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Ch- Natural resources: Land and Soil
LAND
Q1 What makes land an important resource for humans?
Ans. Land as a resource helps meeting our needs and acts as foundation for development. It is used for agriculture,
forestry, animal rearing, mining, transportation, as scenic spots and other purposes
Land Use
Q2 What is land use?
Ans. The utilisation of land by humans for various purposes is known as land use.
Q3 In what forms is Earth’s total land used?
Ans. Forest=32%
Pasture=26%
Permanent crops=1%
Arable land=10%
Other uses=31%
Q4 What determines land use?
Ans. Land use basically depends on various physical and human factors.
Q5 Name the physical factors that affect land use.
Ans. Physical factors affecting land use are relief, soil, climate and availability of water
Q6 Name some plains of the world.
Ans. Indo-Gangetic plains (India), Amazon basin (S.America), Mississippi-Missouri (N.America).
Q7 Enlist land uses possible in plateaus.
Ans. Settlement, transport, communication, industries.
Q8 Name the plateaus of the world.
Ans. Deccan plateau (India), Mongolian plateau(Central Asia), Colarado plateau(North America).
Q9 How does soil determine land use?
Ans. Soil condition determines land use. Fertile soil boosts agriculture hence land should be brought under
cultivation. Whereas, infertile and sandy soil may be left as wasteland, grazing land, settlement or other purposes.
Q10
Why are plains suitable for agriculture?
Ans. Rivers deposit silt along its course which is rich in minerals and hence agriculture is productive in the plains,
moreover the rivers also provide water for irrigation.
Q11
How can rainfall negatively affect land use in a region?
Ans. Heavy rainfall, like in a case of equatorial rainforersts hampers day to day activities, also leads to increased
humidity , hence affecting habitation and economic activities
LAND USE IN INDIA :SOME SALIENT ASPECTS
Q12
What is the distribution of land with respect to relief?
ANS. Plain=43%
Plateaus=27%
Mountains=30%
Q13
Forest are bearing burden of human. Explain.
Ans. More and more forests are being cleared for agricultural land and settlement, hence leading to decreased area
under forests.
Q14
What is net sown area?
Ans. Net Sown Area: Area sown with crops/orchards in a particular are. Area sown more than once in a year in
counted only once.
Q15 What is the percentage of area under forests India?
Ans. 23.02
Q16
What comprises the non-agricultural land?
Ans. Non- agricultural land(14%)includes land under settlement , industries, transport, and land in hilly or desert
areas
CONSERVATION OF LAND
Q17 What are badlands?
Ans. Extensive tracts of heavily eroded, uncultivable land with little vegetation.
Q18
Land is a delicate resource. Suggest measures to conserve it.
Ans. 1) Plan proper use of available land.
2) Land reclamation, wasteland reclamation.
3) Afforestation
4) Use of improved farming methods
5) Prevent soil and desertification
Soil
Q1. What is soil?
Ans. The thin layer of grainy substance covering the surface of the earth is called soil. Soil is made up of organic
matter, minerals and weathered rocks found on the earth. This happens through the process of weathering. The
right mix of minerals and organic matter make the soil fertile.
Q2. Why is soil considered as a resource?
Ans. It is used by:
a. Plant, animal and human life are directly and indirectly dependent on soil
b. Food, fibres that provide us with clothing and many other products of daily life are grown on soil.
Q3. What is soil profile?
Ans. Vertical section of the soil from the surface to the Bed rock is known as Soil profile. The soil profile is
horizontally divided into four different horizons or layers known as Soil Horizons. The various layers are
1) Top soil with humus and vegetation.
2) Sub soil with sand, silt and clay.
3) Weathered rock material.
4) Parent rock.
Q4. Explain the soil profile.
Ans.(a) A horizon or Top Soil: It is the uppermost layer. Rich in humus and minerals. Consists of Sand, Silt & Clay.
Leaching of soil is common in this layer. Rich in humus and minerals.
(b) Sub Soil or B horizon: It lies below the top soil and supports moisture. Consists of some amount of weathered
rock, Silt & Clay and some nutrients. Minerals found here is more than Horizon A.
(c) Weathered Rock or C Horizon: Consists of large amount of weathered rock. These rocks are not affected by
biological processes.
(d) Bed Rock or D horizon: Last layer of the soil horizon. Consists of solid layer of unweathered Rock.
Q4. Explain the factors that help in soil formation?
Ans. The major factors that help in the soil formation are as follows:1) Composition of parent rock – It determines the colour, texture, chemical properties, mineral, content,
permeability of the soil.
2) Climate -Temperature, Rainfall influence rate of weathering and humus in the soil.
3) Topography - Altitude and slope, determine accumulation of soil. Hilly areas have thin and mature soil.
4) Living organisms – Organisms such as earthworms help in aerating the soil that affect the rate of humus
formation in the soil.
5) Time of soil formation – It determines thickness of soil profile. The longer the time a soil has taken to form,
the more mature it is.
Q6. Write a short note on the soils of India.
Ans. Soils are of various types depending on their colour, texture, mineral content, fertility level, etc. Different
types of soils found in India are:
a) Alluvial Soil:
• It is the most important and most fertile type of soil found in India.
• Soil is formed by the deposition of sediments brought down by the rivers.
• The alluvial soil is found mostly in the Northern Plains and Coastal Plains of India.
b) Black Soil:
• The black soil is also called the Black Cotton Soil or Black Lava Soil.
• Cotton grows best in this soil.
• Black soil is formed from the weathering of the igneous rocks.
• The black soil is mostly found in the Deccan Trap, covering large areas of Maharashtra, Gujarat and western
Madhya Pradesh.
(c) Red Soil:
• Red soil is derived from the weathering of the igneous and metamorphic rocks.
• The red colour is due to the high percentage of iron contents.
• Red soil is found in the southern and eastern parts of the peninsular plateau.
(d) Laterite Soil:
• The laterite soil is formed when heavy rains wash the fertile upper part of the soil.
• This soil is less fertile.
• Soil is mainly found on the summits of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, etc.
e) Mountain Soil:
• The mountain soil is generally found on the hill slopes covered with forests.
• This type of soil is found in the Himalayan region, the Western and Eastern Ghats and in some parts of the
Peninsular India.
• This soil is especially suitable for producing plantation crops, such as tea, coffee.
(f) Desert Soil:
• The desert soil is found mostly in the arid and semi-arid regions.
• This type of soil is found in Rajasthan, parts of Haryana, Gujarat, etc.
• The desert soil is mainly composed of sand.
(g) Saline Sandy Soil

Coastal areas have saline sandy soil good for the growth of coconut palm.
Q7. What are the two processes that lead to loss of soil?
Ans. Soil exhaustion and soil degradation are the two major processes that lead to loss of soil
Q8. Name the factors that leads to soil exhaustion?
Ans. Factors which lead to soil exhaustion are:1) Deforestation
2) Overgrazing by animals
3) Overuse of chemical feritilisers or pesticides.
4) Dry farming
5) Multicropping
6) Shifting agriculture
Q9. What are the factors leading to soil erosion?
Ans. Running water and wind are the two most important agents of soil erosion.
Q10. . Explain the methods that help in the conservation of soil?
Ans. Some methods of soil conservation are:1) Terrace farming: Steps are cut out on the slopes making terraces. These are made on the steep slopes so that flat
surfaces are available to grow crops. They can reduce surface run-off and soil erosion
2) Intercropping: Different crops are grown in alternate rows and are sown at different times to protect the soil from
rain wash.
3) Contour ploughing:-Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope to form a natural barrier for water to flow
down the slope
4) Shelter belts and windbreaks: In the coastal and dry regions, rows of trees are planted to check the wind movement
to protect soil cover.
5) Fallowing: Some land is kept fallow to recover its fertility and improve moisture content.
6) Crop rotation: Growing nitrogen fixing crops alternatively with grains and fibre crops to ensure fertility of the soil.
7) Afforestation : Afforestation and reforestation bind the soil together and prevent soil erosion .
8) Drip irrigation: The water is released to each plant slowly thus preventing soil run off with too much of water.
9) Strip cropping : in this crops are cultivated in alternative strips, some of which can be kept fallow and others are
sown with different crops.
Q11. Name the agricultural methods use to prevent soil erosion.
Ans. Strip cropping, Fallowing, Drip irrigation, Contour ploughing, Intercropping, Terrace farming.
Q12. Define humus.
Ans. Organic material in soil formed by the decay of living organisms, especially plants.
Q13.Why India has varied types of soil?
Ans. Due to varied topography, rainfall and differences in parent rock india has different types of soil.