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Environment and Ecology
2018
Biodiversity
Environmental Pollution
Climate Change

The term “sixth mass extinction/sixth extinction” is often mentioned in the news in the context of the discussion of

A.Widespread monoculture Practices agriculture and large-scale commercial farming with indiscriminate use of chemicals in many parts of the world that may result in the loss of good native ecosystems.
C.Large scale cultivation of genetically modified crops in many parts of the world and promoting their cultivationin other Parts of the world which may cause the disappearance of good native crop plants and the loss offood biodiversity.
B.Fears of a possible collision of a meteorite with the Earth in the near future in the manner it happened 65million years ago that caused the mass extinction of many species including those of dinosaurs.
D.Mankind’s over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss, natural habitats, destructionof ecosystems, pollution and global climate change.

Correct Answer: Option D

The Holocene extinction, also known as the Sixth Extinction or Anthropocene extinction, refers to the ongoing extinction event of species during the present Holocene epoch.

This extinction is primarily driven by human activity.

This event impacts a wide range of plant and animal families, including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, and arthropods.

The destruction of biodiverse habitats like coral reefs and rainforests contributes significantly to undocumented extinctions.

The current rate of extinction is estimated to be 100 to 1,000 times higher than natural background rates because of over-exploitation/misuse of natural resources, fragmentation/loss of natural habitats, destruction of ecosystems, pollution, and global climate change.

Hence, option d is the correct answer.

Sources:

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