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Q.2: Answer the following questions in about 30 words:
(i) Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in it.
(ii) What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the Eastern Coast? Give three main features of this type of soil.
(iii) What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
(iv) What are biotic and abiotic resources? Give some examples.
Answer:
(i) The Black soils are black in colour.
These are also known as regur soils.
This soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan Plateau. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh and extend in a south-east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.
Black soil is ideal for growing cotton.
(ii) Alluvial soil is found in the eastern coastal plan is particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.
Three main features of this type of soil are as follows :
- The alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt, and clay.
- These soils are very fertile. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated.
- These soils contain an adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and other cereal and pulse crops.
(iii) The soil erosion in the hilly areas can be controlled by taking steps as mentioned below :
- Contour ploughing:Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. This is called contour ploughing.
- Terrace cultivation:Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion.
- Strip cropping:Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind. This is strip cropping.
(iv) Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere and have life such as human beings, flora, and fauna, fisheries, livestock, e.g., forests and animals are biotic resources.
Abiotic resources consist of all those things which are composed of non-living things. e.g., rocks and metals. Land, water, and soil are also abiotic resources.
Q3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not increased much since 1960-61?
(ii) How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of resources?
Answer:
(i) Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, pasture and grazing land, and wasteland. Wasteland includes rocky, arid and desert areas and land used for non-agricultural purposes like housing, roads, industry, etc.
According to recent data available, the percentage of net sown area (NSA) in India is about 54% of the total reporting area (if, the other than current fallow lands is included). . 22.5% is covered by forests, and 3.45% is used for grazing. The rest is a wasteland, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.
Improper use of forest land has led to land degradation and made conservation of forests difficult. Human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, mining, quarrying, etc have contributed to the slow growth rate of forests. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.
(ii) The following factors have been responsible for technical and economic development leading to overconsumption of resources.
In colonial times, imperial powers used their technological and economic superiority to establish control over other countries and thereby gain access to the latter’s resources. One country’s resources were accessible to the citizens of its colonial ruler too, leading to increased consumption. Technical progress also results in inefficient machinery, increased production, and greater consumption of resources.
Technological development and economic progress have led to populations increasing due to low mortality at all ages. With new developments in medicine and health care, fewer people die due to accidents, diseases, childbirth, etc. This too has contributed to higher consumption of resources.