UPSC: Heat Dome, Salvinia Molesta, Squalus Hima, and More

Table of Contents

UPSC GS 1

Heat Dome

News: Record-high temperatures in the western US are being caused by ‘heat domes’.
What is a Heat Dome?
- - High-Pressure System: A heat dome is a high-pressure system that forms over a large area in the atmosphere, causing extremely hot and dry weather conditions.
  - Trapping of Hot Air: This system traps hot air, preventing it from rising and cooling.
  - Compression of Air: As a result, the air becomes compressed and heats up, forming a dome-shaped area of hot air that can persist for several days or weeks.
Causes of a Heat Dome:
- - Sinking Air: Created by sinking air that warms as it descends.
  - Stagnant Air: Under a heat dome, the air can become stagnant, allowing heat to build up and intensify.
  - Excess Sunlight: High-pressure systems bring clear skies, leading to more sunlight absorption and heat.
  - Geographical Factors: Locations with lots of land and dry air, such as plains and deserts, are favorable for heat domes.
  - Climate Change: Warmer background temperatures and drier conditions contribute to the formation and intensity of heat domes.

Impact of Heat Domes:
- - Vulnerable Populations: Elderly individuals, children, and those with pre-existing health conditions are particularly at risk.
  - Outdoor Workers: Construction workers, farmers, and agricultural workers face increased risks of heat-related illnesses due to prolonged exposure.
  - Low-Income Communities: Homes in poverty-stricken areas often have heat-trapping surfaces like concrete and asbestos.
  - Heat-Related Illnesses: Prolonged exposure can lead to heat exhaustion, characterized by dehydration, dizziness, and nausea, and can progress to heat stroke, which can cause organ damage and death.
  - Cardiopulmonary Stress: Extreme heat stresses the heart and lungs, particularly for those with conditions like asthma or heart disease.
  - Droughts and Wildfires: Hot and dry conditions lead to droughts and increase the risk of wildfires.
Mitigation Strategies
- - Reducing Greenhouse Emissions: Transitioning to renewable energy, improving energy efficiency, and promoting sustainable transportation.
  - Investing in Green Infrastructure: Cities can invest in parks, green roofs, and tree planting to reduce the urban heat island effect.
  - Implementing Building Codes and Standards: Ensuring new buildings are designed to withstand extreme heat and maintain indoor comfort.
  - Reducing Heat–Trapping Surfaces: Decreasing the amount of asphalt and concrete in urban areas.

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World Population Prospects Report 2024

News: The United Nations released the World Population Prospects 2024 report recently.
Definition: The World Population Prospects Report presents population estimates from 1950 to the present for 237 countries underpinned by analyses of historical demographic trends.
Released by: United Nations
Key Highlights:
Global Population Projections:
- - The world population is projected to reach 10.3 billion by 2080 and will then decline towards the end of the century to 10.2 billion.
  - As of 2024, the global population stands at 8.2 billion.

India’s Population Projections:
- - Surpassing China, India is the world’s most populated country.
  - India’s population in 2024 is projected at 1.45 billion.
  - The population is expected to peak at 1.69 billion in 2054.
  - India will remain the most populous nation on Earth throughout the century.
World Population Day:
- - World Population Day is an annual event, observed on July 11 every year, which seeks to raise awareness of global population issues.
  - The day came to be established by the United Nations and was first observed in the year 1989.
  - Theme 2024: Leave no one behind, count everyone.

UPSC GS 2

Supreme Court Verdict On Muslim Women’s Maintenance

News: The Supreme Court has recently ruled that a divorced Muslim woman is entitled to a claim of maintenance.
Legal Entitlement to Maintenance:
- - Affirmed that all married and divorced women, including those divorced through “triple talaq”, have the right to claim maintenance under Section 125 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
  - This entitlement is independent of personal laws and serves as a social justice measure to prevent destitution.
Relationship with the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act, 1986:
- - Recognized that rights granted by the 1986 Act do not supersede the right to seek maintenance under Section 125 CrPC.
  - Upheld the constitutional validity of both Section 125 CrPC and the 1986 Act, ensuring that Muslim women can assert their rights under either law.
Constitutional Principles Upheld:
- - Emphasized the prohibition of discrimination based on religion under Article 15(1) of the Constitution, highlighting that denying maintenance under Section 125 CrPC to divorced Muslim women would violate this principle.
  - Stressed the importance of maintenance under Section 125 CrPC in providing a dignified life for women, irrespective of their marital status or religious affiliation.
Scope and Application:
- - Clarified that women can claim maintenance under Section 125 CrPC even while married, not exclusively after divorce.
  - Applicable to all women unable to support themselves, including divorced Muslim women facing financial hardship post-divorce.
Judicial Interpretation and Legislative Intent:
- - Interpreted the CrPC and the 1986 Act to ensure adequate protection and justice for divorced Muslim women, aligning with constitutional mandates.
  - Ensured that all divorced Muslim women, regardless of their marriage type, can access maintenance under Section 125 CrPC to avoid legal loopholes in protective measures.

UPSC GS 3

Salvinia Molesta

News: An exotic beetle, Cyrtobagus salvinia, has completely eliminated ‘Chinese Jhalaar’ in 18 months from Satpura dam in Madhya Pradesh.
Salvinia Molesta:
- - In Madhya Pradesh, the Sarani reservoir on the Tawa River, has been battling an invasive aquatic fern, Salvinia molesta.
  - It known locally as “Chinese Jhalaar” and globally as Kariba weed.
Characteristics of Salvinia molesta:
- - Invasive Nature: A highly detrimental, free-floating aquatic fern that does not attach to the soil but remains buoyant on water surfaces.
  - Habitat: Thrives in slow-moving, nutrient-rich waters such as lakes, ponds, streams, and oxbows.

- - Environmental Impact: Causes oxygen depletion and light obstruction, severely impacting aquatic life and biodiversity.
  - Potential Benefits: Some studies suggest its potential for treating blackwater effluent.
Biological Control: Cyrtobagus salvinia
Introduction: The South American beetle Cyrtobagus salvinia has been employed to combat the invasive Salvinia molesta.
Diet and Lifecycle: Solely feeds on Salvinia molesta and dies once its food source is exhausted, posing no further environmental threat.

Reproduction: Females lay eggs in the lower leaves and rhizomes of the Salvinia plant.
Larvae: Burrow through rhizomes and feed voraciously on new buds, leading to warping, stunting, and eventual sinking of the plant.
Adults: Feed on buds and leaves but cause less damage compared to larvae.

Squalus Hima

News: Scientists from the Zoological Survey of India have discovered a new species of deep-water dogfish shark Squalus hima in Kerala along the Arabian Sea.
Definition:
- - Squalus is a genus of dogfish sharks in the family Squalidae that are commonly known as spurdogs.
  - Spurdog are named so due to their tendency to hunt in dog-like packs.

Features:
- - These sharks are characterized by smooth dorsal fin spines.
  - Teeth in upper and lower jaws similar in size.
  - They have angular short snouts and a small mouth almost as wide as the snout.
  - They have the first dorsal fin origin behind the pectoral fins.
  - Their body is without any spots.
  - The species of this family are generally small sharks.
  - Like all sharks, dogfish grow slowly, mature late in life, and live a long time (35 to 40 years).
  - Females grow larger and mature later than males.
  - Female spurdog sharks have one of the longest pregnancies of any vertebrate, lasting between 18-22 months.
  - The spurdog is a predator that feeds on bony fish, and sometimes even smaller sharks.
  - It is a migratory species that spends the winter months in deep water, and the summer months in warm coastal waters.
Distribution:
- - Found in the Irish Sea and Northeast Atlantic, and in temperate waters world-wide.
Importance and Exploitation:
- - Species belonging to the genus Squalus and Centrophorus are exploited for their liver oil that contains high levels of squalene (or squalane is when it is processed for products).
  - It is in high demand for pharmaceutical industries particularly for making high end cosmetic products and anti cancerous products.

Sambhar Deer (Rusa Unicolor)

News: In Central India, changes in land use and roads are disrupting the populations of gaur and sambar. This fragmentation threatens their genetic diversity.
Native Range: Sambhar Deer can be found in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia.
Size: One of the largest members of the deer family

State Animal: Odisha.
Characteristics:
- - Color: Light brown to dark with a grayish/yellowish tinge; paler underparts.
  - Coat: Dark, coarse short hair with creamy white to light brown hair on the undersides.
  - Behavior: Nocturnal.
  - Social Structure: Males live alone most of the year; females live in small herds.
  - Herbivorous: Eats grasses, foliage, fruits, leaves, water plants, herbs, berries, bamboo, stems, and various shrubs and trees.
Habitat:
- - Tropical seasonal forests, subtropical mixed forests, tropical rainforests.
  - Rarely found far from water.
Ecological Role:
- - Seed Dispersal: Important for dispersing seeds throughout their native range.
Main Threats: Habitat fragmentation, habitat loss, illegal poaching.
Conservation Status:
- - IUCN: Vulnerable.
  - WPA, 1972: Schedule I.

Makhana Cultivation

News: Fox Nuts are in demand as a ‘super snack’, with its prices soaring in domestic and international markets since 2019.
Definition:
- - Makhana (Hindi) Fox nut & Gorgon Nut (English) & Euryale ferox ( Biological name) belong to the Family of ‘Nymphaeaceae’.
  - Also known as ‘ Black Diamond’ due to its multi-purpose use in medicine, healthcare, nutrition.
  - It is a non-cereal food.
  - It is a perennial aquatic cash crop.

Climate Suitable for Cultivation:
- - Makhana is a plant that is mostly found and grown in tropical and subtropical climates.
  - Temperature: Between 20 to 35 degree Celsius
  - Relative humidity: 50%-90%
  - Annual rainfall: 100-250 cm.
  - Pond Ecosystem: The plant flourishes well in stagnant perennial water bodies (including various ponds, land depressions, oxbow lakes, swampy lands and ditches).
Botanical Traits:
- - It is a seed propagated plant.
  - It has a thick rhizomatous stem.
  - It is a self-pollinated plant.
Major Producers:
- - Largest: India is the largest producer, accounting for approximately 70-80% of the global yield.
  - Countries including Japan, Korea, China, Bangladesh and Russia also grow Makhana in wild form.
  - States: At around 80%, Bihar accounts for the highest production of makhana in the country. It is also grown in Assam and Bengal.
Importance:
- - Makhana contains a good amount of carbs in each serving and is also rich in several micronutrients, including calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus.
  - Mithila Makhana is a GI-tagged product.
  - The Mallahs of Mithila in Bihar are involved in its processing that provides them with livelihood.
  - Makhana is a product approved under the Union government’s One District One Product scheme, under which subsidies are provided to food processors for branding, marketing, and developing infrastructure.

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Key Largo Tree Cactus (Pilosocereus Millspaughii)

News: A new study suggests the Key Largo tree cactus, discovered roughly three decades ago in North America, has gone extinct locally.
Definition: Key Largo Tree Cactus is a rare cactus that was discovered in the Florida Keys in 1992 and had been monitored since then.
Regions: It grows in parts of the Bahamas, northern Cuba, a few Caribbean islands, and Florida.
Physical Characteristics:
- - Height: Can exceed 20 feet (six meters).
  - Flowers: Cream-colored with a garlic scent, gleaming in the moonlight.
  - Fruits: Red and purple, attractive to mammals and birds.

Pollination: Pollinators: The garlic-scented flowers attract bats.
Preferred Locations: Exposed hilltops in Dry Broadleaf Evergreen Formation-Woodland/Shrublands.
Threats:
- - Saltwater intrusion.
  - Soil depletion from hurricanes and high tides.
  - Herbivory by local mammals.

Shield-Tail Snake (Uropeltis Caudomaculata)

News: A new species of shield tail snake has been discovered in Meghamalai-Munnar hill region in the Western Ghats.
Name Origin: The snake has been named ‘Tail-spot shield tail after the yellow spot on each side of the base of its tail.
Comparison: Differs from its closest relative, Uropeltis pulneyensis, which has a stripe instead of a spot.
Key Feature: It has increased number of ventral scales.
Distribution: Uropeltis caudomaculata is found in only three localities:
- - Meghamalai Tiger Reserve in Tamil Nadu,
  - Periyar Tiger Reserve and Yellapetty,
  - Munnar in Kerala.

Shield-Tail Snakes (Uropeltidae)
Name Origin: Derived from Greek words “ura” (tail) and “pelte” (shield), indicating the large keratinous shield at the tip of the tail.
Characteristics:
- - They are primitive, nonvenomous, burrowing snakes.
  - Shieldtail snakes are small, typically growing to between 25 and 50 cm (10 and 20 inches) in length.
  - Most species appear black, purple, or brown, red, orange, or yellow spots.
  - Shieldtails are nocturnal and live at higher elevations in loose soil.
  - Their diet is principally made up of earthworms.
  - They give birth to 3–9 living young.
Native Regions: They are endemic to peninsular India and Sri Lanka.

National Gopal Ratna Award

News: The nomination process of National Gopal Ratna Award-2024 will start from July 15.
Award: This award is given under The “Rashtriya Gokul Mission (RGM)”.
Objective:
- - The Department aims for the effective development of the Animal Husbandry and Dairy sector to provide sustainable livelihoods for farmers.
  - Special Award for North Eastern Region (NER) States to boost dairy development activities.

Award Categories for NGRA 2024:
- - Best Dairy Farmer rearing indigenous cattle/buffalo breeds (list of registered breeds annexed).
  - Best Dairy Cooperative Society (DCS)/Milk Producer Company (MPC)/Dairy Farmer Producer Organization (FPO).
  - Best Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT).
Award Details: Best Dairy Farmer and Best DCS/FPO/MPCs will receive Certificate of merit, a memento and monetary prize:
- - Rs. 5,00,000/-(Rupee five lakh only) -1st rank
  - Rs. 3,00,000/- (Rupee three lakh only) -2nd rank and
  - Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupee two lakh only) -3rd rank
  - Rs. 2,00,000/- (Rupee two lakh only) -Special Award for North Eastern Region (NER)
  - No cash prize will be provided in the Artificial Insemination Technician (AIT) Category. Only Certificate of merit and a memento shall be given.
Occasion: Awards to be conferred on National Milk Day (26th November 2024)