CBSE Questions for Class 12 Medical Biology Biodiversity And Its Conservation Quiz 11 - MCQExams.com

• Genetic diversity is the total number of genetic characteristics in the genetic makeup of a species. For example, The genetic diversity shown by the medicinal plant Rauwolfia vomitoria growing in different Himalayan ranges might be in terms of the potency and concentration of the active chemical (reserpine) that the plant produces. 
• Genetic variation is an important force in evolution as it allows natural selection to increase or decrease the frequency of alleles already in the population.
  
• Stabilizing natural selection is most likely to decrease the genetic diversity in a population because the frequency of alleles remains constant in stabilized natural selection.
  
• So, the correct answer is 'Stabilising natural selection'.

• The fennec fox is a small fox that lives in sandy deserts. They are usually found in the Sahara and the northern part of Saudi Arabia.
• They have huge ears and very large eyes and are very agile. The large ears help the fox lose excess heat and also helps in detecting its prey from a long-distance away.
• They are nocturnal animals and have hairy feet that protect the fox from the hot desert sand.

• Crepuscular is a term for animals that are active primarily at dawn and dusk. These animals sleep at night and lie low during the daytime.
• Some of the common ones include rabbits, deer, bears, skunks, bobcat, and possums.
• Predators have a harder time seeing at twilight and dawn because of the lighting. This gives crepuscular animals, such as rabbits, an advantage.

• Pit Bull is a generic term often used to describe all dogs with similar traits and characteristics often known by the public as Pit Bulls. They include breeds like American Pit Bull Terriers, American Staffordshire Terriers and Pit mixes.
• Pit bulls are very strong and can pull many times their weight. They are also bred for dog fighting.

• Carnauba wax is a natural wax that comes from the leaves of the Copernicia prunifera palm grown only in Brazil. It is the hardest natural wax available.
• Commercially, it is widely used in the cosmetic, body care, food, pharmaceutical, automotive, and other industries.

• The African Rock Python is Africa's largest snake. It is non-venomous, rather killing its prey by constriction i.e by tightening its prey.
• It feeds on small antelope, monkeys and fishes.

• The giant panda is the rarest member of the bear family and among the world's most threatened animals.
• Giant pandas are bears with black and white fur. The panda's diet is 99% bamboo.
• These animals spend 10 to 16 hours every day looking for food and eat around 18-20kgs of bamboo everyday.

Ocotillos are desert plants. Most are endemic to Mexico, but also found in USA. This desert plant found in Southwestern United States can survive in the harsh desert climate by staying dormant. When it rains, it grows new leaves and flowers. On seed maturity, it sheds its leaves and becomes dormant again.