Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q5 (IAS/2023) Geography › Indian Physical Geography › Indian coastal geography Official Key

Which one of the following is the best example of repeated falls in sea level, giving rise to present-day extensive marshland?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: D
Explanation

The correct answer is option D - Rann of Kutch.

The satellite imagery, as well as detailed mapping, have revealed a network of distributaries and extensive graded deposits, products of Holocene marine regression[1] in the Rann of Kutch region. Marine regression refers to the retreat or fall of sea levels, which explains the geological formation of this area. Stretching over an area of 20,720 sq km, the Rann of Kutch consists of salt flats, brackish ponds, and marsh interrupted by a few rocky elevations[2], confirming its extensive marshland character. The topography of the Great Rann of Kachchh is typically deltaic, developing usually at the mouth of rivers, confirming entry of a few rivers in the sea in this region[1], which indicates its past connection with the sea. The repeated marine regressions (sea level falls) during the Holocene period transformed what was once a shallow gulf or arm of the sea into the present-day extensive marshland. The other options (Bhitarkanika Mangroves, Marakkanam Salt Pans, and Naupada Swamp) do not have this distinctive geological history of marine regression creating extensive marshlands.

Sources
  1. [1] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 3: The Drainage System of India > SARASWATI-THE MYSTERY OF A LOST RIVER > p. 27
  2. [2] Geography of India ,Majid Husain, (McGrawHill 9th ed.) > Chapter 16: India–Political Aspects > The Rann of Kutch Dispute > p. 36
How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
59%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Guest preview
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. Which one of the following is the best example of repeated falls in sea level, giving rise to present-day extensive marshland? [A] Bhita…
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 2.5/10 · 0/10
You're seeing a guest preview. The Verdict and first statement analysis are open. Login with Google to unlock all tabs.

This is a classic 'Process-based Geography' question. It moves beyond simple mapping ('Where is Rann?') to geomorphology ('How did Rann form?'). It is directly solvable from standard texts like Majid Husain which explicitly link the Rann to 'Holocene marine regression' and the drying up of the paleo-Saraswati.

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 Bhitarkanika Mangroves an example of an area where repeated falls in sea level produced the present-day extensive marshland?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > MAngrove (forests). > p. 49
Strength: 5/5
“Mangroves are the distinctive ecosystems found along the shallow coasts 30o N or S and the equator. Mangroves are found in tidal fats, estuaries and muddy coasts in tropical and subtropical areas. Communities of mangroves, termed mangals, play an important role on many tropical coasts. Tey are highly productive ecosystems which are capable of exporting energy and materials to adjacent communities. Tey support a diverse heterotrophic food chain, act as nurseries in the life cycle of some organisms, and ofer some protection against coastal erosion and storm surge attack. At present, like many types of wetland, they are under severe anthropogenic pressures.”
Why relevant

Defines mangroves as occurring in tidal flats, estuaries and muddy coasts — environments strongly influenced by sea-level change.

How to extend

A student could check whether Bhitarkanika sits on a former tidal flat/estuary plain that would be exposed during sea-level falls, supporting marsh development.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Biogeographic zones of India > p. 26
Strength: 4/5
“10. Coastal Mangroves: Mangroves are large fowering shrubs or trees that grow in dense thickets along muddy or silty tropical coasts. Along the coastal areas, especially along the Eastern Coastal shallow seas, are the highly productive ecosystems which are capable of exporting energy and material to adjacent communities. Tey support a diverse heterotrophic food-chain. At present, like many types of wetland, they are under severe anthropogenic pressure.”
Why relevant

Notes coastal mangroves occur along eastern coastal shallow seas and are productive ecosystems tied to coastal dynamics.

How to extend

Using a map of the eastern coast (Odisha) and basic coastal-process knowledge, one could assess whether past sea-level fluctuation plausibly shaped local marsh extent.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > MAngrove (forests). > p. 51
Strength: 4/5
“• Name: 1. Asthamudi Wetland; District/State: Kerala; Year: 19.08.02; Area in sq km: 614 • Name: 2. Bhitarkanika Mangroves; District/State: Odisha; Year: 19.08.02; Area in sq km: 650 • Name: 3. Bhoj Wetland; District/State: Madhya Pradesh; Year: 19.08.02; Area in sq km: 32 • Name: 4. Chandratal Wetland; District/State: Himachal Pradesh; Year: 08.11.05; Area in sq km: 49 • Name: 5. Chilka Lake; District/State: Odisha; Year: 08.11.05; Area in sq km: 1165 • Name: 6. Deepor-Beel; District/State: Assam; Year: 19.08.02; Area in sq km: 40 • Name: 7. East Kolkata Wetland; District/State: West Bengal; Year: 19.08.02; Area in sq km: 125 • Name: 8.”
Why relevant

Lists Bhitarkanika explicitly as a major wetland/mangrove area, confirming the site type to which general rules about tidal flats and marsh formation apply.

How to extend

Knowing the site is a large wetland, a student could look for published palaeo-shoreline or sediment records for this named location to test sea-level fall hypotheses.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 4: Aquatic Ecosystem > CRZ.I > p. 54
Strength: 3/5
“• (i) Ecologically sensitive areas and the geomorphological features that play a primary role in maintaining the integrity of the coast. • r Mangroves, in case mangrove area is more than 1,000 square metres, a buffer area of 50 metres shall be provided;• . r Corals and coral reefs and associated biodiversity; • r Sand Dunes; Mudflats which are biologically active; • National parks, marine parks, sanctuaries, reserve forests, wildlife habitats and other protected areas under the provisions of Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 or Environment Protection Act, 1986; including Biosphere Reserves encompassing:• Salt marshes;• Turtlesh nesting grounds;• Horseshoe crab habitats;• Sea grass beds;• Lesting grounds of birds;• Areas or structures of archaeological importance and heritage sites;• (ii) The area”
Why relevant

Mentions mudflats and salt marshes as coastal geomorphological features of ecological importance in CRZ context.

How to extend

A student could relate the presence of mudflats/salt marshes to past sea-level lowstands that expose sediments and favour marsh development, then seek local geomorphic evidence.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 4: BIODIVERSITY > Major Mangroves of India > p. 52
Strength: 3/5
“Several parts of this mangrove have been cleared for paddy cultivation. Bhitarkanika along the coast of Odisha is the second largest mangrove of India, followed by the Godavari-Krishna mangrove. Te other important mangroves of India are Coondapur (Karnataka), Point Calimere and Pichavaram (Tamil Nadu), Loringa (Andhra Pradesh).”
Why relevant

States Bhitarkanika is the second largest mangrove in India located along the Odisha coast, implying significant coastal sedimentary/geomorphic setting.

How to extend

Combining this site identification with general coastal sedimentation knowledge, one could investigate whether the Odisha coast has records of regressive (falling sea-level) phases relevant to marsh formation.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

Statement analysis

This statement analysis shows book citations, web sources and indirect clues. The first statement (S1) is open for preview.

Login with Google to unlock all statements.

How to study

This tab shows concrete study steps: what to underline in books, how to map current affairs, and how to prepare for similar questions.

Login with Google to unlock study guidance.

Micro-concepts

Discover the small, exam-centric ideas hidden in this question and where they appear in your books and notes.

Login with Google to unlock micro-concepts.

The Vault

Access hidden traps, elimination shortcuts, and Mains connections that give you an edge on every question.

Login with Google to unlock The Vault.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-I · 2019 · Q54 Relevance score: -4.15

Which one of the following is an example of Salt-Crystal growth?

CDS-I · 2006 · Q83 Relevance score: -4.70

Which one of the following pairs is not correctly matched ?

CDS-I · 2014 · Q107 Relevance score: -4.81

Which one of the following is the example of subsistence farming?

CDS-I · 2018 · Q16 Relevance score: -4.93

Statement I : Tides are the rise and fall of sea levels caused by the combined effects of the gravitational forces exerted by the Moon and the Sun and the rotation of the Earth. Statement I : The Earth rotates from west to east.

NDA-I · 2013 · Q91 Relevance score: -5.31

Which of the following statements relating to tsunami is/are correct? As the tsunamis leave the deep water of the open sea and travel towards shallow water 1. the speed is reduced considerably 2. they attain enormous height 3. they appear as a gentle rise and fall of the sea Select the correct answer using the code given below.