Match the LIST-I with LIST-IILIST-ILIST-IICauses of biodiversity loss…

The correct answer is Option (3) → A-III, B-I, C-II, D-IV

The main causes of biodiversity loss are called the Evil Quartet: habitat loss and fragmentation, over-exploitation, alien species invasion and co-extinctions.

(A) Habitat loss and fragmentation — this matches (III) Cultivation of soya beans. Large areas of the Amazon rain forest have been cleared to grow soya beans or to make grassland for beef cattle. The species lose their habitat, and the rest of the forest is broken into small pieces.

(B) Over-exploitation — this matches (I) Steller’s sea cow. This animal was hunted too much and became extinct. The passenger pigeon is another example.

(C) Alien species invasion — this matches (II) Lantana. Lantana is an alien plant that was brought in and now spreads and crowds out native species. Water hyacinth is another example.

(D) Co-extinction — this matches (IV) Plant-pollinator mutualism. When a species goes extinct, the species that depend on it also die out. If a plant and its pollinator depend on each other, the loss of one leads to the loss of the other.

NCERT Extract:
Loss of Biodiversity – “… The Amazon rain forest (it is so huge that it is called the ‘lungs of the planet’) harbouring probably millions of species is being cut and cleared for cultivating soya beans or for conversion to grasslands for raising beef cattle.”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… Many species extinctions in the last 500 years (Steller’s sea cow, passenger pigeon) were due to overexploitation by humans.”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… You must be familiar with the environmental damage caused and threat posed to our native species by invasive weed species like carrot grass (Parthenium), Lantana and water hyacinth (Eicchornia).”
Loss of Biodiversity – “… Another example is the case of a coevolved plant-pollinator mutualism where extinction of one invariably leads to the extinction of the other.”