The Living World Test - 3

• Key is a taxonomical aid used for identification of plants and animals based on the similarities and dissimilarities.
• The keys are based on contrasting characters generally in a pair called couplet.
• It represents the choice made between two opposite options, which results in acceptance of only one and rejection of the other.
• Each statement in the key is called a lead.
• Separate taxonomic keys are required for each taxonomic category such as family, genus and species for identification purposes.
• Keys are generally analytical in nature.

A herbarium is a collection of plants, which have been dried pressed, mounted on herbarium sheets, identified and classified according to some approved system of classification. The storage of herbarium sheets forms a repository for future use.

Following points are need to be considered during the preparation of herbarium sheets:
(i) Plant should be collected in flowering stage.
(ii) Every detail regarding the plant such as locality, ecological conditions, vegetative and floral characters, etc. should be noted.
(iii) Plants are evenly pressed by unfolding all the plant parts between blotting papers (or newspapers) with the help of plant pressers.
(iv) Botting papers are required to be changed regularly until the plant gets dried.
(v) After drying, the plant specimen is carefully mounted/pasted on the herbarium sheets.
(vi) The herbarium sheet is labelled on the lower right hand corner representing the number of plant specimen, date of collection, etc.

Botanical gardens are sufficiently large sized tracts where plants belonging to different types and localities are grown for scientific and educational purposes.
Botanical gardens are useful in:
(i) Providing plant material for comparative taxonomic studies.
(ii) Functioning as acclimatization centres for exotic plants of economic importance.
(iii) Growing and maintaining records of local flora.
(iv) Growing plants of various types for research.
(v) Providing seeds and living materials to different research centres.
(vi) Co-ordinating research through International Association of Botanical gardens.
(vii) Ex situ conservation involves conservation of plants and animals in artificial habitats, which are quite similar to the normal habitats of these organisms. Botanical Gardens provide ex situ conservation of germplasm, and are uniquely positioned to help address the issues relevant to restoring ecosystems.

Correct option is D)

(i) An herbarium is a storehouse of collected plant specimens that are dried, pressed, and preserved on sheets.

(ii) Flora is a book that provides information to the habitat, distribution, climate, index of the plant species found in a particular area.

(iii) Monographs contain information on only one taxon.

So, the correct option is D.

• Royal Botanical Garden, Kew is present in England. The main ambition of this botanical garden is scientific discovery and research to develop information about the potential uses of plants and fungi. The chairman of this botanical garden is Dame Amelia Fawcett and the director is Richard Deverell.
• Acharya Jagadish Chandra Bose Indian Botanic Garden is the full name of Indian Botanical Garden which is situated in Howrah. They are commonly known as Calcutta Botanic Garden. This garden is operated by the Botanic survey of India.
• National Botanical Research Institute is located in Lucknow it is an institute of CSIR. This botanical garden is engaged in the field of taxonomy and modern biology. South Africa's state botanical research institute is the National Botanical Research Institute.
• Lloyd Botanical Garden is located in Darjeeling. The Area of this botanical garden is 16 hectares (40 acres). This garden preserves several species of bamboo, oak, magnolia, and some other species. It was created in 1878.

• Botanical gardens are sufficiently large sized tracts where plants of different types and areas are grown for scientific and educational purposes.
• Zoological parks are the places where wild animals are kept in protected environments under human care and which enable us to learn about their food habits and behaviour. Museums have collections of preserved plant and animal specimens for study and reference.
• Specimens are present, in the containers or jars in preservative solutions. Plant, animal specimens may also be preserved as dry specifmen Insects are preserved in insea boxes after collecting, kills and pinning. Larger animals like birds and mammals, and usually stuffed and preserved. Museums often has, collections of skeletons of animals.
• A herbarium is a collection of plants, which have been, dried, pressed, mounted on herbarium sheets, identified, classified according to approved system of classification.

The plants and animals found in a particular area are termed flora and fauna of that area respectively. 
Example: sal, teak, mango, jamun, silver ferns, etc. are the flora
Chinkara, blue-bull, barking deer, leopard, wild dog, wolf, etc. are examples of the fauna of the Pachmarhi Biosphere Reserve.

So, the correct option is option C.

A botanical garden exclusively growing trees is called as arboretum.

Arboretum is a part of botanical gardens where lots of big trees are cultivated in the form of forests. So, the correct answer is (D).
 

Both statements 1 and 2 are true but statement 2 is not the correct explanation of statement 1.

Ecology - The relationship between living things and their surroundings

Herbarium - A systematically arranged collection of dried plants.

Holotype - A particular specimen or illustration designated by author to represent the type of a species is referred to holotype. It is now essential to designate a holotype with publishing a new species.

Taxon - A taxonomic group of any rank, such as a species, family, or class. 

Hence, the correct answer is Option (c)