Biodiversity And Conservation

Let's match the items from Column I with their appropriate descriptions from Column II:

Narrowly utilitarian argument:
This refers to the view that conserving biodiversity has practical uses, such as for food, medicine, and industrial products. Hence, it matches with:

• 1 → r (Receiving benefits like food, medicine & industrial products)

Broadly utilitarian argument:
This argument emphasizes the value of biodiversity in terms of ecosystem services, like regulating the climate, purifying air, and supporting human life. Hence, it matches with:

• 2 → p (Conserving biodiversity for major ecosystem services)

Ethical argument:
This argument is based on the belief that every species has an intrinsic value and there is a moral duty to preserve biological diversity for future generations. Hence, it matches with:

• 3 → q (Every species has an intrinsic value and moral duty to pass our biological legacy in good order to future generations)

The correct answer is (C) : 1-r, 2-p, 3-q.

Biodiversity hotspots are regions with high species richness and endemism that face significant threats. Protecting these areas is crucial for conservation efforts:

(A) 20% - Underestimation: While significant, this percentage doesn't reflect the full potential impact of hotspot protection.

(B) 30% - Correct: Scientific studies indicate that strict protection of biodiversity hotspots could reduce ongoing mass extinction by approximately 30% by safeguarding the most threatened species concentrations.

(C) 25% - Close but not optimal: This represents substantial impact but slightly underestimates the conservation potential.

(D) 35% - Overestimation: While hotspot protection is crucial, this percentage exceeds current scientific estimates of its potential impact.

The most accurate answer is (C) 30%, based on conservation biology research showing that protecting these critical areas (covering just 2.3% of Earth's surface but containing 50% of plant species and 42% of terrestrial vertebrates) could prevent about 30% of projected extinctions.