Theme T33 · Physical Geography & Hazards
Oceans & marine environment: currents, salinity, dead zones, oil pollution, marine resources
6PYQs
5GS1
1GS3
2014–20236 distinct years
What UPSC asks
UPSC asks about forces behind ocean currents and their role in climate, fishing and navigation; salinity variations; dead zones; oil pollution; and ocean resources for the resource crisis.
Prepare these
- Currents: wind, Coriolis, temperature, salinity; warm vs cold currents
- Fishing grounds where warm and cold currents meet
- Salinity distribution and effects
- Dead zones: eutrophication, hypoxia
- Oil spills: impacts on marine life and coasts
- Ocean resources: minerals, energy, food, deep sea mission
Answer writing
- Map-based examples (Grand Banks, Peru) add marks
Directive words in these PYQs: Describe (1), Discuss (1), Account for (1), Explain (1), Evaluate (1), Critically (1).
Linked themes
Comes back later in
Later themes that take this one further.
On the map
Map module 1: Physical IndiaMap module 4: World physical frameworkMap module 12: Environment overlays
Syllabus lines covered
- GS1-L10 — Salient features of world's physical geography.
- GS1-L11 — Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian sub-continent); factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in various parts of the world (including India)
- GS3-L14 — Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
All 6 PYQs, newest first
- GS3202310 marks · 150 wordsGS3-ENV-02-M2023-Q08
- GS1202215 marks · 250 wordsGS1-GEO-03-M2022-Q14
- GS12018GS1-GEO-03-M2018-S01
What are the consequences of spreading of ‘Dead Zones’ on marine ecosystems?
- GS12017GS1-GEO-03-M2017-S01
Account for variations in oceanic salinity and discuss its multidimensional effects.
- GS12015GS1-GEO-03-M2015-S01
- GS12014GS1-GEO-05-M2014-S01