Environment & Biodiversity — Page 2

Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) react with water vapor and oxygen in the atmosphere to form sulfuric and nitric acids, falling as highly acidic rain. [Memory Trick: 'S'urfer and 'N'itro make a toxic chemistry cocktail to burn leaves = SO2 and NOx.]

The Brundtland Commission (formerly the World Commission on Environment and Development) published its report titled 'Our Common Future' in 1987, defining sustainable development. [Memory Trick: To stop the world from burning is a heavy 'Burden' = 'Brundtland' Commission.]

Sunlight is the primary source of energy. Green plants (autotrophs) capture solar energy through photosynthesis to produce chemical energy, which flows through the biological chain. [Memory Trick: The golden 'Sun' is the cosmic father of all ecological power source.]

Water reaches its absolute maximum density at 4 °C. This anomalous expansion allows ice to float on top, insulating aquatic life below in freezing winters. [Memory Trick: Water molecules pack together super tight when they hit 'Four' (4) degrees Celsius.]

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) was drafted in 1973. It subjects international trade in selected species to strict controls. [Memory Trick: CITES protects species in danger by keeping 'Sights' (CITES) on illegal trade trucks.]

The Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol aims to phase down the production and consumption of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), which are potent greenhouse gases. [Memory Trick: Kigali added cool amendments to 'Montreal' because HFCs were making the ozone-friendly layer block heat instead.]

Ernst Haeckel coined 'Ecology' in 1866, deriving it from the Greek words 'oikos' (house) and 'logos' (study of), describing the relations of organisms to their environments. [Memory Trick: He who 'Hacked' (Haeckel) into the secret database of nature's house = Ernst Haeckel.]

Arthur George Tansley introduced 'Ecosystem' in 1935 to describe the interactive biological community along with its physical environment. [Memory Trick: An interactive 'System' needs a bright designer like 'Tansley' to weave it together.]

Charles Elton first described the pyramid of numbers and biomass in 1927, which is why ecological pyramids are also termed 'Eltonian Pyramids'. [Memory Trick: Think of the heavy pyramids at the top of a musical charts built by 'Elton' John = Eltonian pyramids.]

Raymond Lindeman introduced the ten percent rule of energy transfer. Only about 10% of energy stored as biomass in one trophic level is passed to the next level. [Memory Trick: 'Lin-de-man' is 'the man' who tracked the flow of energy down to exactly 10%.]

The industrial disaster occurred at the Union Carbide pesticide plant in Bhopal, releasing Methyl Isocyanate (MIC), killing thousands instantly and poisoning water and soil for decades. [Memory Trick: A toxic leak that made everyone cry 'M-I-C' (MIC) in the middle of the dark night.]

Fly ash consists of fine particles of silica, alumina, iron oxides, and toxic trace elements like arsenic, lead, and mercury, posing serious respiratory hazards. [Memory Trick: Heavy burned ash 'flies' up carrying microscopic 'Silica' sand and 'Alumina' dust.]

Lichens absorb nutrients directly from the air and have no protective bark. They are highly sensitive to sulfur dioxide (SO2) and disappear in heavily polluted zones. [Memory Trick: Lichens say 'I 'Like' clean air, and I will die if 'Sulfur' gets into my hair'.]

Photochemical smog is formed when sunlight reacts with Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) to produce secondary pollutants like Ozone and Peroxyacetyl Nitrate (PAN). [Memory Trick: Sun reacts with gas to form urban 'Ozone' and painful 'PAN' (pain) inside our lungs.]

Project Elephant was launched in February 1992 by the Ministry of Environment and Forests of India to provide financial and technical support for wildlife management. [Memory Trick: The giant Elephant stepped forward on the scale in 'Ninety-Two' (1992) to claim his royal state sanctuary rights.]

The Ganges River Dolphin (Platanista gangetica), which lives in the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna system, was designated as India's National Aquatic Animal in 2009 to protect its declining population. [Memory Trick: The pure 'Dolphin' leaps in the holy water of 'Ganges' with absolute grace.]

The Great Indian Bustard (GIB) is one of the heaviest flying birds in the world. Its largest remaining wild population is restricted to the Thar Desert and grasslands of Rajasthan. [Memory Trick: The royal bird loves to fly over the sandy deserts of 'Rajasthan'.]

The ISA was co-founded by India and France in 2015. It is the first treaty-based international intergovernmental organization to have its headquarters in India, located in Gurugram, Haryana. [Memory Trick: The 'Guru' of clean solar energy has his 'Gram' (home) inside Haryana's tech city = Gurugram.]

The Nagoya Protocol provides a transparent legal framework for the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. [Memory Trick: 'Nagoya' ensures a 'Nice' and 'Generous' distribution of nature's genetic treasure = Access & Benefit-Sharing.]

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity aims to protect biological diversity from potential risks posed by living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from biotechnology. [Memory Trick: Check the biotech 'Cargo' (Cartagena) for biological 'Safety'= Cartagena Biosafety Protocol.]

An ecotone is a boundary or transition zone between two biomes (e.g., marshland between land and water, or estuary between river and sea). It is rich in biodiversity and exhibits the 'edge effect'. [Memory Trick: An ecological 'Zone' where two diverse worlds meet to strike a balance 'Tone' = Eco-tone.]

Itai-Itai disease was caused by Cadmium poisoning due to mining operations in Toyama Prefecture, Japan. It causes severe softening of bones and kidney failure. [Memory Trick: A 'Cad' (Cadmium) broke the bones of local people, making them cry 'ouch-ouch' (Itai-Itai) in pain.]

Sacred Groves (or Deorais/Kavu) are ecologically vital patches of primeval forest protected by local communities through spiritual beliefs, conserving rare flora and fauna deep in indigenous spaces. [Memory Trick: Sacred Groves are 'temples of green trees' guarded by local faith and traditional gods.]