Tipping Points are a topic addressed in this column on "Daily Current Affairs." This subject is essential to the UPSC CSE exam's Environment subsection. Rishabh has penned this article and our mentor Vikas Gupta has verified this article for publishing on the website.
- The disappearance of a single species can trigger a domino effect leading to the extinction of other dependent species, amplifying the strain on already fragile ecosystems. A prime example is the endangered gopher tortoise, which creates burrows used by more than 350 species, including the critically endangered dusky gopher frog.
- The absence of gopher tortoises could trigger the downfall of the dusky gopher frog, disrupting the balance in the entire forest ecosystem.
- Global aquifers, vital stores of groundwater, face a critical state, crucial for the primary freshwater source for over two billion people. Notably, 70% of this water is allocated for agricultural use. Alarmingly, 21 out of the world’s 37 largest aquifers are depleting at a rate faster than they can be replenished.
- The complexity lies in the fact that aquifer water accumulation took millennia, rendering the resource effectively non-renewable, with recharging efforts demanding a similar timescale. In India, specifically in the state of Punjab, an overwhelming 78% of wells have been excessively tapped or overdrawn. Moreover, the north-western region of the country anticipates critically low groundwater levels by 2025.
- Read daily current affairs updates, to sharpen your UPSC exam preparation. The Plutus IAS website makes them easily accessible.
- Reputed for providing the best IAS coaching in Delhi, Plutus IAS is committed to ensuring that every student is up to date on the most recent affairs for their Civil Services exam preparation.
