QA: Resources and Development

 

Q and Ans with  

Q. Define resources? Name some resources?

Ans. a. Everything available in our environment which can be used to satisfy our needs, provided, it is technologically accessible, economically feasible and culturally acceptable can be termed as Resource.

b. Land, Soil, Tree and air are some examples of resources.

Q. Explain the interdependent relationship between nature, technology and institutions.

Ans. a. The process of transformation of things available in our environment involves an interdependent relationship between nature, technology and institutions.

b. Human beings interact with nature through technology and create institutions to accelerate their economic development.

c. Resources are the functions of activities.

Q. What was agenda 21?

Ans. 

a. It is the declaration signed by world leaders in 1992 at the united Nation’s conference on Environment and Development (UNCED).

b. It focuses on attaining Global Sustainable Development.

c. It’s mainly aim is to fight the environmental damage, poverty, diseases through global cooperation on common interest, mutual needs and shared responsibilities.

d. An important and distinct aim of the agenda is that every local government should draw its own local Agenda 21.

Q. Write a short note on Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit, 1992.

Ans. 

a. Rio de Janeiro was the meeting ground for the first International Earth Summit.

b. More than 100 heads of state met at this famous conference which was convened in June 1992 to address the urgent problems of environmental protection and socio-economic development at the global level.

c. A declaration on Global Climatic change and the Biological Diversity was signed by the assembled leaders.

d. They adopted Agenda 21 and endorsed the global forest Principles to achieve Sustainable Development in the 21st century.

Q. What is resource planning? Why is resource planning essential?

Ans. 

Resource planning: Resource planning is the widely accepted strategy for judicious use of resources.

a. Resource planning is essential for sustainable existence of all forms of life.

b. Sustainable existence is a component of sustainable development.

Q. Elucidate the views of Gandhiji regarding the conservation of resources.

Ans.

 a. Gandhiji was very apt in voicing his concern about resource conservation.

b. He said, “There is enough for everybody’s need and not for anybody’s greed.

c. He placed the greedy and selfish individuals and exploitative nature of modern technology as the root cause for resource depletion at the global level.

D. He was against mass production and wanted to replace it with the production by the masses.

Q. What is resource planning ? Write any three utility of resources.

And. Resource Planning : Resource Planning is a technique of skill of proper utilization of resources.

1. They are beneficial to human being

2. Different types of things are made by them.

3. Resources are limited. Do not waste the great gifts of the nature.

Q. Explain the complex process involved in resource planning in India.

Ans. Resource planning is a complex process which involves :

(i) identification and inventory of resources across the regions of the country. This involves surveying, mapping and qualitative and quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources.

(ii) Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate technology, skill and institutional set up for implementing resource development plans.

(iii) Matching the resource development plans with overall national development plans.

Q. Write six human activities which have caused land degradation.

Ans:

1. Deforestation- Cutting of trees converts land into waste land.

2. Overgrazing- uprooted grasses leads to soil erosion.

3. Mining activities — mining sites are abandoned after excavation leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening.

4. Mineral processing produces large quantities of dust in the atmosphere, which on settling down on land, retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil.

5. Over-irrigation leads to waterlogging which increases salinity and alkalinity in the soil.

6. Industrial effluents — such wastes cause land and water pollution.

Q. Write some measures/ways to solve problems of land degradation.

Ans: Measures to conserve land:

1. Afforestation - planting of trees is a major way to reduce the land degradation.

2. Proper management of grazing to control over-grazing.

3. Planting of shelter belts of plants.

Stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes.

4. Control of mining activities helps to check land degradation.

5. Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment.

6. Proper management of waste-lands and avoid over-irrigation, especially in dry areas.

Q. What is soil erosion? Explain the major types of soil erosion?

Ans. a. Soil Erosion: Soil erosion is the removal of soil by the forces of nature like wind and water is called soil erosion. This can also be described as denudation of soil cover and subsequent washing down. Following are its two types:

b. Wind Erosion: Wind blows loose soil off flat or slopping land. This is known as wind erosion.

c. Water Erosion: When running water is responsible for the removal of the top most layer of the earth that is known as water erosion.

Q. Explain the two types of water erosion.

Ans. a. Sheet Erosion: When the top layer of the soil is removed over a large area by the running water is called as sheet erosion. In such cases the top soil is washed away.

b. Gully erosion: 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. In Chambal basin such lands are called ravines.

Q. Explain proper farming techniques which can be used for soil conservation.

Ans. a. Strip Cropping: To counter the effect of wind the practice of strip cropping is followed to stop wind erosion. Large fields are divided in strips. Grass in strips is left to grow between the crops.

b. Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along the contour lines does not let water run down the slopes. This technique involved ploughing along contours, so that the furrows follow lines linking points of the same height. Such furrows halt the downward flow of water and reduce erosion.

c. Terrace Farming: Since ancient times farmers have built terraces or steps up a hillside creating several levels of farms. Hill slopes are cut into a number of terraces having horizontal top and steep slopes on the back and front.

d. Shelter Belts: Planting trees to create shelter also works in a similar way. Rows of such trees are called shelter belts. These shelter belts have contributed significantly to the stabilization of sand dunes and in establishing the desert in western India.

Q. Why do we need to conserve resources?

Ans: Because-

1. Resources are vital for any developmental activity. 

2. Irrational consumption and overutilisation of resources may lead to socio-economic and environmental problems. 

3. To overcome these problems, resource conservation at various levels is important.

Q. Name three states each in which land degradation is caused due to-

over-irrigation

over-grazing

deforestation due to mining activities

Ans:1. Three states where over-irrigation has resulted in land degradation are- Punjab, Haryana and Western Uttar Pradesh.

2. Due to over-grazing. Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra.

3. Deforestation due to mining activities has led to land degradation in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh.

Q. Write the main characteristics of alluvial soils.

Answer:

1. Alluvial soils as a whole are very fertile. They consist of various proportions of sand, silt and clay.

2. They contain adequate proportion of potash, lime and phosphoric acid. 

3. They are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops.

4. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and are densely populated.

5. Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline and can be productive after proper treatment and irrigation.

Q. What is regur soil? Write its main features. 

Answer:

Regur soil is soil which is made up of extremely fine, i.e., clayey material.

Features:

1. They have capacity to hold moisture that makes them ideal for growing cotton.

2. They are rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime.

3. These soils are generally poor in phosphoric contents.

4. They develop deep cracks during dry hot weather, which helps in the proper aeration of soil.

5. These soils are sticky when wet and difficult to work unless tilled immediately after the first shower.

6. It is mainly found in Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and extends along the Godavari and Krishna Valleys.

Q. WriteWrite main characteristics of laterite soils. 

Answer:

1. They are highly leached soils.

2. They develop in areas of heavy rainfall and high temperature.

3. They have low ‘humus’ content, because most of the micro-organisms particularly decomposers like bacteria get destroyed due to high temperature.

4. These soils can be cultivated with adequate doses of manure and fertilisers.

5. Laterite soil is found in Tamilnadu Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh and hilly areas of Assam and Odisha

Q. Write the main characteristics of arid soil.

Answer:

1. Arid soils range from red to brown in colour.

2. They have a sandy texture.

3. They are saline in nature. In areas where salt content in high, common salt is obtained by evaporation.

4. Arid soil lacks humus and is moisture deficient.

5. The lower horizons of the soil have kankars because of high calcium content which restrict infiltration of water.

6. Proper irrigation helps make these soils cultivable, e.g., Western Rajasthan.

Q. What is soil erosion? Write the main causes of soil erosion.

Answer:

The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is described as soil erosion.

Causes of soil erosion-

Human activities- The main activities like deforestation, over-grazing, construction and mining are responsible for the soil erosion.

 Natural agents- natural agents like wind, running water and glacier are the main causes of soil erosion.

Q. Explain three types of soil erosion mostly observed in India.

Answer:

1. Gully erosion

The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels,

called gullies. They make the land unfit for cultivation. Such lands are called ‘Badlands’.

2. Sheet erosion

Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope. In this case top layer of the soil is washed away.

3. Wind erosion

Wind blows off loose and dry soil from flat and sloping land causing erosion.

Q. Write four methods of soil conservation.

Answer:

Methods of soil conservation:

1. Contour ploughing By ploughing along the contour lines, water will not run down the slopes.

2. Terrace cultivation Steps can be cut on the slopes to make terraces. This restricts erosion.

3. Strip cropping Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks the force of the wind.

4. Planting of shelter belts The planting of trees in rows to create shelter also breaks the force of the wind and restricts soil erosion.

Shelter belts have helped in the stabilisation of sand dunes and deserts.