Mains Practice Questions for the Day
- Q. “Economic valuation of mangroves can transform them from perceived obstacles to development into valuable natural infrastructure.” Discuss with reference to the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem.
- Q. The Himalayan region requires a transboundary and multi-hazard approach to disaster management rather than isolated national responses focused only on GLOFs. Discuss.
Q. “Economic valuation of mangroves can transform them from perceived obstacles to development into valuable natural infrastructure.” Discuss with reference to the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem.
Introduction:
Mangroves are salt-tolerant coastal forests that provide fisheries, biodiversity, carbon storage and protection against coastal hazards. A recent study estimated the Total Economic Value of the Pichavaram mangrove ecosystem at ₹2,485.38 crore, demonstrating its ecological and developmental importance.
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Significance of Economic Valuation
- Correcting market failure: Many services, including storm protection, nutrient cycling and carbon sequestration, lack market prices and are consequently ignored in development planning.
- Natural infrastructure: Pichavaram’s coastal-protection function was valued at ₹147.17 crore. Mangroves reduce erosion, waves and storm-surge impacts, lowering expenditure on artificial barriers.
- Climate regulation: Its combined vegetation and soil blue-carbon asset was valued at ₹1,612.40 crore. Significantly, most carbon is stored in sediments.
- Livelihood security: Fisheries provide food and income, while recreation and tourism were valued at ₹484.25 crore.
- Better decision-making: Valuation allows the ecological cost of mangrove destruction to be incorporated into environmental-impact assessment and project appraisal.
- Climate finance: Verified carbon stocks can support carbon credits, Payment for Ecosystem Services and blue-carbon financing.
- Green accounting: Mangrove assets can be incorporated into Natural Capital Accounting and Green GDP.
Challenges
Mangroves face aquaculture expansion, pollution, urbanisation, infrastructure development, illegal logging, sea-level rise and cyclones. Inappropriate plantations and exclusion of local communities can also weaken conservation.
Way Forward
India should integrate ecosystem valuation into coastal planning, strengthen CRZ enforcement and expand MISHTI through native, site-specific restoration. Scientific monitoring must cover both vegetation and soil carbon. Community-managed fisheries, ecotourism and transparent benefit-sharing should provide livelihood incentives for conservation.
Conclusion:
Pichavaram proves that mangroves are productive natural assets rather than unused coastal land. Recognising their complete economic value can harmonise development, climate resilience, biodiversity conservation and community welfare.
Q. How can the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope advance our understanding of dark matter, dark energy and exoplanets? Discuss its scientific significance and operational challenges.
Introduction:
Launched by NASA on August 30, 2026, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a wide-field infrared observatory designed to survey vast regions of the universe. Its scientific capabilities complement the focused observations of Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope.
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Scientific Contributions
- Dark matter: Roman will study gravitational lensing—the bending of light by massive objects. Subtle distortions in galaxy images can reveal the distribution of invisible dark matter.
- Dark energy: By mapping galaxies across different cosmic periods, it can examine changes in the universe’s expansion and improve understanding of dark energy.
- Cosmic mapping: Its wide-field surveys will help construct a three-dimensional map of galaxies and galaxy clusters.
- Exoplanet discovery: Roman can survey large star fields and identify diverse planets beyond the Solar System, improving estimates of how common planetary systems are.
- Direct imaging: Its advanced coronagraph will block stellar glare and attempt to capture faint reflected light from planets and dusty disks.
- Survey efficiency: The 300-megapixel Wide Field Instrument can survey the sky much faster than Hubble, producing extensive datasets for global research.
- Complementarity: Roman can identify promising targets for detailed study by JWST, Hubble and ground-based observatories.
Challenges
Operating near L2 limits opportunities for physical repair. Precise control is necessary for coronagraphy and gravitational-lensing measurements. The mission will also generate up to 20 petabytes of data, creating major storage, processing and interpretation demands. Moreover, it may map the effects of dark matter and dark energy without directly explaining their fundamental nature.
Way Forward
International collaboration, open data access, artificial intelligence-assisted analysis and coordinated follow-up observations will be essential to maximise its scientific output.
Conclusion:
Roman’s importance lies in combining detailed observation with unprecedented survey scale. It may not immediately solve every cosmic mystery, but it can provide the evidence needed to transform humanity’s understanding of the universe.
