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Biodiversity and Its Conservation

By
Syskool
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biodiversity and its conservation

In the year 1992 International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) defined the term ‘Biodiversity’ as “The totality of genes, species, and ecosystems in a region.” In fact the term is made up of Bio meaning Life and Diversity meaning Number of Species of plants, animals or microbes. The term Biodiversity was coined in 1985 by Walter G Rosen.

According to US office of Technology Assessment, biodiversity is “The variety and variability among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur.” It has been also defined as “The richness in variety and variability of all living organisms in a given region.”

Biodiversity, that is also known as biological diversity, can be sub grouped at three levels:

  • Genetic Diversity
  • Species Diversity
  • Community/Ecosystem Diversity

Genetic Diversity consists of the genetic variation within species at finer levels of organization.

Species Diversity comprises in itself all the species of plants, animal and micro-organisms on earth at its basic level.

Community/Ecosystem Diversity: It consists of, on a wider scale, variations in the biological communities in which species (living beings) live, the ecosystem in which communities exist and interacts among themselves at these levels.

Also Read: The Earth and the Universe

Keystone Species

Some species, within biological communities, are significant in determining the ability of large number of species to continue in the community. These significant species are termed as “Keystone species”, this term was mentioned by Paine in 1966 and Howe in 1984. In conservation efforts a priority has been accorded to these ‘keystone species’ because their loss may result in the loss of numerous other species from a conservation area.

Must Read: International Environmental Organizations

Hot Spots of Biodiversity

In 1990s biodiversity hot spots were originally identified by Norman Myers. It is also called or termed Conservation hot spots. These are areas which face serious threat from human activities and contain a unique biodiversity with representatives of evolutionary process of speciation and extinction. Hot Spots are basically defined as geographical zones that possesses high number of endemic species that are not found anywhere else on this planet.

The total areas of remaining habitat of the endemic species covers only 2.3 percent of the Earth’s land surface. Each hot spot faces serious threats and has already lost at least 70 percent of its original vegetation. About 42 percent of all terrestrial vertebrate species and 50 percent of the world’s plant species are endemic to the biodiversity hotspots.

Although some of these hotspots are already protected, more than a billion humans live in these areas which are heavily farmed. Though the number of hotspots in the world has now increased to 34, just 1.4% of the land supports 60 percent of the species of plants and animals on the earth.

Thus as the places of rich biological diversity endowed with a super abundance of unique species of plants and animals these hotspots are thought to contain nearly 20 percnt of the world’s plants species on a mere 0.5 percent of its land.

India, presently has four hotspots:

  • Eastern Himalayas
  • Western Ghats
  • North East India and
  • Andaman and Nicobar Islands

The rate of deforestation in these areas is very high and the ecosystems have reached a brittle stage.

Don’t Miss: The Himalayas: An insight into their evolution and importance

Threats to Biodiversity

Monoculture- In order to meet the immediate demand of foodgrains and keeping in mind the merlcet, the practice of growing few species at the expense of the others has inflected a serious loss of biodiversity. It takes just three species- wheat, rice and Maize– to cater half of the world’s food; potato, barley, cassava and sweet potato bring it to three-fourth.

Presently, an average of sixteen species are being consumed by people. In addition, the disease such as Bird Flue can spread rapidly through Monoculture that in turn increases the threat to biodiversity.

Over exploitation and Over consumerism– Enhancement in population and the inclination of over consumerism has resulted in over exploitation of our natural resources. Trade in wildlife for immediate economic gain, overfishing, over-hunting and poaching all play their parts in the growing threats to biodiversity.

Pollution- Pollution contributes in wiping out species, especially the endangered species and those part of the fragile ecosystem such as the marine ecosystem of the gulf region that has been affected due to oil spills.

Must Read: 31 Important Mountain Passes in India

Some other threats to biodiversity

  • Poverty – Due to acute poverty, tribals start interfering with forest areas and most of the times are lured into poaching.
  • Habitat Destruction – Rapid deforestation has resulted in habitat destruction leading to the extinction of Dodo and endangering many more.
  • Over Population – The rapid enhancement in population has increased the burden on nature that has affected the biodiversity in a serious manner.

It can be asserted, therefore, that only judicious use of our natural resources is the only remedy that can help us in preserving our biodiversity. According to the general secretary of United Nations (UN), Ban Ki Moon, “Biodiversity is being lost at an unprecedented rate, the global response to these challenges need to move much more rapidly and with much more determination at all levels.”

Conservation of Biodiversity

On the natural resources the increasing demand of population has acquired such a proportion that it has become a serious threat to wild life and the life support systems of the planets. So it is very important to take serious measures for the conservation of biodiversity with an intention to reinstate the balance between environment and human.

Also Read: Rivers, Waterfalls and Glaciers

Steps for the conservation of biodiversity

  • Protection of natural habitats, their control and limited exploitation of species.
  • Recognition and identification of the ecosystems’ biographic zones along with species.
  • Educating public and creating mass awareness for environmental protection at all levels.
  • Maintenance of maximum number of species in protected areas such as sanctuaries, national parks, biosphere reserves and improving their condition.
  • Study of the status of the protected areas.
  • Permitting sustainable exploitation of natural resources by tribals and creating special buffer zone for such people.

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How to Prepare for Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT)?

By
Syskool
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14
Civil Services Aptitude Test

The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) 2016 is going to be conducted on 7th August, 2016 and the candidates must be trying hard to work out a strategy for the preparation of the exam. Most of the candidates are facing hardships on what to study and what not to study for the UPSC Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) 2016 is going to be conducted on 7th August, 2016 and the candidates must be trying hard to work out a strategy for the preparation 2016. How many hours to study? What books to consult? What types of questions are asked? And many such questions must be cropping in the mind of the candidates.

Must Read: UPSC Syllabus of Prelims and Mains Examination

Here is the Rescue for the Candidates to help them Formulate a Step- by- Step Strategy for the Preparation of the Civil Services Aptitude Test.

The Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) includes two objective type question papers of two hundred marks and two hours time duration for each paper. One is on General Studies and the other is General Aptitude Paper. The Civil Services Aptitude Test is basically a test to choose suitable administrators. It tests the candidate right from the stage when one starts the preparation. Many students appear multiple times to clear Civil Service Exam as it has  limited no. of seats and is very difficult to crack.

  • Paper 1 is on General Studies that includes areas like Indian National Movement, Indian Polity, Basic Economic Understanding, Geography. While the dynamic part includes current affairs, GK and has no proper definition and syllabus making quite vast.
  • Paper 2 includes mathematics, reasoning, analytical ability, and interpersonal skills. Unlike paper 1 which has a static part, paper 2 is dynamic in many sense.

The Civil Services Aptitude Test is a multiple choice question test that needs a different preparation and a proper strategy. The first thing a candidate needs to keep in mind is that the examination is designed to evaluate certain qualities like sharp memory and basic retention power, clarity of concepts, ability to identify the correct alternatives with efficiency and accuracy. All of these require a quick decision making power.

Also Read: Indian Forest Service – All You Need to Know

While Preparing for the Civil Services Aptitude Test, there are Ten main areas that you should focus upon:

Comprehension

While preparing for the comprehension, it is important that the students understand the written passage properly while analysing the ideas. The questions can be answered well only when you have understood the opinions, ideas and details of the passage properly.

Interpersonal Skills including Communication Skills

Interpersonal skill and communication skill is not about grammar and vocabulary but about how you interact with other and how you perform in a group. Communication skill involves articulating your views comprehensively and briefly, while at the same time being receptive to others’ ideas.

Also Read: Role of Civil Servants (IAS, IPS, IRS, IFS and IES)

Logical Reasoning and Analytical Ability

When you prepare yourself for the logical reasoning and analytical ability, you should understand three main parts- scenario, rules and the questions. It is about understanding the information, diagramming of the information as well as sequencing the given information. It requires your attention and therefore it is important to prepare for this area in a very meticulous way. You can take up the test series or assistance from the study material to judge your logical reasoning and analytical ability.

Decision-Making and Problem-Solving

The decision-making and problem-solving questions in the Civil Services Aptitude Test IAS Prelims are important to focus upon because they are meant to judge the awareness of the candidate. As the name says it all, this section judges the candidates on their ability to handle various situations in day-to-day life. Such types of questions also do not carry any negative marking, which is why it is advisable for the candidates to attempt them right in the beginning.

Must Read: How to make an Effective routine?

General Mental Ability

Students preparing for the Civil Services Aptitude Test for IAS Prelim 2016 need to understand that it is important to answer the maximum number of questions correctly. Solving the questions under this section is by and large, simpler than other tests because it does not involve complex procedures. Here, all that you need to do is practice more. Practicing will help you in improving your score to a large extent.

Basic Numeracy and Data Interpretation

Basic numeracy is popularly also known as Quantitative Aptitude. In basic numeracy, the candidates should focus on certain components such as number system, percentage, profit, loss and discount, averages and their applications, ratio, proportion and variation, time and work, time, speed and distance as well as the basics of algebra. In data interpretation, you need to apply the tools of statistics to make a representation of the data. There are certain ways of data interpretation which involve narration-based, pictorial, table representation, pie chart as well as bar graph.

Also Read: How to Write Essay for IAS Exam?

English Language Comprehension Skills

Under this section, the students are tested on their mature understanding as well as retention ability. Comprehension basically involves the reading comprehension. Here, the candidates should train themselves to grasp the information and retain it as well. This section basically tests you on how well you can detect the main ideas of the comprehension passage and construct inferences from it. Actually this passage is of 100 words in English for both English medium and Hindi Medium students and is meant to test the Basic understanding of English Language.

Time Management

Since the Civil Services Aptitude Test is a test of endurance, candidate must prepare on the physical as well as mental level. The main constraint is the time one gets to answer the questions. On an average, one gets around 40 seconds for each question. A lot of effort for effective time management is needed for the actual exam. It is not enough to know the right answer but it has to be marked correctly on the answer sheet. Speed and Accuracy are important, so solving model question papers on a regular basis would be a great help.

Don’t Miss: Career Path of an IPS Officer

Solve Mock Test Papers

The Civil Services Aptitude Test requires candidates who have the acumen and the ability to choose the right option from four given options. This needs a proper method of elimination. It is a good idea to go through previous years and model question papers and solve as many of them as possible. Taking a mock test of a certain number of G.S. questions and mathematics and general ability questions would be a good practice work and help to pick out the most appropriate option. This increases the accuracy and speed significantly.

Revise Two Times Before Exam:

Plan your studies carefully for Civil Services Aptitude Test. Adequate time should be kept for revision. Both General Studies and Aptitude sections should be revised at least twice, one week before the exam. One should be able to differentiate between relevant and irrelevant information. Since the Civil Services Aptitude Test is an elimination round, the candidate should learn to focus mainly on the information needed and filter out the rest. One should also keep abreast with current events and information related to them.

Even with all this preparation, it is necessary to have a positive attitude and a great amount of will power to succeed to achieve your goal that of getting through the civil services examination with flying colors!

By focusing on these key areas, you can prepare well for the Civil Services Aptitude Test for IAS Prelim 2016.

Must Read: How to Crack IAS Exam? 10 Tips for IAS Preparation

Ancient Olympic Games

By
Syskool
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0
Ancient olympic games

The ancient Olympic Games were primarily a part of a religious festival in honor of Zeus, the father of the Greek gods and goddesses. The festival and the games were held in Olympia, a valley near a city called Elis, a rural sanctuary site in the western Peloponnesos. The sanctuary was named in antiquity after Mt. Olympos, the highest mountain in mainland Greece. In Greek mythology, Mt. Olympos was the home of the greatest of the Greek gods and goddesses. The statue of Zeus at Olympia was counted as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

The ancient Olympic Games began in the year 776 BC at the first full moon after the summer solstice (around the middle of July) in honour of Zeus.  The winner of the first and only event, the stadion foot-race 600 feet long was Koroibos, a cook from the nearby city of Elis and from then every victory was recorded and each Olympiad was named after them.

An Olympiad was not only the name of the event itself but also of the period between games. According to some literary traditions, this was the only athletic event of the games for the first 13 Olympic festivals or until 724 BC. From 776 BC, the Games were held in Olympia every four years for almost 12 centuries. People from all over the Greek world came to watch and take part.

The most important religious ceremony of the event was the sacrifice of 100 oxen, known as the hecatomb, at the altar of Zeus, carried out when the sporting events at Ancient Olympic Games were over.

Must Read: Facts of Athens Games

The Ancient Olympic Games in Greece

The first written records of the ancient Olympic Games date to 776 B.C., when a cook named Koroibos won the only event–a 192-meter footrace called the stade (the origin of the modern “stadium”)–to become the first Olympic champion.

The ancient Olympics games were held every four years between August 6 and September 19 during a religious festival honoring Zeus. The Games were named for their location at Olympia, a sacred site located near the western coast of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece.

Participation in the ancient Olympic Games was initially limited to freeborn male citizens of Greece; there were no women’s events, and married women were prohibited from attending the competition.

Also Read: Top Universities in India

Decline of the Olympic Tradition

After the Roman Empire conquered Greece in the mid-2nd century B.C., the Ancient Olympic Games continued, but their standards and quality declined.

From Ancient Olympic Games to Modern Olympics

Although the ancient Olympic Games were staged in Olympia, Greece, from 776 BC to 393 AD, it took 1503 years for the Olympics to return. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. The man responsible for its rebirth was a Frenchman named Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who presented the idea in 1894. His original thought was to unveil the modern Games in 1900 in his native place Paris, but delegates from 34 countries were so enthralled with the concept that they convinced him to move the Games up to 1896 and have Athens serve as the first host.

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Events at the Games

At the first one-day Ancient Olympic Games, the only event was a short sprint from one end of the stadium to the other. Gradually more events were added to make four days of competitions. They included wrestling, boxing, long jump, throwing the javelin and discus, and chariot racing. In the pentathlon, there were five events: running, wrestling, javelin, discus and long jump. One of the toughest events in ancient olympic games was the race for hoplites, in which men wore armour and carried shields. The running track was much wider than a modern one. Twenty people could run at once.

Winners were given a wreath of leaves, and a hero’s welcome back home. Winners might marry rich women, enjoy free meals, invitations to parties, and the best seats in the theatre.

Must Read: Memorable events of Indian History

The Olympics Through The Years

From the 8th century B.C. to the 4th century A.D., the Games were held every four years in Olympia, located in the western Peloponnese peninsula, in honor of the god Zeus. The first modern Olympics were held in Athens, Greece, in 1896. In the opening ceremony, King Georgios I and a crowd of 60,000 spectators welcomed 280 participants from 13 nations (all male), who would compete in 43 events, including track and field, gymnastics, swimming, wrestling, cycling, tennis, weightlifting, shooting and fencing.

Since 1994, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games have been held separately and have alternated every two years. All subsequent Olympiads have been numbered even when no Games take place (as in 1916, during World War I, and in 1940 and 1944, during World War II). The official symbol of the modern Games is five interlocking colored rings, representing the continents of North and South America, Asia, Africa, Europe and Australia. The Olympic flag, featuring this symbol on a white background, flew for the first time at the Antwerp Games in 1920.

Also Read: Top 10 Shipping Companies of India

Women at Olympia

Only men, boys and unmarried girls were allowed to attend the Ancient Olympic Games. Married women were not allowed into the Olympic Games. Any women caught sneaking in were punished! Women could own horses in the chariot race though.

Unmarried women used to celebrate their own festival at Olympia every four years. This was the Heraia, held in honour of Hera, wife of Zeus. Women could compete in running races, though only unmarried girls took part. Winners were awarded crowns of sacred olive branches, the same as men. As a rule Greek women did not go in for sport, unless they were Spartans.

The Olympic Flame

The idea of the Olympic torch or Olympic Flame was first inaugurated in the 1928 Olympic Games in Amsterdam. There was no torch relay in the ancient Olympic Games. The modern Olympic torch relay was first instituted at the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin. The Olympic Oath was introduced in 1920.

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10 Countries with Space presence

By
Syskool
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0
countries spacecraft

United States of America

US accounts for approximately one-third of the operational spacecraft. The nation launched its 1st satellite in 1958 and currently operates a large fleet of communications, weather, missile detection, technology, navigation and surveillance satellites. The Apollo – moon landing missions, Space shuttle, International Space Station (ISS) are some of the cornerstones of the nations space programme.

Russia

Russia was the 1st country to have ever launched a space mission in 1957. The country now operates the 3rd largest fleet of spacecraft including communications, meteorological and reconnaissance satellites. Projects include Soyuz manned spacecraft Salyut 1 space station and Lunokhod 1 space rover.

China

China owns and manages the second largest fleet of spacecraft in orbit, currently operating several constellations of navigations satellites, remote sensing satellites, communication satellites etc. Major missions include the Tiangong-1 space station, Shenzhou manned space flight programme and the Chinese Lunar Exploration programme.

Also Read:China to Launch New Marine Surveillance Satellites HY-3 by 2019

France

The European Space Agency, established in 1975, based in Paris, France, includes human spaceflight and other unmanned exploration missions to other planets. The country will be launching a new space balloon with a budget of $ 10 million for the construction and the flight itself.

India

India has launched more than 80 spacecraft since its maiden satellite launch in 1975. The nation’s space research activities are controlled by state-owned Indian Space research Organization (ISRO). India currently operates INSAT and GSAT series communication satellites, earth observation satellites and IRNSS series navigation satellites.

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom had launched its 1st satellite Ariel 1 in 1962, making it the 3rd nation after USSR and US to launch artificial satellite into orbit. It presently operates large number of satellite including civil and military communication satellites, earth observation satellites and exploration spacecraft.

Japan

Japan is one of Asia’s largest countries in terms of space flights and missions. Japan launched its 1st satellite Osumi in February 1970. It currently operates a fleet of communications, meteorological, earth observation and astronomical observation satellites.

Must read: PSLV-C20 Puts Seven Satellites In Orbit 

Canada

Canada launched its 1st satellite Alouette 1 in 1962. It currently operates a fleet of RADARSAT and SCISAT earth observation satellites. The Canadian Space Programme is controlled by the Canadian Space Agency.

Germany

The successful launch of Azur satellite in 1969 demonstrated Germany’s space-faring capabilities to the world. Germany have launched several spacecraft including telecommunications, navigation and earth observation satellites and are involved in the core missions such as Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn and its moons, European Space Laboratory Columbus.

Luxembourg

Luxembourg operates large number of communications and remote sensing satellites. It is one of the Member States of ESA and carries space research activities under its National Action Plan for Space Research and Development. The Luxembourg Space Cluster unites highly specialized companies and government research agencies focusing on space telecommunications, global navigation satellite system, earth observation etc.

Also Read: India Launches 6th IRNSS Satellite & All You Need to Know

 

Oldest Universities in the World

By
Syskool
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17
oldest universities

The word ‘university’ is derived from the Latin word universitas magistrorum et scholarium, which approximately means “community of teachers and scholars”. The term was coined by the Italian University of Bologna, which, with a traditional founding date of 1088, is considered to be the first university.

The following is the list of ten oldest universities in the world that shows their brief histories:

University of Bologna, Italy

University of Bologna, the oldest university in the world, was founded as far back as 1088. The Word ‘University’ was actually derived from its foundation. It received, in 1158, from Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa, the “Authentica habita”, which settled the rules, rights and privileges of universities. It is located in Italy with about 100,000 students in its 23 schools.

University of Paris, France

The exact date of establishment of the University of Paris is unknown but it is believed that it was established sometime between 1150 and 1170. The university was suspended for a Century (between 1793 and 1896) and then ceased to exist in 1770 although 13 autonomous universities were created from it (The University of Paris 1-XIII).

Must Read: Vikramasila University

University of Oxford, England

It is believed that the University of Oxford is the oldest university in the English speaking world and the teaching existed at Oxford in some form in 1096 and developed rapidly from 1167 but there are other claims that the University was in existence in the mid-800’s. The University of Oxford is one of the highest ranked and oldest universities in the world, catering to a student community of around 22,000 and operating the largest university press in the world.

University of Salamanca, Spain

The University of Salamanca was believed to have been founded in 1134 and it received its royal charter of foundation as “Estudio General” in 1218, and is the third oldest university in continuous operation in Europe. It was the first European university to receive the title of “University” as such, which was granted by the King of Castile and León, Alfonso X, and the Pope in 1254.

University of Cambridge, England

The University of Cambridge in England was established in 1209 after a dispute due to political conflicts in the University of Oxford led to the execution of two scholars. The university was granted a royal charter in 1231. Through one of Cambridge University’s alumni, John Harvard, it inspired the establishment of Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States with the first college in the United States, Harvard University.

University of Padua, Italy

The University of Padua was initially founded as a school of law in 1222 by a group of professors and scholars from the University of Bologna. It’s curricular quickly expanded and was eventually divided into three distinct universities. In 1545, the Università di Padova established the Botanical Garden of Padova, now one of the oldest academic gardens in the world. It also runs nine museums.

Also Read: Nalanda University – An ancient center of Learning

University of Naples Federico II, Italy

The University of Naples Federico II is also located in Italy. It was founded in 1224 and it is one of the first public university in the world named after its founder Federeco II the emperor of the Italy Roman Empire. The famous philosopher “Thomas Aquinas” was a graduate of the university of Naples Federico. The university moved to Salerno in 1253, and its return to Naples in 1258 is sometimes considered as a refoundation.

University of Siena, Italy

The University of Siena (Originally called Studium Senese), Italy was founded in 1240 by Commune of Siena and is located in Siena, Tuscany. It closed temporarily in 1808–1815 when Napoleonic forces occupied Tuscany. On November 7, 2015 the University celebrated its 775th anniversary.

Al-Azhar University, Egypt

This university, located in Egypt, is the world’s oldest surviving degree-granting institute. Founded in 970-972, this university serves as a center for Arabic literature and Sunni Islamic learning. Al-Azhar university concentrates upon a religious syllabus, which pays special attention to the Quranic sciences and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad on the one hand, while also teaching all modern fields of science.

University of Valladolid, Spain

The University of Valladolid is the 10th oldest university in the world having been established in 1241 in Valladolid Castile-Leon, Spain. The university still functions today and has over 31000 students and 2000 teachers. One hypothesis is that its foundation is the result of the transfer of Palencia General Survey between 1208 and 1241 by Alfonso VIII, king of Castile, and Bishop Tello Téllez de Meneses.

Read Also: Takshila University

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