GS1 2019 Q5 10 marks 150 words Geography and Environment
UPSC Mains 2019 GS1 Q5 — Geography and Environment
Discuss the causes of depletion of mangroves and explain their importance in maintaining coastal ecology. (Answer in 150 words)
Question Decoded — examiner's intent
- Directive verbs
- Discussexplain
- Scope keywords
- depletion of mangrovesimportancemaintaining coastal ecology
- Implicit sub-parts
- Anthropogenic vs Natural causes of mangrove loss
- Biological and ecological services specific to shoreline stability
- Role in carbon sequestration (Blue Carbon) and disaster risk reduction
- Current status or specific examples of Indian mangrove sites under threat
- Common pitfalls
- Listing general environmental pollution causes instead of mangrove-specific ones like shrimp farming and salt pan conversion
- Focusing only on the 'economic' benefits instead of 'ecological' importance as asked
- Ignoring the role of mangroves as a 'bio-shield' against cyclonic surges in the context of climate change
- Failing to mention specific locations like Sundarbans, Bhitarkanika, or Pichavaram to ground the answer
- Dimensions required
- Anthropogenic/Human activitiesGeomorphological/Coastal protectionBiological/BiodiversityClimatic/Disaster Management
- Marks allocation hint
Allocate roughly 60-70 words to the 'causes' (35-40 marks equivalent effort), and 60-70 words to 'ecological importance'. Use the remaining 10-20 words for a crisp introduction defining mangroves and a conclusion emphasizing restoration initiatives like MISHTI.
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