Passage

Ecological research over the last quarter of the century has established the deleterious effects of habitat fragmentation due to mining, highways, and such other intrusions on forests. When a large block of forests gets fragmented into smaller bits, the edges of all these bits come into contact with human activities resulting in the degradation of the entire forest. Continuity of forested landscapes and corridors gets disrupted, posing a serious threat to biodiversity conservation. Ad hoc grants of forest lands to mining companies, coupled with rampant illegal mining, is aggravating this threat.

QUESTION

CSAT

Easy

Comprehension

Prelims 2013

What is the central focus of this passage?

Select an option to attempt

Explanation

Statement 1 is incorrect. The passage highlights illegal mining as one of the aggravating factors for forest degradation. However, illegal mining is not the central theme; it is mentioned in passing as a contributing cause.

Statement 2 is incorrect. While the passage refers to threats to biodiversity, it does not focus on wildlife extinction explicitly. The broader concern is habitat fragmentation and its consequences, rather than extinction specifically.

Statement 3 is incorrect. The passage emphasizes threats to forests and biodiversity conservation but does not focus on efforts or strategies for conservation directly. The focus is more on habitat disruption than conservation measures.

Statement 4 is correct. The passage discusses how habitat fragmentation, due to activities like mining and highway construction, leads to degradation and biodiversity loss. The central focus revolves around the disruption of forest habitats and its consequences.