CHAPTER-2

LAND, SOIL, WATER, NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

RESOURCES
QUESTION AND ANSWERS
Q1. Define Biosphere, Ecosystem. weathering.
Ans – Biosphere – Biosphere is a narrow zone of contact between the
lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere where natural vegetation and wildlife
exist and interact.
Ecosystem – In the biosphere living beings are inter-related and
interdependent on each other for survival. This life supporting system is known
as the ecosystem.
Weathering – It is the breaking up and decay of exposed rocks, by
temperature changes, frost action, plants, animals and man.
Q2. What is the percentage of land area in the world?
Ans- Land covers about thirty per cent of the total area of the earth’s surface
and all parts of this small percentage are not habitable.
Q3. Which are the areas of the world that are densely and thinly
populated? Give reasons for the same.
Ans-1. The rugged topography, steep slopes of the mountains are thinly
populated due to less opportunities as compared to the plain areas.
2. Low-lying areas susceptible to water logging.
3. Desert areas with high temperature are sparsely populated.
4. Thick forested areas are normally sparsely populated or uninhabited due to
difficult survival conditions.
5. Plains and river valleys offer suitable land for agriculture. Hence, these are
the densely populated areas of the world.
Q4. What is meant by land use? Explain the factors affecting it.
Ans- Land is used for different purposes such as agriculture, forestry, mining,
building houses, roads and setting up of industries. This is commonly termed as
Land use.
Factors affecting land use pattern-
The use of land is determined by physical factors and human factors

Q5. What is meant by private land and community land?

Ans- 1. Land can also be divided on the basis of private land and community
land
2. Private land is owned by Individuals
3. Community land is owned by the community for common uses like collection
of fodder, fruits, nuts or medicinal herbs. These community lands are also called
common property resources
Q6. What are the ways to conserve land resources?
Ans- The methods of soil conservation are as follows –
1. Afforestation
2. Land reclamation
3. Regulated use of chemical pesticide and fertilisers
4. Checks on overgrazing
Q7. What are landslides?
Ans- Landslides are the mass movement of rock, debris or earth down a slope.
Q8. Discuss the causes and mitigation mechanism of landslides.
Ans- Causes of Landslides –
1. Landslides often take place with earthquakes, floods and volcanoes.
2. A prolonged spell of rainfall can also cause heavy landslide that can
block the flow of river for quite some time.
3. Construction works, mining, as well as the unregulated cutting of trees
can also cause landslides
Some mitigation techniques of landslide are as follows:
1. Hazard mapping locate areas prone to landslides. Hence, such areas can
be avoided for building settlements.
2. Construction of retention wall to stop land from slipping.
3. Increase in the vegetation cover is an effective way to arrest landslide.
4. The surface drainage control works are implemented to control the
movement of landslide along with rainwater and spring flows.
Q9. Draw a labelled diagram of soil profile, mark its zones.
Ans- Labelled diagram of soil profile

Q10. What is soil made up of?

Ans- Soil is made up of organic matter, minerals and weathered rocks found on
the earth.
Q11. What factors affect the soil profile? Explain in detail.
Ans- The factors affecting soil formation are as follows –
Parent Rock - Determines colour, texture, chemical properties mineral, content,
permeability.
Relief - Altitude and slope, determine accumulation of soil.
Flora, Fauna and Micro-organism Affect the rate of humus formation.
Time - Determines thickness of soil profile.
Climate – Temperature and Rainfall of a place influence rate of weathering and
humus.
Q12. Name the four layers of soil profile.
Ans – The four layers of soil are –
1.Top soil
2. Sub soil
3. Weathered rock material
4. Parent rock
Q13 – Answer the following questions
a. What is Sub-soil and where it is located?
Ans- Subsoil is the layer of soil located immediately below the top soil and
above the weathered rock material which mainly consist of minerals, sand, silt
and clay.
b. What is Top-soil and what is it composed of?
Ans -1. Topsoil is the upper or the outermost layer of soil.
2. It is composed of organic matter, minerals and microorganisms
c. What is Sub-soil composed of?
Ans - Sub soil is composed of sand, silt and clay.
d. What is the lowermost layer of the soil profile is known as?
Ans- The lowermost layer of the soil profile is known as parent rock.
Q14. Name the regions of World facing water scarcity.
Ans- There is scarcity of water in many regions of the world.
Most of Africa, West Asia, South Asia, parts of western USA, north-west
Mexico, parts of South America and entire Australia are facing shortages in
fresh water supply.
Q15. What can be the causes of water shortages?
Ans- Causes of water shortage are as follows –

Q16. What factors lead to soil degradation?

Ans – Factors that lead to soil degradation are as follows –
Q17. Discuss measures to conserve soil resources.
Ans - Measures to conserve soil are as follows –

Mulching:
a. The bare ground between plants is covered with a layer of organic matter like
straw.
b. It helps to retain soil moisture.
Contour barriers:
a. Stones, grass, soil are used to build barriers along contours.
b. Trenches are made in front of the barriers to collect water.
Rock dam:
a. Rocks are piled up to slow down the flow of water.
b. This prevents gullies and further soil loss.
Terrace farming:
a. These are made on the steep slopes so that flat surfaces are available to grow
crops.
b. They can reduce surface run-off and soil erosion.
Intercropping:
a. Different crops are grown in alternate rows and are sown at different times to
protect the soil from rain wash.
Contour ploughing:
a. Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope to form a natural barrier for
water to flow down the slope.
Shelter belts:
a. In the coastal and dry regions, rows of trees are planted to check the wind
movement to protect soil cover
Q18. Why Earth is called a “blue planet”?
Ans- The Earth is known as Blue Planet as three- fourth of the earth’s surface is
covered with water.
Q19. Which are the major sources of fresh water?
Ans – Fresh water is the most precious substance on earth.
1. Only 1 per cent of freshwater is available and fit for human use.
2. It is found as ground water, as surface water in rivers and lakes and as water
vapour in the atmosphere.
Q20. How does water become renewable in nature?
Ans- Water is renewable in nature as-
1. Water can neither be added nor subtracted from the earth.
2. Its total volume remains constant.
3. Its abundance only seems to vary because it is in constant motion, cycling
through the oceans, the air, the land and back again, through the processes of
evaporation, precipitation and run-off.
This is known as the ‘water cycle’.
Q21. Discuss the factors leading to quantitative and qualitative shortage.
Ans – The factors leading to quantitative shortage of water -
1. Humans use huge amounts of water not only for drinking and washing but
also in the process of production.
2. Water is also wasted for agriculture, industries, generating electricity through
reservoirs of dams.
3. Increasing population, rising demands for food and cash crops, increasing
urbanisation and rising standards of living are the major factors leading to
shortages in supply of fresh water.

The factors leading to qualitative shortage of water –

1.Discharge of untreated or partially treated sewage, agricultural chemicals and
industrial effluents in water bodies are major contaminants. They pollute water
with nitrates, metals and pesticides.
2. Most of these chemicals being non-biodegradable when discharged in water
bodies reach human bodies and causes several diseases.
Q22. How can we conserve surface runoff of fresh water, why is it
necessary in your opinion?
Ans – The Surface run off of fresh water can be conserved with the help of the
following methods-
1.Forest and other vegetation cover slow the surface runoff and replenish
underground water.
2.Water harvesting is another method to save surface runoff.
3.Water is used for irrigating fields so the canals should be properly lined to
minimise losses by water seepage.
Water should be preserved as it a valuable resource without which the life is not
possible.
Q23.What are the reasons for the decline in vulture population in India?
Ans - Vultures in the Indian subcontinent were dying of kidney failure shortly
after scavenging livestock treated with diclofenac, a painkiller that is similar to
aspirin or ibuprofen.
Q24. How are plants and animals useful?
Ans- 1. Plants are useful to us due to the following reasons –
a. Plants provide us with timber
b. Give shelter to animals
c. Produce oxygen we breathe
d. Protects soils so essential for growing crops
e. Act as shelter belts
f. Help in storage of underground water
g. Give us fruits, nuts, latex, turpentine oil, gum
h. Medicinal plants provide medicines
i. The paper that is so essential for your studies.

2. Animals are useful to us due to the following reasons –

a. Wildlife includes animals, birds, insects as well as the aquatic life forms.
b. They provide us milk, meat, hides and wool. Insects like bees provide us
honey, help in pollination of flowers and have an important role to play as
decomposers in the ecosystem.
c. The birds feed on insects and act as decomposers as well.
d. Vulture due to its ability to feed on dead livestock is a scavenger and
considered a vital cleanser of the environment.
e. So animals big or small, all are integral to maintaining balance in the
ecosystem.

Q25. What is CITES?

Ans -1. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species
of Wild Fauna and Flora) is an international agreement between governments.
2. It aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and
plants does not threaten their survival.
Q26. Differentiate between the different types of forests.
Ans -Forests are broadly classified as evergreen and deciduous depending on
when they shed their leaves.
1. Evergreen forests do not shed their leaves simultaneously in any season
of the year.
2. Deciduous forests shed their leaves in a particular season to conserve loss
of moisture through transpiration.
3. These forests are further classified as tropical or temperate based on their
location in different latitudes.
Q27. Name the major vegetation types.
Ans- The major type of vegetation is as follows -

Q28. What are causes of depletion of wildlife and what are the measures
taken to protect them?
Ans- 1. The causes of depletion of wildlife are as follows –
2. Measures taken to protect the wildlife are as follows –
a. Many countries have passed laws declaring that the trades as well as killing
of birds and animals are illegal.
b. In India, killing of lions, tigers, deers, great Indian bustards and peacocks
have been banned
c. An international convention CITES has been established that lists several
species of animals and birds in which trade is prohibited.
d. Celebration of Vanamohatasava is encouraged at the regional and community
level.
e. Awareness programmes and campaigns are run by the government in order to
sensitize the people.
Q29. What are Forest fires? Discuss causes and ways to prevent it.
Ans – Forest fire is an uncontrollable fire which occurs in a wild land area.
Causes of forest fires -
a. Lightning
b. High Temperature
c. Human Negligence
Ways to prevent forest fires –
1. Report unattended fire as soon as possible.
2. Extinguish fire pits and campfires before leaving the forest area
 3. We should not discard half burned matchsticks or any inflammable item
in the forest area.
4. As a society we should use environment friendly products for reducing
the global warming

CONCEPTUAL QUESTIONS
Q30. Name the countries having largest percentage of
i) Cropland
First Position – India (57%)
ii) Pasture
First Position – Australia (56%)
iii) Forest
First Position – Japan (67%)

Q31. Give world`s percentage of

i) Pasture – 26 %
ii) Forest – 31 %
iii) Cropland – 11 %
Q32. How would you relate the land use patterns of these countries with
probable economic use?
Ans – 1. The land use pattern of these areas affects economic activities of these
countries in the sense that people and their demands are ever growing but
availability of the land is limited
2. Similarly the quality of the land is also different from one place to the other.
3. Consequently the common lands are encroached by people for the purpose of
building up commercial areas and housing complexes in the urban areas. It is
done in the rural areas in order to expand the agricultural land.
Q33. How has deforestation led to destruction of soil resources?
Ans – Deforestation has harmed soil in various ways -
1. Loss of nutrients in the soil.
2. Increased soil erosion
3. Increased flooding due to lack of water absorption by trees
4. loss of soil fertility with the passage of time
5. It impacts the microorganisms living in the soil.
Q34. List some ways to conserve water.
Ans - Ways to conserve water –
1. Forest and other vegetation cover slow the surface runoff and replenish
underground water.
2. Water harvesting is another method to save surface runoff.
3. The canals should be properly lined to minimise losses by water seepage.
4. Sprinklers effectively irrigate the area by checking water losses through
seepage and evaporation.
5. In dry regions with high rates of evaporation, drip or trickle irrigation is
very useful.

HOTS-Q35. What is rainwater harvesting? Why do we need to conserve

water?
Ans – 1. Rain water harvesting is the process of collecting rain water from roof
tops and directing it to an appropriate location and storing if for future use.
2. On an average, one spell of rain for two hours is enough to save 8,000 litres
of water.
We need to conserve water as it is a valuable resource and without it the life on
earth is not possible.
Diagram for better understanding -

HOTS-Q36.Differentiate between Biosphere reserves and National park.

Ans – Difference between Biosphere Reserve and National Park is as follows

Biosphere Reserve National Park

Biosphere reserves are series of National Park is a natural area

protected areas linked through a designated to protect the
global network, intended to ecological integrity of one or
demonstrate the relationship more ecosystems for present
between conservation and and future generations
development.

The average size ranges over The average size ranges from
5670 sq km. 0.04 to 3162 sq km
 Tourism is not permissible Tourism is permissible

Research and scientific Research and Scientific

management are there management are lacking

Attention is given to genepool No attention is given to

and conservation genepool and conservation

Value based Question

Q.37.What is the use of rainwater harvesting?

Ans – The advantages of rainwater harvesting is as follows -

1. Helps in reducing the water bill.

2. Reduces the need for imported water.
3. Promotes both water and energy conservation.
4. Improves the quality and quantity of groundwater.
5. This technology is relatively simple, easy to install and operate.
6. It reduces flooding, and pollution of surface water with fertilizers,
pesticides, metals and other sediments.
7. It is an excellent source of water for landscape irrigation with no
chemicals and dissolved salts and fee from all minerals.
8. Less cost involved

Q38.Why do we need to conserve forests.

Ans - We should conserve forests because they are essential for us in the
following terms:

1. Forest provide us with oxygen, they cause rainfall.

2. Forest prevents soil erosion.
3. Plants are dependent on animals and birds for their pollination and seed
dispersal.
4. Forests provide us with various medicines.
5. Various forest products are used as raw materials in industries.

Q39.Why are Biosphere Reserves better than National parks.

Ans – A Biosphere reserve focuses on the ecosystem in totality whereas a
National Park focuses on conserving the habitat of a particular wild species.