Our Environment (VSAQs)

Biology | 9. Our Environment – VSAQs:
Welcome to VSAQs in Chapter 9: Our Environment. This page contains the most important VSAQs in this chapter. Aim to secure top marks in your exams by understanding these clear and straightforward Very Short Answer Questions.

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VSAQ-1 : What happens to amount of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next in a food chain?

1. Energy Transfer in Food Chains:
   The amount of energy transferred from one trophic level to the next in a food chain reduces.
2. 10% Energy Transfer Rule:
   Only about 10% of the energy is transferred to the next level, while the rest (approximately 90%) is lost as heat during metabolic processes or used for the organism’s life activities.
3. Limitation on Trophic Levels:
   This decrease in energy transfer explains why food chains are typically limited in the number of trophic levels they can support, as energy becomes increasingly scarce as we move up the chain.

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VSAQ-2 : What is Ten percent law?

1. Introduction to the Ten Percent Law:
   The ten percent law, proposed by Raymond Lindeman in 1942, explains the energy transfer between trophic levels in a food chain.
2. Energy Transfer Between Trophic Levels:
   According to this law, only approximately 10% of the total energy available at one trophic level is transferred to the next trophic level.
3. Loss of Energy in Ecosystems:
   The rest (around 90%) of the energy is lost as heat during metabolic processes, such as respiration, and as waste products or uneaten parts of organisms.
4. Explanation for Short Food Chains:
   This law highlights the inefficiency of energy transfer in ecosystems and helps explain why food chains are relatively short, with limited numbers of trophic levels.

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VSAQ-3 : Human being is modifying agricultural lands and lakes into residential areas. What is its effect on biodiversity.

1. Harms Biodiversity: The conversion of agricultural lands and lakes into residential areas significantly impacts biodiversity.
2. Key impacts include increased pollution (air, water, land), depletion of groundwater, and the destruction of natural habitats.

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VSAQ-4 : We can’t expect the world without sparrows so how should be our concern towards their conservation.

1. Setting Up Nesting Stations:
   Establish sparrow nesting stations in gardens, balconies, or rooftop terraces to provide safe breeding spaces.
2. Providing Food and Water:
   Offer food grains and water to support their daily sustenance.
3. Avoiding Chemical Pesticides:
   Reduce or eliminate the use of chemical pesticides that can harm sparrows and other wildlife.
4. Cultivating Native Plants:
   Promote the growth of native plant species which can provide natural habitats and food sources for sparrows.

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VSAQ-5 : Observe the following given below. Draw the pyramid of numbers. Grass → Goat → Man