Environment DMPQ

An algal bloom is a sudden increase in the population of algae in a freshwater or marine habitat. The bloom generally looks like a scum on the surface of the water and may colour it blue-green, red, or yellow, depending upon the species of algae involved. An algal bloom is caused by enrichment in the … Read more

A soil may be rich in salts because the parent rock from which it was formed contains salts. Sea water is anothersource of salts in low-lying areas along the coast. A very common source of salts in irrigated soils is the irrigationwater itself. Most irrigation waters contain some salts. After irrigation, the water added to … Read more

The major components of a rainwater harvesting system are as follows:  Collection system: Roof surface and gutters to capture the rainwater and send it to the storage system  Inlet filter: Screen filter to catch large debris  First flush diverter: Diverter that removes debris not captured by the inlet filter from the initial … Read more

An oligotrophic lake or water body is one which has relatively low productivity due to the low nutrient content in the lake. These lakes usually have quite clear water due to the limited growth of algae in the lake. The waters of such lakes are of high-drinking quality. Such lakes support aquatic species who require … Read more

Ecological efficiency is the amount of energy that is transferred from one trophic level to the next. It is defined as the energy supply available to trophic level N + 1, divided by the energy consumed by trophic level N. This follows the 10% rule, which states that roughly 10% of the energy at one … Read more

The ‘wise use’ approach of Ramsar Convention is globally recognized. Notably, the wise use approach was coined in 1972, much before the hallmark 1992 Rio Conference wherein the term sustainable development was rendered a definition. The Convention on Wetlands, called the Ramsar Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and … Read more

. Space launches can have a hefty carbon footprint due to the burning of solid rocket fuels. Many rockets are, however, propelled by liquid hydrogen fuel, which produces ‘clean’ water vapour exhaust, although the production of hydrogen itself can cause significant carbon emissions. Rocket engines release trace gases into the upper atmosphere that contribute to … Read more

All mines are temporary structures. They can remain active for many years, but they will eventually run out of minerals and cease operations. This does not automatically mean that the environment and wildlife will no longer suffer. Responsible owners would backfill the underground mine. However, not all mine operators would resort to this option because … Read more

Unlike other disasters, landslides are largely controlled by highly localised factors. Landslides of different types are frequent in geodynamically active domains in the Himalayan and Arakan-Yoma belt of the North-Eastern parts of the country. Landslide hazard zonation mapping has categorized the Himalayan region as Very High Vulnerability Zone.   Factors that make the Himalayan region … Read more

PARIVESH is a web based, role based workflow application which has been developed for online submission and monitoring of the proposals submitted by the proponents for seeking Environment, Forest, Wildlife and CRZ Clearances from Central, State and district level authorities. It automates the entire tracking of proposals which includes online submission of a new proposal, … Read more