Chapter :- 1 Resources and Development
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
(i) Which one of the following types of resources is iron ore?
(a) Renewable
(b) Flow
(c) Biotic
(d) Non-renewable
(ii) Under which of the following types of resources, the tidal energy can be put ?
(a) Replenishable
(b) Abiotic
(c) Human-made
(d) Non-recyclable
(iii) Soil erosion in the state of Punjab is due to which one of the following reasons ?
(a) Excessive cultivation
(b) Overirrigation
(c) Deforestation
(d) Overgrazing
(iv) In which one of the following states is the terrace cultivation practised ?
(a) Punjab
(b) Haryana
(c) Plains of U.P.
(d) J. & K.
.(v) In which one of the following states is the black soil found ?
a) Uttarakhand
(b) Rajasthan
(c) Gujarat
(d) Jharkhand
Q.2 Answer the Following Question.
(i) Name three states having black soil, and the crop which is mainly grown in it.
Ans. (a) Maharashtra
(b) Andhra Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu
Crops : Cotton, tobacco and sugarcane.
(ii) Which type of soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast ? Give three main features of this type of soil.
Ans. Alluvial soil is found in the river deltas of the eastern coast. Features:
(a) It is very fertile.
(b) It is a transported soil.
(c) The soil contains adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime.
(iii) What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
Ans. Following steps should be taken to control soil erosion in hilly areas:
(a) Terracing and contour bunding:- Terracing and contour bunding across the hill slopes is a very effective and one of the oldest methods of soil conservation. Hill slope is cut into a number of terraces having horizontal top and steep slopes on the back and front. Contour bunding involves the construction of banks along the contours.
(b) Afforestation:- The best way to conserve soil is to increase the area under forests. Indiscriminate felling of trees should be stopped, and efforts should be made to plant trees in new areas.
(c) Restricted grazing of animals:- Animals should be moved over different pastures so as to avoid erosion of soil.
(iv) What are the biotic and abiotic resources? Give some examples.
Ans :-
Q.3 Explain the land-use pattern in India, and why has the land under forest not increased much from 1960-62.
Ans. (1) "Land degradation is a process through which the land becomes unfit for cultivation.
Human beings due to personal greed have degraded the natural environment to a great extent. The human activity has also aggravated the pace of natural forces to cause damage to the land.
At present, there are about 130 million hectares of degraded land in India. Approximately, 28 per cent of it belongs to the category of forest degraded area, 56 per cent is water eroded area, and the rest is affected by saline and alkaline deposits. Some human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, expansion of mining, and quarrying too have contributed significantly in land degradation.
Steps which can be undertaken to control land degradation :
(i) Afforestation: The best way to conserve soil is to increase the area under forests. Indiscriminate felling of trees should be stopped, and efforts should be made to plant trees in new areas.
(ii) Restricted grazing of animals: Animals should be moved over different pastures so as to avoid erosion of soil. Fodder crops should be grown in larger quantity.
(iii) Constructing Dams: Much of the soil erosion by river floods can be avoided by constructing dams across the rivers. This checks the speed of water, and saves soil from erosion.
(iv) Proper Farming Techniques :
(a) Crop rotation: If the same crop is sown in the same field, year after year, this consumes certain nutrients from the soil making it infertile. Crop rotation can check this type of erosion.
(b) Checking and reducing shifting agriculture by persuading the tribal people to switch over to settled agriculture.
(c) Terracing and contour bunding across the hill slopes is a very effective and one of the oldest methods of soil conservation. Hill slope is cut into a number of terraces having horizontal top and steep slopes on the back and front. Contour bunding involves the construction of bank along the contour.
(d) Ploughing the land in a direction perpendicular to the wind direction also reduces the wind velocity, and protects the top soil from erosions.
(ii) The following table shows the approximate land-use pattern in India:
Land under forest has not increased much since 1960-61 because of :
1. Deforestation
2. Expansion of agriculture 3. Mining and land degradation.
(iii) How have technical and economic developments led to consumption of resources ?
Ans :- (i) Technological development has converted the subsistence agriculture to commercial agriculture and this has led to the overutilisation of soil.
(ii) Technological development has led to industrialisation which has increased the use of natural resources.
(iii) Economic development has led to urbanisation and modernisation which demands more resources.
(iv) Technological development has also improved the process of mining.