Which of the following factor is the most important factor for the lost of biodiversity?

Question

UnlockIAS · Accepted Answer

Correct — B, Destruction of natural habitat. Habitat loss/destruction — through deforestation, land-use change, wetland drainage and fragmentation — is universally recognised as the single most important cause of biodiversity loss and species extinction. It is the first and largest driver in the standard 'HIPPO' list (Habitat loss, Invasive species, Pollution, Human overpopulation, Overharvesting). Removing the habitat directly strips species of the space, food and breeding sites they need, so it is the leading factor.

Why the other options are wrong — (a) Managing predators affects particular prey/predator populations locally but is not the primary, large-scale driver of overall biodiversity loss.  (c) Pesticide use can harm non-target species locally, but it is a secondary/localised impact — not the most important factor behind global biodiversity loss.  (d) Genetic assimilation (loss of a distinct species through hybridisation with another) is a narrow, relatively minor mechanism, not the leading cause of biodiversity loss.

Concept: Biodiversity loss has several drivers, but they are not equal in weight. Ecologists summarise the main threats as 'HIPPO' — Habitat loss, Invasive species, Pollution, (Human) Population growth, and Overharvesting — with habitat destruction/change being the foremost cause of species decline and extinction worldwide.

State PCS 2023 Q125 — Environment & Ecology PYQ with Answer

State PCS 2023 Q125 — Environment & Ecology PYQ with Answer