On the basis of the above passage, the following assumptions have been made:
- 1.Regions of glaciers warm faster than other regions due to global warming.
- 2.Global warming can lead to seafloor sedimentation in some areas.
- 3.Melting glaciers can reduce marine biodiversity in some areas.
Which of the above assumptions is/are valid?
Answer & explanation
Answer: (c) 2 and 3 only
Warming melts glaciers, meltwater raises suspended sediment in coastal water, and that sediment cuts seafloor biodiversity. This supports statements 2 and 3, both hedged with 'can' and 'some areas'. The fast warming is reported for one peninsula, not for glacier regions in general.
- ✗ 1. Only the Western Antarctic Peninsula is said to have warmed five times as fast; extending this to all glacier regions overreaches.
- ✓ 2. Warming melts glaciers, raising 'suspended sediment in water' over the seafloor ecosystem; 'can' and 'some areas' keep the claim modest.
- ✓ 3. Melting glaciers 'are causing a loss of species diversity among benthos' in the coastal waters.
Remember · Data from one region cannot support a rule for all such regions; 'can … in some areas' is usually the safe claim.
Question and answer: UPSC's official GS Paper II (2019, Series A) — paper ↗ · answer key ↗. Explanation: Minimalist IAS, checked 30 Sept 2026 (how we verify). ·