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Q13 (IAS/2023) Environment & Ecology › Biodiversity & Protected Areas › Invasive and exotic species Official Key

'Invasive Species Specialist Group' (that develops Global Invasive Species Database) belongs to which one of the following organizations?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1.

The Invasive Species Specialist Group (ISSG) is a global network of scientific and policy experts on invasive species. It is one of the specialist groups organized under the Species Survival Commission (SSC) of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The ISSG manages the Global Invasive Species Database (GISD), which provides critical data on alien species that threaten biodiversity. The group's primary objective is to reduce threats to ecosystems by increasing awareness and providing specialized knowledge for management and policy-making.

  • Option 2: UNEP coordinates global environmental activities but does not host the ISSG.
  • Option 3: The WCED (Brundtland Commission) focused on sustainable development and is not a permanent scientific body.
  • Option 4: WWF is an international NGO that focuses on conservation but operates independently of the ISSG’s scientific database management.
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PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
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Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. 'Invasive Species Specialist Group' (that develops Global Invasive Species Database) belongs to which one of the following organizations?…
At a glance
Origin: Mostly Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 10/10
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This question rewards 'structural literacy' over rote memorization. While standard books scream 'IUCN = Red List', they also mention IUCN's 'Commissions'. The logic is simple: The organization that tracks 'Threatened Species' (Red List) is the most logical host for tracking 'Invasive Species' (the threat itself).

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
Is the Invasive Species Specialist Group (developer of the Global Invasive Species Database) part of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"6.1.6 Maintain and update the Global Invasive Species Database. IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group IUCN Environmental Impact Classification of Alien Taxa (EICAT) IUCN Global Invasive Species Database (GISD)"
Why this source?
  • An IUCN document lists 'Maintain and update the Global Invasive Species Database' immediately followed by 'IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group', linking the database to the IUCN group.
  • Shows the GISD is maintained/updated by the IUCN Invasive Species Specialist Group, indicating the group is an IUCN entity.
Web source
Presence: 5/5
"The IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group maintains two global databases: the Global Invasive Species Database (www.iucngisd.org), which contains ..."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly names the group as 'The IUCN SSC Invasive Species Specialist Group'.
  • States that this IUCN group 'maintains ... the Global Invasive Species Database', directly tying ISSG, GISD, and IUCN.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"The IUCN Secretariat and Species Survival Commission [Invasive Species Specialist Group] work together to tackle invasive alien species and their impacts ..."
Why this source?
  • States that the IUCN Secretariat and Species Survival Commission's Invasive Species Specialist Group work together, linking ISSG to IUCN's organizational structure.
  • Supports that the ISSG is a component associated with IUCN (Species Survival Commission).

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 8: Biodiversity > 8.2. T}IE RED DATA BOOK > p. 147
Strength: 5/5
“Species judged as threatened are listed by various agencies as well as by some private organizations. The most cited of these lists is the Red Data Book. It is a loose-leaf volume of information on the status of many kinds of species. This volume is continually updated and is issued by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) located in Morges, Switzerland. 'iRed' of course is symbolic of danger that the species, both plants and animals, presently experience throughout the globe. The Red Data Book was first issued in 1966 by the IUCN Special Survival Commission as a guide for formulation, preservation and management of species listed.”
Why relevant

Mentions the 'IUCN Special Survival Commission' as an IUCN body that issues major resources (Red Data Book), showing IUCN has named specialist/commission structures that produce databases and lists.

How to extend

A student could check whether the Invasive Species Specialist Group is listed as one of IUCN's specialist groups or commissions, or whether the Global Invasive Species Database is produced under such a commission.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 13: Plant Diversity of India > 13.4. INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES > p. 199
Strength: 4/5
“Purposely or accidentally, people often bring nonnative species into new areas where the species have few or no natural predators to keep their populations in check. Aliens are species that occur outside their natural range. Alien species that threaten native plants and animals or other aspects of biodiversity are called alien invasive species. They occur in all groups of plants and animals, as competitors, predators, pathogens and parasites, and they have invaded almost every type of native ecosystem. Biological invasion by alien species is recognised as one of the major threats to native species and ecosystems. The effects on biodiversity are enormous and often irreversible.”
Why relevant

Defines 'alien invasive species' and frames biological invasion as a major conservation issue, implying a rationale for a dedicated specialist group within conservation organizations.

How to extend

Given the topic's importance, a student could reasonably look for a specialist group within major conservation bodies (like IUCN) focused on invasive species and their databases.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 28: International Organisation and Conventions > 28.12. IUCN > p. 403
Strength: 4/5
“& EIIANI<AR IUCN was founded in October 1948 as the International Union for the Protection of Nature (or IUPN) following an international conference in Fontainebleau, France, The organization changed its name to 'the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources' in 1956 with the acronym IUCN (or UICN) with its headquarters in Gland, Switzerland.”
Why relevant

Provides background that IUCN is a longstanding, institutionalized international union with headquarters and formal name changes, implying capacity to host specialist groups and run global programs.

How to extend

Use this to justify searching IUCN organizational structure (specialist groups, commissions, or member networks) for an Invasive Species Specialist Group.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 21: Mitigation Strategies > zt.z A, International Cooperation > p. 283
Strength: 3/5
“Conservation International (CI), the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and the Intergovernmental Oceanic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO is collaborating with governments, research institutions, -non-governmental and international organizations, and communities around the world to • Develop management approaches, financial incentives and policy mechanisms for ensuring conservation and restoration of coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems; • Engage local, national, and international governments to ensure policies and regulations support coastal Blue Carbon conservation, management and financing; • Develop comprehensive methods for coastal carbon accounting; • Develop incentive mechanisms such as carbon payment schemes for Blue Carbon projects; and • Implement projects around the world that demonstrate the feasibility of coastal Blue Carbon accounting, management, and incentive agreements; • Support scientific research into the role and importance of coastal Blue Carbon ecosystems for climate change mitigation.”
Why relevant

Shows IUCN collaborates globally with governments and NGOs on targeted conservation initiatives, suggesting it organizes or sponsors thematic groups and databases to support such work.

How to extend

From this pattern, a student could infer that IUCN might sponsor a database on invasive species via a specialist group and then verify naming/affiliation.

FUNDAMENTALS OF PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY, Geography Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 14: Biodiversity and Conservation > LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY > p. 117
Strength: 3/5
“The International Union of Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has classified the threatened species of plants and animals into three categories for the purpose of their conservation.”
Why relevant

Notes IUCN classifies threatened species into categories and produces authoritative lists, indicating it creates and maintains taxonomic/conservation data resources.

How to extend

A student could extend this to look for other IUCN-managed databases (e.g., on invasive species) or units responsible for such resources.

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Statement analysis

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Statement analysis

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