravikulam National Park, known for housing Nilgiri Tahr, in Kerala.

Answer. B
Explanation:
Statement 1 is correct: Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is natural gas that has been cooled to a liquid state, at about -260° Fahrenheit. It comprises predominantly of methane, CH4, with some mixture of ethane, C2H6, propane, butane and nitrogen. LNG typically contains 85-95% methane.
Statement 2 is incorrect: LNG can be used as a transportation fuel in medium and heavy commercial vehicles. To adopt LNG for transport application, the Government of India also modified the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 in 2017, to include LNG as transport fuel.
Statement 3 is correct: The disadvantage associated with the use of LNG is that LNG plants emit carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Answer. C
Explanation: International Single Species Action Plans are the key instrument developed under the Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) for the purpose of implementing coordinated measures to restore migratory waterbird species to a favourable conservation status.
The Agreement on the Conservation of African-Eurasian Migratory Waterbirds (AEWA) is an intergovernmental treaty dedicated to the conservation of migratory waterbirds and their habitats across Africa, Europe, Middle East, Central Asia, Greenland and Canadian archipelago. It is developed under the framework of the Conservation on Migratory Species (CMS) and administered by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).