UPSC CSE Prelims
Question 73
Consider the following statements :
- Most of the world's coral reefs are in tropical waters.
- More than one-third of the world's coral reefs are located in the territories of Australia, Indonesia and Philippines.
- Coral reefs host far more number of animal phyla than those hosted by tropical rainforests.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?
View correct answer and explanation
Correct answer: D
Correct Option: D
Explanation: Warm, shallow tropical seas host most reef-building corals. Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines account for more than a third of the world’s reef area, while reefs support exceptionally broad animal taxonomic diversity.
Statement/Pair-wise Analysis:
Statement/Item 1: Correct - Most tropical coral reefs require warm, clear, sunlit shallow water.
Statement/Item 2: Correct - Australia, Indonesia and the Philippines collectively account for over one-third of global coral-reef area.
Statement/Item 3: Correct - Reefs contain representatives of more animal phyla than tropical rainforests, despite occupying less area.
Option-wise Analysis:
A: Incorrect - omits correct statement/item 3.
B: Incorrect - omits correct statement/items 1, 2.
C: Incorrect - omits correct statement/item 2.
D: Correct - includes all and only the true statements/items.