AP Board 8th Class Social Geography Notes 2nd Lesson Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources
→ LAND :
- Land is the most important natural resources. It covers 30% of total area of the earth surface.
- Reasons for the uneven distribution of population in different parts of the world are topography and climate.
- The rugged topography areas are normally sparsely populated or unhabited.
- Deserted and low lying areas are sparsely populated but plains are densely populated.
- The Land used for various purposes like agriculture, forestry, mining, building houses, roads etc.
- The physical factors that determines the use of land are topography, soil, climate and
minerals. - The human factors that determines the use of land are technology and population.
- Land can also be classified in to private and community land.
- Community lands are also called common property resources.
- The quality of land also differs from place to place.
- People started encroaching the common Iands to build up commercial areas.
- Land usage pattern also reflect the cultural changes in our society.
- Land degradation, landslides, soil erosion, desertification are the major threats to the environment.
- Due to growing demands of the people forest cover area will be reduced.
→ SOIL :
- 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.
- Landforms determine the type of soil.
- Mass movement of the rock is called landslide.
- Climate, topography, organic material etc. are major factors of soil formation.
- Soil erosion and depletion are the major threats to soil as a resource.
- Mulching, contour barriers, rock dam, terrace farming, contour ploughing and shelter belts are some methods of soil conservation.
- In coastal and dry regions, shelter belts are maintained to check the wind movement.
→ WATER :
- Water is a vitpfl renewable natural resource and support variety of plant and animal life.
- Our earth is called water planet, 3/4 th of earth’s surface covered with water.
- Life began almost 3.5 billon years back.
- The ocean water is saline and not fit for human consumption.
- Freshwater accounts for only 2.7%
- Nearly 70% water occur as ice sheets and glaciers.
- Only 1% of fresh water is available and fit for human use.
- Evaporation, Precipitation, and run off process is called Water cycle.
- Water scarcity is caused by over-exploitation and contamination of water sources.
- The excessive use of water lead to shortage of fresh water and contamination of water.
- Disposal of sewage, chemicals and dumping of waters in river water causes pollution.
- Water conservation is an important remedy.
- It can be done by afforestation adopting effective, technique for irrigation and promoting rain water harvesting.
→ NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILD LIFE :
- Forests and other vegetation cover slow the surface runoff and replenish underground water.
- In the biosphere living beings are inter related and interdependent on each other for survival.
- Wild life includes animals, birds, insects, as well as the aquatic life forms.
- Smaller and big animals all are integral to maintaining balance in the ecosystem.
- The major,vegetation grouped as forests, grasslands, scrubs.
- Growth of vegetation depend up on temperature and moisture.
- Cold Polar Regions comprise of mosses and lichens.
- Human interference Influenced many species have become vulnerable or endangered.
- National parks. Wildlife sanctuaries are biosphere reserves. They made to protect our natural vegetation and wildlife.
- CITES Means the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.
→ LAND : The solid part of the earth surface. It was one of the most important natural resources.
→ TOPOGRAPHY : The arrangement of the natural physical feature of an area.
→ RUGGED TROPQGRPHY : Rugged topography consists of mountain ranges, valleys * and deep gorges. Rugged area of land is uneven and covered with rocks, with few trees or plants.
→ LOW LAYING AREAS : The land lying below the normal level.
→ SUSCEPTIBLE : Liable to be influenced.
→ POPULATED AREAS : A large group of people living in a certain place is called populated areas.
→ LAND DEGRADATION : Loss of the biological or economic productivity of Land.
→ LAND USE : Land used for various purposes like agriculture, forestry, mining, building houses, roads etc.
→ PRIVATE LAND : It was owned by individuals.
→ COMMUNITY LAND : Land which is owned by a group of persons of same community far common usage.
→ LANDSLIDES : The movement of a mass of rock, debris, or earth down a slope.
→ SOli EROSION : Transport of the upper layer of soil by different agents like water, wind etc.
→ DESERTIFICATION : The process by which fertile land becomes desert, this land inappropriate for agriculture.
→ OVERGAZING : Excessive grazing which causes damage to grassland.
→ SOIL : The thin upper layer of the earth is called soil.
→ WATER : Water is a vital renewable natural resource.
→ POLLINATION : Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma.
→ DEFORESTATION : The action of clearing a wide area of trees.
→ MULCHING : The bare ground between plants is covered with layer of organic matter like straw.
→ CONTOUR BARRIERS : Contour barriers are contour strips made with stones, grass, soil are-ttsed. That intercept downslope flowing water and soil particles.
→ ROCK DAM : Rocks are piled up to stow down the flow of water.
→ TERRACE FARMING : Terrace farming is a method of farming whereby slopes of hills and mountains.
→ INTERCROPPING : Different crops are grown in alternate rows in same field.
→ CONTOUR PLOUGHING : Ploughing along the contours of the land in order to minimize soil erosion.
→ DROUGHTS : Abnormal weather situation like lack of water availability.
→ CONTIMINATION : Pollutants include chemicals, trash, bacteria, and parasites.
→ ECOSYSTEM : The life supporting system is known as the ecosystem.
→ TUNDRA : A vast area of land treeless and snow covered cold desert is called Tundra.
→ BIOSPHERE RESERVES : Series of protected areas linked through a global network, intended to demonstrate the relationship between conservation and development.
→ VANAMAHOTSAVA : It was a plantation and awareness program of increasing forestry. It was organized by community.
→ Weathering : The breaking up and decay of exposed rocks, by temperature changes, frost action, plants, animals and human activity.
→ National Park : A natural area designated to protect the ecological integrity of one or more ecosystems for the present and the future generations
→ Biosphere reserves : Series of protected areas linked through a global network, intended to demonstrate the relationship between conservation and development.