Biodiversity & Protected Areas Quick Revision | UPSC Prelims Notes (English)

 

Biodiversity & Protected Areas – Quick Revision

UPSC Prelims | Page 4

Biodiversity – Basics

• Variety of living organisms (flora & fauna)
• India = Mega biodiversity country
• Includes ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity

Hotspots in India

• Western Ghats
• Eastern Himalayas
• Indo-Burma
• Sundaland (Nicobar Islands)

Protected Area Types

• National Park → Strict protection (no human activity)
• Wildlife Sanctuary → Limited human activity
• Biosphere Reserve → Conservation + development
• Conservation Reserve → Government-managed
• Community Reserve → Public participation

Important Examples

• Kaziranga → One-horned rhinoceros
• Gir → Asiatic lion
• Sundarbans → Mangrove ecosystem + Tiger
• Periyar → Elephants

Key Terms

• Endemism → Species restricted to a region
• Ecosystem → Interaction of living & non-living
• Conservation → Protection of biodiversity

Quick Facts:
• India has 4 biodiversity hotspots
• National Parks = strict protection
• Biosphere reserves follow zonation (core, buffer, transition)
• Species-location questions are important in UPSC

Exam Focus:
• Revise national parks & species
• Learn hotspot locations
• Understand differences between protected areas

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Biodiversity & Protected Areas – Complete Series (English)

Page 1: Notes
Page 2: MCQs
Page 3: Answers & Explanations
Page 4: Quick Revision
Page 5: PYQs & Analysis