UPSC Prelims 2012·CSAT·Reading Comprehension·Passage Comprehension

Read the following passages and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based on the passages only. Invasions of exotic species into new geographic areas sometimes occur naturally and without-human agency. However, human actions have increased this trickle to a flood. Human-caused introductions may occur either accidentally as a consequence of human transport, or intentionally but illegally to serve some private purpose or legitimately to procure some hoped-for public benefit by bringing a pest under control, producing new agricultural products or providing novel recreational opportunities. Many introduced species are assimilated into communities without much obvious effect. However, some have been responsible for dramatic changes to native species and natural communities. For example, the accidental introduction of the brown tree snake Boiga irregularis into Guam, an island in the Pacific, has through nest predation reduced 10 endemic forest bird species to the point of extinction. One of the major reasons for the world's great biodiversity is the occurrence of centers of endemism so that similar habitats in different parts of the world are occupied by different groups of species that happen to have evolved there. If every species naturally had access to everywhere on the globe, we might expect a relatively small number of successful species to become dominant in each biome. The extent to which this homogenization can happen naturally is restricted by the limited powers of dispersal of most species in the face of the physical barriers that exist to dispersal. By virtue of the transport opportunities offered by humans, these barriers have been breached by an ever- increasing number of exotic species. The effects of introductions have been to convert a hugely diverse range of local community compositions into something much more homogeneous. It would be wrong, however, to conclude that introducing species to a region will inevitably cause a decline in species richness there. For example, there are numerous species of plants, invertebrates and vertebrates found in continental Europe but absent from the British Isles (many because they have so far failed to recolonize after the last glaciations). Their introduction would be likely to augment British biodiversity. The significant detrimental effect noted above arises where aggressive species provide a novel challenge to endemic biotas ill- equipped to deal with them. How have the human beings influenced the biodiversity? 1) By smuggling live organisms. 2) By building highways. 3) By making ecosystems sensitive so that new species are not allowed. 4) By ensuring that new species do not have major impact on local species. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Dalvoy logo
Reviewed by Dalvoy
UPSC Civil Services preparation
Last updated 23 May 2026, 3:31 pm IST
  1. ABoth 1 and 2Correct
  2. BBoth 2 and 3
  3. CBoth 1 and 3
  4. DBoth 2 and 4

Explanation

The passage states that human-caused introductions of exotic species occur "intentionally but illegally to serve some private purpose," which directly supports statement 1 (smuggling live organisms). The passage also mentions "human transport" as a cause for accidental introductions and that "transport opportunities offered by humans" have breached physical barriers, leading to the spread of exotic species. Building highways is a significant form of "human transport" and creates "transport opportunities" that facilitate the movement of species, thereby influencing biodiversity. This supports statement 2. Statement 3 is incorrect because the passage indicates that human actions have increased the introduction of new species, not prevented them or made ecosystems sensitive to exclude them. Statement 4 is incorrect because the passage provides examples (like the brown tree snake) where introduced species have had a dramatic and detrimental impact on native species, indicating that humans have not ensured new species do not have a major impact. Therefore, both statements 1 and 2 are correct based on the passage. The final answer is A
Reading Comprehension: Read the following passages and answer the items that follow each passage. Your answers to these items should be based o

Related questions

More UPSC Prelims practice from the same subject and topic.