`If rainforests and tropical forests are the lungs of the Earth, then surely wetlands function as its kidneys.` Which one of the following functions of wetlands best reflects the above statement ?

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Q: 43 (IAS/2022)
'If rainforests and tropical forests are the lungs of the Earth, then surely wetlands function as its kidneys.'
Which one of the following functions of wetlands best reflects the above statement ?

question_subject: 

Science

question_exam: 

IAS

stats: 

0,106,160,40,12,84,130

keywords: 

{'wetlands': [0, 0, 0, 3], 'aquatic plants': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'kidneys': [3, 0, 0, 0], 'surface runoff': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'tropical forests': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'rainforests': [0, 0, 1, 2], 'water cycle': [1, 0, 0, 1], 'sedimentation balance': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'soil stabilization': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'nutrient base': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'algae': [2, 0, 0, 0], 'lungs': [3, 0, 0, 1], 'vital role': [0, 0, 0, 1], 'birds': [5, 0, 1, 1]}

Option 4 is correct because it likens the function of wetlands to that of kidneys in the body. Just as kidneys filter out waste products and excess substances from blood, aquatic plants in wetlands absorb heavy metals and excess nutrients, essentially functioning as a filtration system.

Option 1 describes the water cycle in wetlands but does not directly depict the cleansing or filtering function akin to kidneys hence it doesn`t fit the analogy. Option 2 deals with the food chain, not filtration, it`s focusing on the biodiversity present in wetlands. Option 3 covers the role of wetlands in maintaining soil stability and sedimentation balance, but that`s more about physical structure and not the function of filtration. Therefore, these three options are incorrect as they don`t reflect the functionalities of a kidney.

 

Preparing for Future Exams: Learning from the Analysis of Past Questions

Topics:

  1. Wetlands
  2. Ecosystem services
  3. Biodiversity conservation
  4. Environmental degradation
  5. Sustainable development

Sources:

  1. Ramsar Convention on Wetlands: https://www.ramsar.org/
  2. Wetlands International: https://www.wetlands.org/
  3. Convention on Biological Diversity: https://www.cbd.int/
  4. National Wetland Atlas by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India
  5. National Biodiversity Act, 2002 by Government of India

NCERT and reference book chapters:

  1. NCERT Class 11 Biology, Chapter 14: Respiration in Plants
  2. NCERT Class 12 Biology, Chapter 13: Organisms and Populations
  3. NCERT Class 12 Geography, Chapter 16: Environmental Degradation and Conservation
  4. NCERT Class 10 Science, Chapter 16: Management of Natural Resources
  5. Reference book: "Wetlands" by William J. Mitsch and James G. Gosselink

Related concepts:

  1. Ecosystem functions and services
  2. Carbon sequestration
  3. Hydrology
  4. Bioindicators
  5. Ecological restoration
  6. Habitat conservation
  7. Sustainable land use
  8. Climate change adaptation
  9. Environmental impact assessment
  10. Water quality management.

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