APSC CCE Mains PYQ Solved | APSC CCE 2023 Model Answer
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APSC Mains GS Paper 1: 2023: Define biosphere and discuss the extent and importance of the biosphere in the earth’s environment. (10 marks, 150 Words)
Model Answer:
The biosphere is the narrow, dynamic zone of life where the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere intersect and interact. As defined by UNESCO, its preservation is the foundation of global ecological security and is central to achieving SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 15 (Life on Land).
1. Extent of the Biosphere
The biosphere is not uniformly distributed but spans across three major Earth compartments, primarily concentrating where conditions support cellular life:
- In the Atmosphere (Air): Extends upwards into the lower troposphere (approx. 8-10 km). It includes birds, insects, and wind-blown microbes.
- Example: High-altitude migratory routes over the Himalayas.
- In the Hydrosphere (Water): Encompasses the entire aquatic realm, from surface waters down to the deepest ocean trenches (approx. 11 km deep).
- Example: Extremophiles thriving in deep-sea hydrothermal vents.
- In the Lithosphere (Land): Extends into the upper crust and soil profile (up to 3 km deep), harboring roots, burrowing animals, and vast microbial networks.
- Assam Context: The rich, alluvial soil profile of the Brahmaputra Valley hosts massive subterranean microflora essential for agriculture.
2. Importance of the Biosphere in the Earth’s Environment
The biosphere functions as the Earth’s life-support system through several interconnected mechanisms:
A. Ecological & Climatic Regulation
- Biogeochemical Cycling: It drives the continuous circulation of essential elements (Carbon, Nitrogen, Oxygen, Water) between living and non-living systems.
- Climate Moderation: Terrestrial forests and marine phytoplankton regulate global temperatures by acting as massive carbon sinks. (As per IPCC AR6, protecting biospheric carbon sinks is vital to capping global warming below 1.5°C).
B. Economic and Survival Sustenance
- Ecosystem Services: The biosphere provides provisioning services like food, timber, and medicinal compounds. (The UNEP estimates global ecosystem services run into trillions of dollars annually).
- Livelihood Generation: Millions depend directly on biosphere resources.
- Assam Example: The wetland (Beel) ecosystems in Assam provide sustenance to local fishing communities and support eco-tourism.
C. Genetic Library and Evolutionary Resilience
- Biodiversity Hub: It houses millions of species, forming complex food webs that maintain environmental stability.
- Disaster Mitigation: Intact biospheric barriers, like mangroves and wetlands, buffer coastal and riverine areas against floods and cyclones. (The NDMA advocates for ecosystem-based disaster risk reduction).
3. Conservation Mechanisms (Global & Local)
- Global: UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme promotes a balanced relationship between people and their environments.
- India/Assam: India hosts 18 Biosphere Reserves. In Assam, the Manas and Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere Reserves play a critical role in protecting endemic species like the Pygmy Hog and Feral Horses.
Protecting the biosphere is a constitutional mandate under the Fundamental Duty [Article 51A(g)] to protect the natural environment, ensuring intergenerational equity and paving the way for a sustainable and ecologically secure Viksit Bharat by 2047.
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