Chapter 2: Diversity in the Living World (Biology)
Answers to all "Let us enhance our learning" questions of Chapter 2, Diversity in the Living World (NCERT Class 6 Science, Curiosity, 2026-27): monocots and dicots, roots and leaf venation, grouping plants and animals, habitats and adaptations, and conserving biodiversity. All 10 questions are answered, with the key answer highlighted.
Group the following animals based on their habitats: horse, dolphin, frog, sheep, crocodile, squirrel, whale, earthworm, pigeon, tortoise. Write the aquatic animals in 'A', terrestrial animals in 'B', and animals living in both habitats in 'C'.
SolutionA: aquatic animals; B: terrestrial animals; C: animals that live both in water and on land
A (aquatic): dolphin, whale.
B (terrestrial): horse, sheep, squirrel, earthworm, pigeon.
C (both): frog, crocodile, tortoise (they live in water and also come onto land).
Manu's mother told him that radish is a kind of root. Examine a radish and write what type of root it is. What type of venation would you observe in the leaves of the radish plant?
Solution
The radish is a taproot: one main root that has become thick and swollen because it stores food, with thin side roots growing from it. A plant with a taproot is a dicot, so its leaves have reticulate (net-like) venation.
A taproot (swollen with stored food); its leaves have reticulate venation.
Look at the images of a mountain goat and a goat found in the plains. Point out the similarities and differences between them. What are the reasons for these differences?
Solution
Similarities: both are goats; they have four legs with hooves, horns, a body covered with hair, and both eat plants (they are herbivores).
Differences:
The mountain goat has a thick, long, woolly coat; the plains goat has short, thin hair.
The mountain goat has strong legs and hard hooves with a soft grip that help it climb steep, rocky slopes; the plains goat walks on flat ground.
The mountain goat is usually stockier.
Reasons: the differences are adaptations to their habitats. The mountains are very cold, so the thick coat keeps the mountain goat warm; the slopes are steep and rocky, so it needs strong legs and gripping hooves. The plains are warmer and flat, so the plains goat does not need these features.
Both are goat-like herbivores with horns and hooves; the mountain goat has a thick coat and strong gripping hooves as adaptations to cold, rocky mountains, unlike the plains goat.
Group the following animals into two groups based on any feature other than those discussed in the chapter: cow, cockroach, pigeon, bat, tortoise, whale, fish, grasshopper, lizard.
Solution
Based on whether they lay eggs or give birth to young ones:
(Other groupings are possible, for example animals with a backbone, i.e. cow, pigeon, bat, tortoise, whale, fish, lizard, versus animals without one, i.e. cockroach and grasshopper; or animals that can fly, i.e. cockroach, pigeon, bat, grasshopper, versus those that cannot.)
For example: give birth to young (cow, bat, whale) and lay eggs (cockroach, pigeon, tortoise, fish, grasshopper, lizard).
As the population grows and people want more comfortable lives, forests are being cut down to meet various needs. How can this affect our surroundings? How do you think we can address this challenge?
Solution
Effects:
Many plants and animals lose their homes (habitats); some may disappear forever, reducing biodiversity.
There is less rain, and the air becomes hotter and more polluted, because trees give oxygen, cool the air and help bring rain.
Without roots to hold it, the soil gets washed away (soil erosion), and floods and landslides increase.
Wild animals come into villages and towns, leading to conflict with people.
What we can do:
Plant more trees and protect existing forests (afforestation; tree-plantation drives).
Use paper and wood carefully, and reuse and recycle.
Use other materials and fuels (solar energy, biogas) instead of wood.
Support protected areas such as national parks and sanctuaries, and follow the rules that protect forests.
Cutting forests destroys habitats and biodiversity, reduces rain, increases heat, pollution, soil erosion and floods. We can plant and protect trees, reduce and recycle paper and wood, use other fuels, and support protected areas.
Based on the table, find out examples of plants for each group (Group A: dicot seed, taproot; Group B: monocot seed, fibrous roots). (a) What other similarities do plants of group A have? (b) What other similarities do plants of group B have?
Solution
Group
Type of seed
Type of root
Examples
A
Dicot
Taproot
Pea, bean, gram, mango, mustard, rose, radish
B
Monocot
Fibrous roots
Wheat, rice, maize, grass, onion, banana
(a) Plants of group A have leaves with reticulate venation (and their seeds have two cotyledons that often split into two halves).
(b) Plants of group B have leaves with parallel venation (and their seeds have one cotyledon and do not split into two halves).
A (pea, bean, mustard): reticulate venation. B (wheat, rice, maize): parallel venation.
Observe the labelled part (webbed feet) of a duck. What differences do you observe in the feet of the duck compared to the other birds such as the pigeon? Which activity would the duck be able to perform using this part?
Solution
The duck's toes are joined by a thin skin (web), so each foot is broad and flat like a paddle. A pigeon's toes are separate and thin, which helps it hold branches and walk. With its webbed feet, the duck can swim easily: the webbed foot pushes the water back like an oar. (Webbed feet also help it walk on soft mud.)
The duck's toes are joined by skin (webbed) while the pigeon's toes are separate; the webbed feet help the duck to swim.
