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Q18 (IAS/2019) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas › National parks network Official Key

Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the temperate alpine zone?

Result
Your answer:  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

Valley of Flowers National Park lies completely [2]in the temperate alpine zone. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is located in the high Himalayas of Uttarakhand at elevations between 3,200 to 6,600 meters. The park is home to 520 alpine plants that grow exclusively in this national park[3], making it a unique biodiversity hotspot for high-altitude flora.

In contrast, the other options are incorrect: Manas National Park in Assam is a tropical forest located in the foothills of the Himalayas; Namdapha National Park in Arunachal Pradesh spans multiple zones from tropical to subtropical; and Neora Valley National Park in West Bengal also covers lower elevations with subtropical and temperate forests. Only Valley of Flowers National Park is situated entirely within the temperate alpine zone, characterized by its high-altitude meadows and endemic alpine vegetation.

Sources
  1. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Flowers_National_Park
  2. [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Flowers_National_Park
  3. [3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valley_of_Flowers_National_Park
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Q. Which one of the following National Parks lies completely in the temperate alpine zone? [A] Manas National Park [B] Namdapha National P…
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Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 2.5/10
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This is a classic 'Geography by Map' question disguised as Environment. You don't need to memorize the biome of every park; you only need to map them to their physiography. Manas is in the Brahmaputra floodplains (lowland), while 'Alpine' strictly means high altitude (above tree line). The keyword 'Completely' is the killer constraint.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Does Manas National Park lie completely in the temperate alpine zone?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 2: Physiography > 4. The Brahmaputra Plain > p. 44
Strength: 5/5
“It is also famous for its tea and the two national parks at Kaziranga and Manas.”
Why relevant

Explicitly places Manas among features of the Brahmaputra Plain (alongside Kaziranga), implying a lowland/riverine plain location rather than high mountain terrain.

How to extend

A student can check a map or elevation data for the Brahmaputra Plain/Manas to compare its typical lowland elevations with alpine/temperate elevation bands given below.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > 2. The North-Western Himalayan Region > p. 3
Strength: 4/5
“The Western Himalayan Floristic region stretches over Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand. This region records relatively less rainfall and temperatures. The effect of altitude is quite visible on the vegetation of Western Himalayas. Here again, one finds the sub-tropical (upto 1525 m), temperate (1525 m to 3650 m) and Alpine vegetation from 3650 m to 4575 m. In the sub-montane region the main vegetation is sal, semul, and savanna type. Among the temperate vegetation are chir (pine), oak, deodar, alder, birch, and conifers. At higher altitudes, trees are replaced by alpine pastures and trees like juniper, silver fir, birch, and larch are seen.”
Why relevant

Gives explicit altitudinal bands for Himalayan vegetation: subtropical up to ~1525 m, temperate 1525–3650 m, alpine 3650–4575 m.

How to extend

Compare Manas' elevation (from maps or gazetteers) to these bands to see if it falls within temperate or alpine ranges.

Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation and National Parks > Table 5.5 > p. 19
Strength: 4/5
“creepers, and ferns. The woods of these forests are durable. At higher attitudes, above 3500 m, are the alpine pastures known as Margs in Kashmir and Bugyals in Uttarkhand. • 9. Alpine and Sub-alpine Forests: The Alpine forests are found all along the Himalayas at altitudes ranging between 2500 to 3500 m. These areas are characterised with short dwarf conifers and lush green nutritious grasses during the summer season. The trees found in the zone are kail, spruce, yew, firs, birch, honeysuckle, artemesia, potentilla, and small scrubs.• 10. Desert Vegetation: The desert vegetation is confined to the west of Aravallis in the states of Rajasthan and northern Gujarat (Fig.”
Why relevant

States alpine and sub‑alpine forests occur along the Himalayas at altitudes ~2500–3500 m (and alpine pastures above ~3500 m), giving another set of elevation thresholds for alpine zones.

How to extend

Use these altitude thresholds against Manas' known elevations to infer whether it could be alpine/temperate.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 1: BASIC CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY > 2. Abiotic (Non-living) Components > p. 18
Strength: 3/5
“Te vertical zonation of the Himalayas has been given in Fig. 1.7. It may be observed from Fig. 1.7 that at the foothills of Siwaliks, are the subtropical mixed deciduous forest, the Lesser Himalayas are covered by the temperate broad-leaved forest, at around 3500 metre elevation are the temperate coniferous forests, while at high altitudes of about 4500 metres are the alpine pastures (Margs). Beyond 4500, there is generally absence of soil and vegetation generally does not grow. Te zonation of plants with altitude is noticeable on any trip from lower valleys to higher elevations. Each life zone processes its own insolation, temperature, and precipitation relationships, and therefore, its own biotic communities.”
Why relevant

Describes vertical zonation of the Himalayas: temperate broad‑leaved in Lesser Himalayas, temperate coniferous around 3500 m, alpine pastures around 4500 m, showing alpine is high elevation.

How to extend

A student can note alpine corresponds to high Himalayan elevations and thus question alpine classification for a park in the Brahmaputra plain.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 3: MAJOR BIOMES > Alpine Tundra Biome > p. 20
Strength: 3/5
“Alpine tundra is similar to arctic tundra, but can occur at lower latitudes because it is associated with high elevation. Tis biome is usually described 'as above the timberline', which means that elevation above which trees cannot grow. Timberline increases in elevation equator-ward in both the hemispheres. Alpine tundra communities occur in the Andes near the equator, the Himalayas, White Mountains of California, the Rockies, the Alps, and Mt. Kilimanjaro of equatorial Africa, as well as mountains from the Middle East to Asia. Alpine meadows (Margs) feature grasses and stunted shrubs, such as willow and heath (Fig. 3.11). Te height and size of canopy of diferent trees varies from biome to biome and region to region.”
Why relevant

Defines alpine tundra as 'above the timberline' and notes it occurs at high elevation in the Himalayas, linking alpine to zones above tree growth limits.

How to extend

Check whether Manas' environment is above timberline or has alpine tundra vegetation to assess the claim.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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