Tiger Reserves in India

Prelims Focus

• Focus on revising practiced content and solving questions due to limited time left (approximately 69 days) before prelims.
• Prioritize learning through questions from initiatives like Prelims, full-length tests, and Previous Year Questions (PYQs).
• Avoid focusing on new content during this period.

Environment Subject Importance

• Environment is a crucial subject, consistently accounting for 18-20 questions annually.
• In some years, the number of questions from environment can reach 24-25.
• Consider environment-specific crash courses or rapid revision courses if needed.

Tiger Reserve Question Context

• Question relates to the recent designation of Madhav National Park in Madhya Pradesh as the 9th tiger reserve in the state and the 58th in the country.
• Arrange the states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka in ascending order based on the number of tiger reserves.
• Madhya Pradesh has the highest number of tiger reserves in the country, with nine.
• Madhya Pradesh is known as the "Tiger State of India" due to its large tiger population, with 785 tigers.
• Maharashtra has six tiger reserves.
• Karnataka has five tiger reserves, also shared by Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan.
• Chhattisgarh and Assam each have four tiger reserves.
• Solution: Karnataka (5), followed by Maharashtra (6), followed by Madhya Pradesh (9).

Wallace Line Question Context

• Recent article in "The Hindu" highlights the importance of the Wallace Line.
• Determine the correctness of statements related to the Wallace Line.
• Statement 1: Wallace Line is a biogeographical boundary separating the ecozones of Asia and Africa. (Incorrect)
• Statement 2: The deep ocean trench between Borneo and Sulawesi acts as a natural barrier for species migration across the Wallace Line. (Correct)
• The Wallace Line runs through Indonesia and divides species between Asia and Australia.
• Species on the Asiatic side and the Australian side are significantly different.
• The line was proposed by Alfred Wallace.
• The oceanic trench between Borneo and Sulawesi contributes to the separation of species.
• The Wallace Line is imaginary division due to differences in the species found on either side

Dolphin Survey Question Context

• Recent comprehensive dolphin survey conducted across India is the basis for this question.
• Determine how many of the provided statements are correct, not which specific ones are correct or incorrect.
• Statement 1: The survey revealed that the Brahmaputra River system hosts the highest population of Ganga River Dolphins in India. (Incorrect)
• Statement 2: It was conducted only using direct sighting methods. (Incorrect)
• Statement 3: Presence of dolphins was found to be positively correlated with higher dissolved oxygen levels and reduced turbidity in water. (Correct)
• Correct answer: Only one statement is correct.
• Dolphins are indicators of clean river ecosystems.
• Two types of river dolphins found in India: Gangetic and Indus.
• Gangetic dolphins are found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra, while Indus dolphins are found in the Beas River in Punjab.
• The number of Indus River dolphins is only three; Gangetic River dolphins number 6,324.
• Both species are endangered and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
• Both are listed in Appendix I of CITES and CMS.
• Ganga River Dolphin is the National Aquatic Animal of India and the State Aquatic Animal of Assam.
• Indus River Dolphin is the State Aquatic Animal of Punjab and the National Aquatic Animal of Pakistan.
• Ganga's main stream has the highest concentration of gangetic river dolphins
• Regarding dolphin populations, the Ganga main stream is followed by Ganga tributaries, then Brahmaputra main stream.
• Statwide, Uttar Pradesh (UP) has the highest number of dolphins, followed by Bihar and West Bengal.
• In addition to direct sighting methods, acoustic monitoring using hydrophones was also employed.

Biomass Gasification Question Context

• Biomass gasification is a sustainable solution to power crises in India.
• Statement 1: Coconut shells, groundnut shells, and rice husk can be used in biomass gasification. (Correct)
• Statement 2: Combustible gases generated consist of hydrogen and carbon dioxide only. (Incorrect)
• Statement 3: The combustible gases generated from biomass gasification can be used for direct heat generation but not in internal combustion engines. (Incorrect)
• Gasification: Heating organic matter at high temperatures with limited oxygen.
• Organic matter includes virgin biomass (e.g., coconut shells, groundnut shells) and waste (e.g., municipal solid waste).
• Products include syngas (CO + H2), which can be used to produce methanol or green hydrogen.
• Complete combustion (with full oxygen) would yield CO2 + H2O, unlike the syngas production in gasification.
• Syngas can be used for direct heat generation and in internal combustion engines (ICE).
• Only one statement is correct.

Pyrolysis and Plasma Gasification

• Plasma gasification converts waste into energy by converting waste biomass into syngas.

Pyrolysis Context

• Organic matter is heated in the absence of oxygen.

Results of Pyrolysis

• Creates biochar (used in soil for water retention and nitrogen-fixing, reduces methane emissions in wetlands), bio-oil (used in electricity generation), and syngas.
• Called "Tri-generation" for generating solid, liquid, and gas from one raw material.
• Also known as "Biotrickling," commonly used in rural areas.
• Solid, liquid, and gas are released in this process