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Q69 (IAS/2023) Science & Technology › Biotechnology & Health › Genomics and DNA technologies Official Key

'Aerial metagenomics' best refers to which one of the following situations?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: A
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 1.

Aerial metagenomics is a cutting-edge biomonitoring technique that involves collecting and sequencing environmental DNA (eDNA) directly from the air. In a single sampling process, scientists can capture genetic material shed by various organisms—including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals—within a specific habitat.

  • Why Option 1 is correct: Unlike traditional methods that require physical sightings or invasive sampling, aerial metagenomics analyzes the "genetic soup" present in the atmosphere to profile entire ecosystems simultaneously.
  • Why other options are incorrect: Option 2 refers to specific avian genetics, not broad environmental sampling. Options 3 and 4 describe mechanical methods of physical sample collection (blood, plants, or water) rather than the metagenomic analysis of ambient air.

This technique is revolutionary for tracking biodiversity, detecting invasive species, and monitoring endangered wildlife in a non-invasive, comprehensive manner.

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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. 'Aerial metagenomics' best refers to which one of the following situations? [A] Collecting DNA samples from air in a habitat at one go …
At a glance
Origin: Mixed / unclear origin Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 0/10 · 0/10

This is a classic 'Etymological Sitter'. It wasn't in standard books, but the term itself reveals the answer. 'Aerial' = Air, 'Metagenomics' = Genomic analysis of a mixed community. If you relied on rote learning, you failed; if you used root-word logic, you scored.

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
What is the definition of "aerial metagenomics" in environmental genomics?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 1: Ecology > r.3.6. Biosphere > p. 10
Strength: 5/5
“Occasionally spores of fungi and bacteria do occur at great height beyond 8,ooo metres, but they are not metabolically active, and hence represent only dormant life. The energy required for the life within the biosphere comes from the sun. The nutrients necessary for living organisms come from air, water and soil; the same chemicals are recycled over and again for life to continue. Living organisms are not uniformly distributed throughout the biosphere. Only a few organisms live in the polar regions, while the tropical rain forests have an exceedingly rich diversity of plants and animais Goo/o of Global Biodiversity). All Rights Reserved.”
Why relevant

Notes that spores of fungi and bacteria occur at great heights in the atmosphere (airborne microbial life), establishing that the air carries microbial communities.

How to extend

A student could infer that studying those airborne microbial communities (their DNA) would be a logical target for a method called 'aerial metagenomics'.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 1: BASIC CONCEPTS OF ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY > Operational Environment > p. 2
Strength: 4/5
“It is basically a systematic study of biotic and abiotic attributes of ecosystems in the context of space and their mutual relationships as well as the spatial implications of such inter-relationships. Te fundamental unit of study of environmental geography is the biosphere.”
Why relevant

Defines environmental study as systematic examination of biotic and abiotic attributes in space, emphasising spatial context for organisms.

How to extend

One could extend this to justify a spatially focused genomic survey (e.g., sampling air in different locations/altitudes) as part of 'aerial' metagenomic work.

Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.I3. BIOREMEDIATION > p. 99
Strength: 4/5
“• r Bioremediation is the use of microorganisms (bacteria and fungi) to degrade the environmental contaminants into less toxic forms, • r The microorganisms may be indigenous to a contaminated area or they may be isolated from elsewhere and brought to the contaminated site. '! The process of bioremediation can be monitored indirectly by measuring the Oxidation Reduction Potential or redox in soil and groundwater, together with pH, temperature, oxygen content, electron acceptor/donor concentrations, and concentration of breakdown product(s. e.g. carbon dioxide)'}]}<|im_start|>user”
Why relevant

Describes use of microorganisms to monitor and degrade contaminants and the importance of measuring microbial activity/indicators in environments.

How to extend

A student might infer that metagenomic sequencing (culture-independent detection of microbial DNA) is a complementary way to characterise airborne microbes relevant to environmental monitoring.

Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye > Our scientific heritage > p. 19
Strength: 3/5
“Manure formation occurs at optimal temperature and appropriate moisture level. Isn't it interesting? By now, you must have understood that bacteria and some fungi are types of microorganisms that play an important role in our lives. And guess what, these helpful bacteria can also decompose animal wastes like dung! From Activity 2.7, we can also infer that microorganisms not only help in plant growth, but also clean our environment by breaking down waste.”
Why relevant

Emphasises that microorganisms are invisible to the naked eye yet play major environmental roles and can be studied via activities/experiments.

How to extend

This supports the idea that methods beyond visual observation — e.g., DNA-based metagenomic approaches — are needed to characterise airborne microbial communities.

Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > Pollutant > p. 33
Strength: 2/5
“For example, some marine organisms escape permanent damage by metabolising hazardous substances to harmless ones. Indeed many pollutants are ultimately biodegradable, that is, able to be broken down by natural processes into simpler compounds. Most pollutants, however, resist attack by water, air, sunlight, or living organisms because the synthetic compounds of which they are composed resemble nothing in nature. Te ways in which pollutants are changing the atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere are often difcult for researchers to determine. Environmental impact cannot always be predicted or explained. As a result, marine scientists vary widely in their opinion about what pollutants are doing to the atmosphere and ocean, and what to do about it.”
Why relevant

Explains that many pollutants interact with living organisms, and researchers study how organisms transform substances in different environmental compartments (air included).

How to extend

A student could reason that sequencing airborne microbial communities (aerial metagenomics) could reveal organisms involved in atmospheric pollutant processing.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC S&T is moving away from 'What is this missile?' to 'What does this scientific term mean?'. The pattern rewards understanding scientific suffixes (-omics, -editing, -sequencing) over memorizing current affairs headlines.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Etymological Sitter. Not in standard texts like Shankar or NCERT, but solvable via linguistic breakdown.
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Biotechnology > Environmental Biotechnology > 'Omics' technologies (Genomics, Proteomics, etc.).
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: 1. Metagenomics (Community DNA without culturing). 2. eDNA (Environmental DNA - shed by organisms in water/soil). 3. Transcriptomics (RNA/Gene expression). 4. Proteomics (Proteins). 5. Metabolomics (Metabolic byproducts). 6. Epigenetics (Gene regulation without DNA change).
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When facing a new S&T term, do not look for a memory match. Deconstruct the word. 'Meta' implies 'beyond/collective', 'Genomics' implies DNA. Option A is the only one describing a collective DNA analysis from the medium (Air).
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Microbial communities and environmental roles
💡 The insight

Microorganisms (bacteria, fungi) form complex communities whose functions (decomposition, nutrient cycling) are central to environmental genomics approaches that profile community composition and function.

High-yield for UPSC because understanding microbial roles links ecology, pollution impact, and ecosystem services. It connects to questions on biodegradation, biodiversity, and environmental management and enables answers about how microbial assemblages influence ecosystem processes.

📚 Reading List :
  • Science ,Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 2: The Invisible Living World: Beyond Our Naked Eye > Our scientific heritage > p. 19
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 9: Indian Biodiversity Diverse Landscape > 3. Bacteria > p. 156
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > Pollutant > p. 33
🔗 Anchor: "What is the definition of "aerial metagenomics" in environmental genomics?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Bioremediation and microbial degradation
💡 The insight

Bioremediation uses microbial taxa to degrade contaminants, illustrating applied outcomes of studying environmental microbial communities.

Important for answering policy and environment-management questions: explains practical applications of microbial ecology in cleaning pollution, links lab-to-field interventions, and supports case-based questions on remediation techniques.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > 5.I3. BIOREMEDIATION > p. 99
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 5: Environmental Pollution > bi Ex situ bioremediation techniques > p. 100
🔗 Anchor: "What is the definition of "aerial metagenomics" in environmental genomics?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Atmospheric microbiology: dispersal and dormancy of airborne microbes
💡 The insight

Air can carry microbial spores and cells to great heights where they may be dormant, a key concept when considering genomic surveys of the aerial microbiome.

Useful for questions on biosphere limits, disease dispersal, and environmental monitoring; connects atmospheric processes with microbiology and surveillance approaches such as sampling and genomic analysis.

📚 Reading List :
  • Environment, Shankar IAS Acedemy .(ed 10th) > Chapter 1: Ecology > r.3.6. Biosphere > p. 10
  • Environment and Ecology, Majid Hussain (Access publishing 3rd ed.) > Chapter 6: Environmental Degradation and Management > Pollutant > p. 33
🔗 Anchor: "What is the definition of "aerial metagenomics" in environmental genomics?"
🌑 The Hidden Trap

eDNA (Environmental DNA). Since they asked about Aerial Metagenomics, the next logical step is eDNA in aquatic systems (used for Tiger census via water holes or tracking invasive species). Also, 'Metatranscriptomics' (studying active gene expression in a community).

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

The 'Meta' Rule: In biology, 'Meta-' usually refers to a collection or a whole system (e.g., Metazoa, Metabolism). Therefore, the answer must involve a *collection* of genetic material, not a single species (Option B: Avian) or a mechanical device (Option C/D: Drones). Only Option A describes a collective genetic collection.

🔗 Mains Connection

Connects to GS3 Disaster Management & Health (Pandemic Preparedness). Aerial metagenomics is a surveillance tool for 'Bio-Watch' programs to detect airborne pathogens (like SARS-CoV-2 or Anthrax) before a mass outbreak.

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SIMILAR QUESTIONS

IAS · 2020 · Q52 Relevance score: -4.72

Consider the following activities : 1. Spraying pesticides on a crop fieldthe importance of using 2. Inspecting the craters of active volcanoes 3. Collecting breath samples from spouting whales for DNA analysis At the present level of technology, which of the above activities can be successfully carried out by using drones ?

IAS · 2019 · Q93 Relevance score: -5.60

With reference to the recent developments in science, which one of the following statements is not correct?

IAS · 2016 · Q31 Relevance score: -5.67

In the context of the developments in Bioinformatics, the term 'transcriptome', sometimes seen in the news, refers to