Give reasons why:
a. Most zygotes in angiosperms divide only after certain amount of endosperm is formed.
b. Groundnut seeds are exalbuminous and castor seeds are albuminous.
c. Micropyle remains as a small pore in the seed coat of a seed.
d. Integuments of an ovule harden and the water content is highly reduced, as the seed matures.
e. Apple and cashew are not called true fruits.
Plenty of algal bloom is observed in a pond in your locality.
(a) Write what has caused this bloom and how does it affect the quality of water.
(b) Suggest a preventive measure.
(a) The presence of large amounts of nutrients in water leads to algal bloom. These nutrients (nitrogen and phosphorus) are added to water bodies from fertilisers that get issolved in soil and are washed off by water bodies. Algal bloom affects the quality of water in the
following ways:
(i) It causes deterioration of water quality making it unfit to use.
(ii) Eutrophication (natural ageing of water bodies) is accelerated, resulting in hypoxic conditions (i.e. low oxygen), killing off the aquatic diversity.
(b) To prevent the algal bloom, the farmers instead of using chemical nutrients must start using natural products like manures produced using vermicomposting. Biodegradable materials should be used, that are readily decomposed and are phosphate free. Awareness should be created among people about the effects of dumping waste in water bodies.
(a) List the three states the annuals and biennial angiosperms have to pass through during their life cycle.
(b) List and describe any two vegetative propagules in flowering plants.
Explain the role(s) of the following in biotechnology.
(a) Restriction endonuclease
(b) Gel-electrophoresis
(c) Selectable markers in pBR322
Public all over India is very much concerned about the deteriorating air quality in large parts of North India. Alarmed by this situation the Resident’s Welfare Association of your locality organised an awareness programme entitled ‘Bury not burn’. They invited you, being a biology student to participate.
(a) How would you justify your arguments that promote burying and discourage burning?
(Give two reasons)
(b) With the help of flow charts, one for each practice, depict the chain of events that follow.
Secondary treatment of the sewage is also called Biological treatment. Justify this statement and explain the process
How did a citizen group called Friends of Arcata Marsh, Arcata, California, USA, help to improve water quality of the marshland using Integrated Waste Water Treatment ? Explain in four steps.
Looking at the deteriorating air quality because of air pollution in many cities of the country, the citizens are very much worried and concerned about their health. The doctors have declared a health emergency in the cities where the air quality is very severely poor.
(a) Mention any two major causes of air pollution.
(b) Write the two harmful effects of air pollution on plants and humans.
(c) As a captain of your school Eco-club, suggest any two programmes you would plan to organise in the school so as to bring awareness among the students on how to check air pollution in and around the school