Environment, Ecology and Forest Conservation
This domain tests ecological concepts, Indian environmental law and Rajasthan's forest administration. Questions mix terminology (food chain, succession) with statute facts (which Act, which year, which authority).
Forest cover and classification
- Rajasthan's forest cover is only around five per cent of its geographical area, far below the 33 per cent national target; the densest patches lie in the southern Aravalli districts such as Udaipur, Chittorgarh, Pratapgarh, Banswara and Karauli.
- Legally, forests are reserved, protected or unclassed under the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
- "Forest cover" in the India State of Forest Report counts all land above one hectare with more than ten per cent tree canopy, so it is normally larger than the recorded forest area.
Core statutes
- Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972: national parks, sanctuaries, schedules of protected species.
- Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980: prior approval of the Central Government before forest land is diverted, with compensatory afforestation and net present value.
- Biological Diversity Act, 2002; Forest Rights Act, 2006; CAMPA Act, 2016.
Ecological concepts
- Food chain and trophic levels; Lindeman's ten per cent law; ecological pyramids; keystone and indicator species.
- Succession is primary or secondary and ends in a climax community.
- In-situ conservation: national park, sanctuary, biosphere reserve. Ex-situ: zoo, botanical garden, seed bank, cryopreservation.
- Rajasthan's Ramsar sites are Keoladeo Ghana and Sambhar Lake.
Worked example
A firm wants to build a road through forest land. Reasoning: clearance under the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 is required, routed through the state government to the Central Government, with compensatory afforestation and payment of net present value; a wildlife clearance is additionally needed if the land falls inside a protected area.
Traps
- Biosphere reserves are not created under the Wildlife (Protection) Act, unlike national parks and sanctuaries.
- Confusing the Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980 with the Indian Forest Act, 1927.
- Mixing in-situ and ex-situ examples.