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Glossary Terms
| Term (EN) | Definition | Exam Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| ISFR | India State of Forest Report; published biennially by Forest Survey of India (FSI); measures actual canopy cover | Rajasthan 4.84% figure |
| Great Indian Bustard (GIB) | Ardeotis nigriceps; Rajasthan's state bird; critically endangered; <150 globally; primary habitat Desert NP | PYQ staple; SC order on power lines |
| Khejri | Prosopis cineraria; Rajasthan's state tree; nitrogen-fixing; "Kalpataru of the desert"; 1730 Khejarli martyrdom | State symbol + conservation history |
| Oran | Sacred grove; community-protected forest patch in W. Rajasthan (Bishnoi, Rabari communities); 25,000+ patches | Community conservation; CRESEP conservation |
| Tiger Reserve | Protected area under Project Tiger (NTCA); Rajasthan has 3: Ranthambhore, Sariska, Mukundra Hills | PYQ + tiger census data |
| Ramsar Site | Wetland of international importance; Rajasthan: Sambhar Lake (1990), Keoladeo (1981) | Both tested in PYQs |
| UNESCO WHS | World Heritage Site; Keoladeo Ghana NP is Rajasthan's only natural WHS (1985) | Keoladeo dual designation |
| Biodiversity Corridor | Habitat linkage between protected areas allowing wildlife movement; Aravalli: Sariska–Ranthambhore (800+ km) | Analytical questions on corridors |
| PVTG | Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group; Saharia is Rajasthan's only PVTG (Baran district) | T089 connection; tribal welfare |
| Sevan Grass | Lasiurus sindicus; native desert grass of Jaisalmer-Barmer; GIB primary habitat; threatened by Prosopis juliflora invasion and solar projects | GIB conservation context |
| CRESEP | Conservation and Restoration of Ecosystems for Sustainable Ecosystems in Protected Areas; JICA-funded; ₹1,774.30 crore; 19 districts | Current affairs finance + scope |
| NTCA | National Tiger Conservation Authority; oversees Project Tiger; publishes All-India Tiger Census | Tiger census 2022: 3,682 India; 88 Ranthambhore |
| In-situ Conservation | Protection in natural habitat (NPs, WLSs, corridors) | Vs. ex-situ (zoos, seed banks) |
| Ex-situ Conservation | Conservation outside natural habitat (captive breeding, botanical gardens) | GIB captive breeding at Sudasari |
| Invasive Species | Non-native species causing ecological harm; Prosopis juliflora, Lantana camara in Rajasthan | GIB habitat loss; Sevan grass replacement |
| Biodiversity Hotspot | Region with exceptional concentration of endemic species AND severe habitat loss (≥70% original lost); defined by Conservation International; Aravalli range falls within Indo-Burma / Western Ghats influence zone | Why Aravalli matters for conservation |
| Endemic Species | Species found naturally only in a specific geographic area and nowhere else; e.g., Desert Fox (Vulpes vulpes pusilla) in Thar, certain Aravalli flora | Biodiversity uniqueness of Rajasthan |
| Ramsar Convention | International treaty (1971) for conservation of wetlands; Sambhar Lake (1990) and Keoladeo Ghana (1981) are Rajasthan's two Ramsar sites | Wetland conservation PYQs |
| Keystone Species | Species with disproportionately large effect on ecosystem; tiger is keystone in Ranthambhore — controls prey population, maintains forest structure | Tiger conservation justification |
| Buffer Zone | Area surrounding a core protected zone where limited human activity is permitted; part of biosphere reserve model (core–buffer–transition) | Protected area management questions |
| Wildlife Corridor | Strip of habitat connecting isolated protected areas; enables safe animal movement and gene flow; Sariska–Ranthambhore Aravalli corridor (800+ km) | Analytical conservation PYQs |
| Project Cheetah | Government of India initiative to reintroduce African cheetah in India; Kuno NP (MP) primary site; Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan under consideration as secondary site | Current affairs 2022–2024 |
Topic 85 of 138 | Paper II, Unit 3 — Earth Science / Geography | Generated: 2026-04-06