International Green Warrior Olympiad Class 9 Previous Year Paper

Q.1

A group of students studying ecology in a temperate forest notices a sharp decline in the local frog population. They discover that a new housing development has encroached upon a wetland area that was once home to a diverse array of amphibians.
What is the likely consequence of the wetland habitat loss on the surrounding forest ecosystem?

Q.2

A community experiences an outbreak of a waterborne disease called Amoebiasis, characterised by severe abdominal cramps, diarrhoea with blood, and high fever. Individuals affected report exposure to contaminated water sources. Identify the causative agent responsible for these symptoms.

Q.3

A local environmental agency is tasked with evaluating the water quality of a river that runs through a town. The river serves as a primary source of drinking water, recreational activities, and supports aquatic life. Concerns have been raised about the river's health due to changes in its appearance and reports of fish mortality.
Please select the most appropriate answer that reflects the main categories relevant to evaluating the river's water quality.

Q.4

Consider the case study given below and answer the following question:
Case Study: Protecting the Coral Reefs of Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Location: Raja Ampat, a stunning archipelago in Indonesia famed for its thriving coral reefs, biodiversity, and diving tourism.
Challenges:
-Overfishing: Unsustainable fishing practices, including blast fishing and cyanide fishing, have depleted fish stocks and damaged coral reefs.
-Pollution: Plastic pollution, agricultural runoff, and sedimentation from coastal development all threaten the delicate marine ecosystem.
-Climate Change: Rising ocean temperatures and acidification are bleaching and killing coral, the foundation of the reef ecosystem.
Initiatives:
-Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Establishing and enforcing MPAs restricts harmful fishing practices and allows reefs to recover. Raja Ampat boasts one of the largest MPAs in Southeast Asia, covering over 1.5 million hectares.
-Community-Based Management: Local communities play a crucial role in protecting their reefs. The Coral Triangle Initiative focuses on empowering them through sustainable fishing practices and alternative livelihoods like ecotourism.
-Sustainable Aquaculture: Farming fish responsibly reduces pressure on wild stocks and provides alternative income for fishermen. Locally managed fish farms in Raja Ampat demonstrate successful alternatives to overfishing.
-Coral Restoration: Innovative techniques like coral nurseries and transplantation help regenerate damaged reefs and restore marine biodiversity.
Outcomes:
-Fish stocks are rebounding: The Raja Ampat MPA has shown a significant increase in fish biomass within its boundaries, demonstrating the effectiveness of protected areas.
-Improved water quality: Reduced pollution and sedimentation contribute to healthier corals and a more vibrant marine environment.
-Empowered communities: Local involvement in conservation fosters environmental stewardship and provides sustainable economic opportunities.
Raja Ampat serves as a beacon of hope in marine conservation, demonstrating the effectiveness of community-driven, multi-pronged approaches to protecting life below water. By tackling overfishing, pollution, and climate change, we can safeguard the future of these vital ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
A plastic net washes ashore on the Raja Ampat beach. Trace its potential journey through the marine ecosystem, describing the environmental and ecological consequences it could cause at each stage.
1. Entanglement for sea turtles, fish, and coral, leading to injuries and potential death.
2. Ingestion by marine life, mistaking it for food, causing blockages and internal damage.
3. Breakage into microplastics, accumulating in the food chain and harming higher predators.

Q.5

You and your friends enjoy a delicious pizza lunch, packed with toppings like pepperoni, cheese, and pineapple. Later, while scrolling through social media, you come across a post highlighting the environmental impact of meat production. This sparks a conversation about your food choices and how they might affect the planet.
Considering the environmental footprints of your pizza toppings, which topping likely had the highest emissions associated with its production?
1. Pepperoni
2. Cheese
3. Pineapple

Q.6

A tropical country experiences frequent severe weather events, including but not limited to drought, hurricanes and cyclones, due to climate change. Its current reliance on large-scale hydropower plants makes it vulnerable to these extreme weather events.
Which of the following clean energy sources is most likely to be resilient to these climate impacts?

Q.7

You're a wildlife conservationist working in the Himalayas, where a dwindling snow leopard population faces new challenges. Human encroachment has forced wolves into higher altitudes, overlapping with the leopards' territory, while climate change is shrinking their habitat due to melting glaciers.
You propose a conservation plan to address these challenges. Which of the following options is/are the effective and sustainable long-term solution(s), considering ecological balance and ethical implications?
1. Prioritise eliminating the wolf threat to restore the leopards' competitive advantage.
2. Lobby for stricter regulations on human activities near snow leopard habitat.
3. Invest in renewable energy sources to combat climate change.
4. Develop captive breeding programs to supplement dwindling wild populations.

Q.8

Consider the case study given below and answer the following question:
Case Study: Protecting the Coral Reefs of Raja Ampat, Indonesia
Location: Raja Ampat, a stunning archipelago in Indonesia famed for its thriving coral reefs, biodiversity, and diving tourism.
Challenges:
-Overfishing: Unsustainable fishing practices, including blast fishing and cyanide fishing, have depleted fish stocks and damaged coral reefs.
-Pollution: Plastic pollution, agricultural runoff, and sedimentation from coastal development all threaten the delicate marine ecosystem.
-Climate Change: Rising ocean temperatures and acidification are bleaching and killing coral, the foundation of the reef ecosystem.
Initiatives:
-Marine Protected Areas (MPAs): Establishing and enforcing MPAs restricts harmful fishing practices and allows reefs to recover. Raja Ampat boasts one of the largest MPAs in Southeast Asia, covering over 1.5 million hectares.
-Community-Based Management: Local communities play a crucial role in protecting their reefs. The Coral Triangle Initiative focuses on empowering them through sustainable fishing practices and alternative livelihoods like ecotourism.
-Sustainable Aquaculture: Farming fish responsibly reduces pressure on wild stocks and provides alternative income for fishermen. Locally managed fish farms in Raja Ampat demonstrate successful alternatives to overfishing.
-Coral Restoration: Innovative techniques like coral nurseries and transplantation help regenerate damaged reefs and restore marine biodiversity.
Outcomes:
-Fish stocks are rebounding: The Raja Ampat MPA has shown a significant increase in fish biomass within its boundaries, demonstrating the effectiveness of protected areas.
-Improved water quality: Reduced pollution and sedimentation contribute to healthier corals and a more vibrant marine environment.
-Empowered communities: Local involvement in conservation fosters environmental stewardship and provides sustainable economic opportunities.
Raja Ampat serves as a beacon of hope in marine conservation, demonstrating the effectiveness of community-driven, multi-pronged approaches to protecting life below water. By tackling overfishing, pollution, and climate change, we can safeguard the future of these vital ecosystems and the communities that depend on them.
In the case study, it is mentioned that coral reefs confront challenges from pollution and climate change. How do these challenges interact to negatively affect Raja Ampat's coral reefs?
1. Pollution weakens coral reefs, making them more susceptible to bleaching and mortality as ocean temperatures rise.
2. Climate change alters ocean currents, causing an increased accumulation of pollutants near reefs, adding to their stress.
3. Pollution can harm reefs, but it doesn't significantly affect their vulnerability to climate change impacts.

Q.9

You are troubleshooting a high electricity bill and notice that even when all appliances are turned off, the energy meter is still registering a small amount of power usage. This phenomenon is known as a vampire load.
What is the main reason why vampire loads occur in most appliances?

Q.10

Consider the following statements and choose the accurate one:
Statement 1: Climate change impacts are solely limited to present environmental modifications.
Statement 2: Climate change poses significant threats, including flooding, extreme heat, economic loss, and increased vulnerability, particularly for disadvantaged communities with limited resources.