Resources And Development - Class 10 Geography - Extra Questions

• One important crop which grows in the black soil- Cotton.
• One chemical property of black soil - Black soil is poor in Lime, Potash and phosphorous.
  

• Fallow Land is farmland that has no crops on it, usually for a year, to recover its fertility to grow crops.
• The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land.
  
• The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels as gullies. The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land.
  

• Alluvial soil is widespread in India.
  
• Alluvial soil has been deposited by flowing rivers.
  
• It generally consists of minute particles of soil of various kinds mixed with salts and other minerals, and contains animal and vegetable matters in a state of complete decay.
  
• Old alluvium is called Bhangar. It contains calcareous deposits locally known as 'Kankar'. Soil is not very fertile. And hence not suitable for agriculture.
  
• Newer alluvium is called Khadar. It contains new alluvium. Used extensively for agriculture. Has no calcareous deposits.
  

• The most fertile soil is the alluvial soil.
  
• Alluvial soil has been deposited by flowing rivers.
  
• It generally consists of minute particles of soil of various kinds mixed with salts and other minerals, and contains animal and vegetable matters in a state of complete decay. It has adequate amount of phosphoric acid, potash and lime.
  
• Hence is very extensively used for agriculture..
  
• It is found in the areas of northern plains beginning from Punjab to West Bengal and Assam and also in the deltas of Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery and Mahanadi in peninsular India.
  

In ancient days soils were classified based on the fertility.

Fertile soils were called Urvara and sterile soils which were not suitable for agriculture are called Usara.

• Laterite soil provides valuable building material. This word is derived from Latin which means brick.
  
• Laterite soil is formed due to intense leaching by rainwater. Laterite soil is a rock type soil rich in iron and aluminium, and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas.
  
• All laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and long-lasting leaching of the underlying parent rock.

Deccan plateau mostly contain Black or regular soils. Black soils are derivatives of trapped lava. These are found mostly across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh on the Deccan lava plateau and the Malwa Plateau, where there is both moderate rainfall and underlying basaltic rock.

Black soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium but has poor nitrogen content. Crops like cotton, tobacco, chilly, oil seeds, jowar, ragi and maize grow well in it

This soil is best suitable for growing cotton.

• Soil erosion is the loss of top fertile layer of soil either by wind or by water.
  
• India is facing this problem in many parts. The area affected by soil erosion is 5, 00,000 square kilometers. It adversely affects productivity and economy of the country.
  
• Apart from this, soil erosion also causes frequent floods, lowers water table and makes land unfit for agriculture. 
  

Pedogenesis: The process of soil formation is called pedogenesis.

Humus: Decayed remains of plants, animal manures and dead animals is called humus. It is an essential element in determining the fertility of soil.

Bhangar: Old alluvial soil composed of lime nodules or kankar is called Bhangar. It has a clayey composition.

Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth. Loam soil is a mixture of soil that is the ideal plant-growing medium. It is actually a combination of soil, normally equal parts of clay, silt, and sand.

• Alluvial Soil - The coarser texture of the soil is available normally in the upper course of the river after river reaching the plains. Finer texture of the soil is available in the lower course of the river.
  
• The Indian Ganges has formed Terai coarser alluvium in Uttarakhand and finer alluvium in the Bengal.

• Two cash crops that grow well in an alluvial soil are Sugarcane and Jute.
  

• These are characteristic of rocks in which large quantities of iron is present.
• These soils are lighter in texture, porous, and friable structure and are poorer in lime, hummus, potash, phosphoric contents besides nitrogen with the application of fertilizers in proper proportions, 

Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.

Two processes that lead to land -degradation:  1.Overgrazing and 2. Salinisation.

Soil is considered a nonrenewable resource, which means its loss is not recoverable during a human lifespan since it can take 500 years or more for an inch of topsoil to form. As our population grows, comprehensive soil stewardship practices are more important than ever.

• Black soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium but has poor nitrogen content. 
  
• Crops like cotton, tobacco, chilly, oil seeds, jowar, ragi and maize grow well in it.
  

• Black soils are derivatives of trapped lava. These are found mostly across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh on the Deccan lava plateau and the Malwa Plateau, where there is both moderate rainfall and underlying basaltic rock.
  
• Black soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium but has poor nitrogen content. Crops like cotton, tobacco, chilly, oil seeds, jowar, ragi and maize grow well in it.
  

• All laterites are of rusty-red coloration, because of high iron oxide content. They develop by intensive and long-lasting leaching of the underlying parent rock.
  
• Laterite soil is a rock type soil rich in iron and aluminium, and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas.
  
• Laterite soils are best suitable for cultivation of coffee, rubber and tea.
  

• Plantation agriculture is a type of farming in which a large piece of land is used to farm only one type of crop.
  
• Examples of plantation crop include rubber, tea, coffee etc.
  
• Laterite soils are best suitable for cultivation of coffee, rubber and tea.
  
• This requirement of soils can differ from one plantation to the other.
  

Soil is made up of air, water, minerals and organic material and is one of the most important natural resources on earth. Most life on earth depends on soil as a direct or indirect source of food.

• Soil offers plants the physical support.
  
• It provides nutrients to plants and animals by converting dead organic matter to various nutrients.

• Largest area of India is covered by red soils. Red soil is usually found in warm, temperate climate zones like India. This soil is derived from crystalline rock. The soil usually poor with low nutrients and humus. It is very difficult for cultivation due to its low water holding capacity. Hence, this soil requires manuring and greater irrigation facilities.
  
• Crops grown in this soils are cotton, wheat, pulses, tobacco, jowar, linseed, millet, potatoes, etc.
  

• Alluvium is a loose soil or sediments which are formed due to erosion by rainwater.
  
• It is typically made of small particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel.
  
• It is found in the areas of northern plains beginning from Punjab to West Bengal and Assam and also in the deltas of Krishna, Godavari, Cauvery and Mahanadi in peninsular India.
  

The two important climatic factors responsible for soil formation are temperature and rainfall.

Resource planning refers to the strategy for planned and judicious utilisation of resources. Resource planning is essential for the sustainable existence of all forms of life. This shows that resource planning is needed at the national, regional, state and local levels for the balanced development of a country.

It is essential to have resource planning because of the following reasons:

•  It helps to identify the various resources present in different regions of the country.
• It helps in the conservation of various non-renewable/extinguishable resources.
• It helps in reducing wastage of resources.

• Black soils are derivatives of trapped lava. 
• These are found mostly across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh on the Deccan plateau and the Malwa Plateau, where there is both moderate rainfall and underlying basaltic rock. 
• This soil is best suitable for growing cotton

Land is considered as an important resource as it provides habitation to a wide variety of flora and fauna. It is also used by human beings for various purposes such as agriculture, forestry, mining, building houses and roads, and setting up industries.

• The Bhangar is composed of old alluvium of the Middle Pleistocene age and forms the alluvial terrace above the level of floodplains.
  
• Remnants of the Bhangar are eroded by every change in the direction of river channels and are being leveled down by their meandering tendencies.
  
• On the other hand, the Khadar is composed of newer alluvium and forms the floodplains along the river banks. A new layer of alluvium is deposited by river flood almost every year. These deposits are normally confined to the vicinity of the present river channels.
  
• The khadar imperceptibly mergers into the deltic and other accumulation of prehistoric times.

Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land, forest land, land meant for pasture and grazing, and waste land. Waste land includes rocky, arid and desert areas, and land used for other non-agricultural purposes such as housing, roads and industry. According to the recent data, about 54% of the total land area is cultivable or fallow, 22.5% is covered by forests, and 3.45% is used for grazing. The rest is waste land, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.

The land under forest has not increased since 1960–61 because in the post-independence era demand for more land to expand agriculture, mainly after Green Revolution, developmental works and infrastructural facilities, led to clearance of forests areas. Industrialization and urbanization also decreased the forest area. Thus, land under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.

Bhabar, bhangar, khadar and terai are the geological divisions of alluvial soils.

• Bhabar: It is found in the foothills of Shivaliks. It is 8 to 16 kms wide. It comprises of pebble studded rocks and hence no rivers. It is not suitable for agriculture.
  
• Bhangar: It covers large parts of northern plains. It is composed of old alluvial soil. It contains calcareous deposits locally known as 'Kankar'. Soil is not very fertile.
  
• Khadar: Ii is also present in northern plains like that of Bhangar. It contains new alluvium. Used extensively for agriculture.
  
• Terai: It is composed of comparatively finer alluvium and is covered by forests. It has underground streams and makes the area marshy. Suitable for agriculture.
  

Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are states having black soil. Cotton is mainly grown in black soil.

• These soils are heterogeneous in nature, and their character changes with mountainous environment and altitude.
  
• The soils are very rich in humus, but are deficient in potash, phosphorous and lime.
  
• The soils are especially suitable for plantation of tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits.
  
• The soil is loamy and silty in valley sides and coarse-grained in the upper slopes. It is acidic with low humus content in the snow covered areas.
  

These soils are formed by the sediments brought down by rivers. The rivers deposit very fine particles of soil called alluvium in their plains during the course of their long journey. It is a mixture of sand, clay and silt, called loam. These have been deposited by three important river systems-the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra. These soils occupy 40 percent of the land area. The entire Northern Plians are made up of these soils. 

Alluvial soil is found in the river deltas on the eastern coast.
Three features of alluvial soil:
→ Alluvial soils are very fertile.
→ They are ideal for growing sugarcane, wheat and paddy.
→ The regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated.

• The organic matter is any living thing or remains of a living organism present in the soil. It adds on nutrients to the soil and is very good to growth and sustenance of plants.
  
• The plant nutrients are divided into two groups. Those required by plants in large amounts are called macronutrients; these are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium and sulfur.
  
• Plant micronutrients, needed in tiny amounts include iron, chlorine, zinc, molybdenum, boron, manganese, copper, sodium and cobalt.
  
• Macronutrients and micronutrients are all critical to normal plant growth and development
  
• They are simply needed in different amounts.
  

• Mountain soils are formed due to the accumulation of organic matter which is derived from the forest growth
  
• Mountain soils are found in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal in the Himalayan mountain regions. They are rich in humus and Porous, friable structure. Deficient in lime, phosphate, manganese, nitrogen, humus and potash.

• Natural resources are the resources which are present in nature. These are also called as environmental resources. Natural resources include plains, soil, vegetation and wildlife.

• Pedology is one of the two branches of soil science. The other branch is edaphology.
  
• Pedology deals with the study of soils. It studies formation of soil, its morphology and classification of soils. The person who studies above aspects is known as pedologist.
  

• Soil fertility is defined as the ability of soil to support plant life in it. Soil should contain sufficient amounts of minerals and nutrients for this purpose.
  
• It should also have sufficient amount of microbial life like bacteria, fungi, earthworms, protozoa and nematodes.
  

Soil conservation is a method of protecting soil from getting eroded either by wind or by water.

Few soil conservation methods include:

• Graduated terrace: Steps which are commonly used to farm on hilly or mountainous terrain. Terraced fields decrease both erosion and surface runoff.
  
• Wind breaks: Row of trees or a fence, wall, or screen that provides shelter or protection of soil from the wind.
  
• Conservation tillage is a method of preparing soil from getting eroded. This technique involves leaving the previous year crop residues until the next crop is planted.
  
• Shelterbelts also known as wind breaks. Wind breaks are rows of tree planted or a fence, wall, or a screen that provides shelter or protection of soil from the wind.
  
• Overgrazing has to be checked.
  

• Humus is defined as black organic matter formed in soil due to the decay of dead plant and animal matter.
  
• It is organic because of accumulation of carbon and is hence dark in colour. It has very important constituents to keep soil healthy. It has nitrogen in greater concentration.
  

• Loamy soil is defined as the soil consisting of sand and clay.
  
• For food production, a loam soil containing a small amount of organic material is considered ideal. The mineral in a loam soil ideally is about 40% sand, 40% silt and 20% clay by weight.
  

• Epiphyte is a plant that grows on the other plant harmlessly and take moisture and nutrients from air, rain and debris around it.
  
• Examples include mosses, liverworts, algae, lichens etc.
  
• These are mostly found in temperate regions. 
  

• Undergrowth can be defined in different ways in relation with different concepts. Some of them are:
  
• It is the growth of small bushes or vegetation grown under the tall trees.
  
• It can also be defined as undersized.
  

• Soil erosion is the loss of top fertile layer of soil either by wind or by water.
  
• India is facing this problem in many parts. The area affected by soil erosion is 5, 00,000 square kilometres. It adversely affects productivity and economy of the country.
  
• The resulting land after erosion of soil makes the land unfit for agriculture and this land is called 'Badland'.
  

• Soil erosion is the loss of top fertile layer of soil either by wind or by water.
  

It is of three types:

• Sheet Erosion: Uniform removal of the topsoil just like a sheet.
  
• Rill Erosion: Heavy water flow cause rill in Land. Rill erosion is the removal of soil by concentrated water running through little streamlets
  
• Gully Erosion: Rill will enlarge as Gullies and land will be disordered. 

Geographical reasons:

(i) Alluvial soil is extremely fertile because it is found to a depth of 500 m and rich in humus, lime and potash.

(ii) Soil conservation is required to protect the washing away of the fertile top soil. Draining away of the fertile top soil reduces the content of minerals and nutrients of the land, which may affect the agricultural production.

(iii) The roots of trees hold on to the soil and help in soil conservation. Deforestation exposes the soil to water and wind forces which lead to soil erosion.

Characteristics of black Soil: It is fine textured and clayey in nature. During the dry season, the black soils shrink and develop big cracks which help in air circulation.

Characteristics of Red Soil: It is porous and has high percentage of iron oxide. It is loose and aerated.

Two similarities between red soil and laterite soil are:

(i) Both are red in colour as they are rich in iron oxide.

(ii) Both are deficient in nitrogen.

1. Alluvial soil differs in texture because it is a transported soil deposited by rivers.

2. Black soil does not get leached because it is moisture retentive. 

3. Khadar is new alluvium deposited by the rivers in their flood plains which is replenished every year. Bhangar is older alluvium found in upland area above the flood plains. Bangar is older alluvium which is not renewed by the floods.

1.   Sheet Erosion: When the vegetation cover of an area is removed, the rainwater instead of seeping into the ground washes down the slope. A complete layer is carried along with water in a larger area. It is called sheet erosion. 

2. Soil Conservation: Preventing soil erosion by taking various measures such as plantation of trees, strip cropping and contour ploughing is known as soil conservation. 

3. In situ soil: When soil is formed at its original position by the weathering of the parent rock, it is known as in situ soil like the black soil.

• Red soil requires irrigation because it is made under warm conditions. It is seen mainly in low rainfall areas.

• Afforestation prevents soil from getting eroded by several ways.

• Laterite soil is red in color because it is rich in Iron and Aluminium.
  

• Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all land forms.
• In agriculture, soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a field's topsoil by the natural physical forces like water and wind.
  
• Major causes of soil erosion in India are over-cultivation, overgrazing, and deforestation.

• Physical factors:  Rainfall, surface runoff , floods, wind errosion, tillage, mass movement.
• Chemical factors:  salt buildup and leaching of nutrients.
• Biological factors: Over growth of bacteria and fungi.
• Deforestration
• Miss use or excess use of fertilizers
• Industrial and mining activities
• Improper cultivational practices
• Urbanization
• Over grazing

Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land. It is viewed as any change or disturbance to the land perceived to be deleterious or undesirable.

• Deforestation: Forests play an important role in maintaining the fertility of the soil by shedding their leaves which contain many nutrients 
• Excessive Use of Fertilizers and Pesticides.
• Overgrazing
• Salination
• Water-logging
• Desertification
• Soil erosion
• Wasteland

Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. In agriculture, Soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a field's topsoil by the natural physical forces of water and wind through forces associated with farming activities such as tillage.  

Causes: The agents of soil erosion are water, wind, ice, and gravity. Running water is the leading cause of erosion. because water is abundant and has the power to erode the upper layers of the soil. The wind is also a leading cause of erosion as it can pick up and blow soil far away.

 Remedial steps for soil erosion:

•         Plant grass and shrubs. Bare soil is swept by wind and water
•         Add mulch or rocks.
•         Use mulch matting to hold vegetation on slopes
•         Put down fiber logs
•         Build retaining walls
•         Improve drainage
•         Reduce watering if possible
•         Avoid soil compaction 

Importance of Soil : 

Soils provide plants with essential minerals and nutrients. 

Soils provide air for gaseous exchange between roots and atmosphere. 

Soils protect plants from erosion and another destructive physical, biological and chemical activity. 

Soils hold water (moisture) and maintain adequate aeration.

The relief features, parent material, climate, vegetation and other life-forms and time apart from human activities, are the major factors responsible for the formation of soil.

1. Afforestation
2. Proper management of grazing to control over grazing.
3. Planting of shelter belts of plants.
4. Stabilization of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes.
5. Control of mining activities.
6. Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment.
7. (nil) Proper management of waste-lands.
8. Avoid over-irrigation, especially in dry areas.
9. Avoid over use of fertilizers and pesticides. 

ICAR ( Indian Council of Agriculture Research)  has classified Indian soil on the basis of nature and character as per the United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA) Soil Taxonomy. 

On the basis of color, Composition, genesis, and location, there are eight types of soils in India which are as follows:

1. Alluvial soil
2. Black soil
3. Red soil and yellow soil 
4. Desert soil
5. laterite soil
6. Swampy or peaty soils
7. Saline soils
8. Forest soils

 

 

Fallow land is a piece of land that is normally used for farming but that is left with no crops on it for a season in order to let it recover its fertility.

A fallow land can be converted immediately into a fertile area by

(i) the addition of abundant fertilisers and

(ii) also through the arrangement of proper irrigation for that piece of land.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) classified soils in 1953 as follows:

• Alluvial soils: The most fertile soil is the alluvial soil. Alluvial soil has been deposited by flowing rivers. It generally consists of minute particles of soil of various kinds mixed with salts and other minerals, and contains animal and vegetable matters in a state of complete decay.
  
• Black soils: Black soil is rich in calcium, potassium and magnesium but has poor nitrogen content. Crops like cotton, tobacco, chilly, oil seeds, jowar, ragi and maize grow well in it
  
• Red soils: Red soil are usually found in warm, temperate climate zones like India. These are derived from crystalline rock. These are usually poor growing soils with low nutrients and humus. These soils are very difficult for cultivation due to their low water holding capacity.
  
• Laterite soils: Laterite soil is formed due to intense leaching by rain water. Laterite soil is a rock type soil rich in iron and aluminium, and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas.
  
• Mountain soils: Mountain soils are formed due to the accumulation of organic matter which is derived from the forest growth.
  
• Desert soils: Most desert soils are called Arid soils (dry soil). These are porous sandy soils with low nitrogenous matter and humus.
  

There is a pressing need to use renewable energy resources in India because:

1) The conventional sources of energy are at the extent of getting exhausted and there is a need for alternative sources i.e. renewable sources of energy to sustain development.

2) The economic development plans implemented by government require steady and increasing amount of energy to remain optional.

3) The consumption of energy in all forms is steadily rising and is growing at a faster rate than the formation of the resources such as coal, petroleum etc.

4) The environment is getting harmed a lot due to the smoke and pollution produced by the non-renewable resources.

5) The renewable sources are needed to compensate the needs and preserve the environment as they are 'Eco-friendly ' in nature and are inexhaustible.

Some examples of renewable sources of energy are solar energy,wind energy etc.