Subject- Geography

Topic-Soil Resources
Q1. Complete the table given below:
Soil Origin Regions Physical Chemical Crops
Characteristics Characteristics grown
Alluvial This soil is  Punjab 1.Yellow to brown in 1. Rich in potash Good for
Soil formed  Haryana colour and lime growth of
Or sediments  Uttar Pradesh 2. Varies greatly in 2. Deficient in crops as it
Riverine deposited by  Bihar texture from nitrogen, is fertile
soil rivers. The  West Bengal coarse to fine phosphoric acid Rice, wheat,
Ex situ rivers carry  Odisha sugarcane,
soil the  Parts of oilseeds
sediments Gujarat and
long distance Rajasthan
and deposit  Brahmaputra
it. The valley
sediments  Coastal strip of
gets Peninsular
deposited far India
away from
parent rock
so called ex
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 situ soil
Black It is of  Maharashtra 1.Colour black to 1.Rich in iron, Cotton,
soil/ volcanic  Parts of chestnut brown potash,lime,calcium, Sugarcane,
Regur origin.It is Odisha 2.Moisture alumina,magnesium Cereals and
soil/lava formed by  Western retentive very 2.Deficient in oilseeds
soil breaking Andhra sticky when wet(so nitrogen, (being
down of Pradesh difficult to plough phosphorus, and fertile soil
igneous rocks  Parts of when it is wet) humus have self
like basalt Tamilnadu 3. When dry ploughing
 Parts of hardens and capabilities,
Gujarat develops deep this soil
(Deccan Plateau cracks, which allows excellent
and Gujarat air, sunlight and for soil
region) water to seep exhaustive
through. Thus it is crops)s
known as self
ploughing soil
Red soil It is formed Tamilnadu 1. Red in colour due 1. Rich in iron oxide Wheat,
by weathering Karnataka to high iron oxide and potash millets,
of crystalline North Eastern content. 2.Deficient in rice,
and Andhra Pradesh 2.Porous friable but nitrogen, lime, sugarcane
metamorphic Madhya Pradesh not retentive of phosphoric acid, and pulses
rocks like Odisha moisture(so and humus
granite and irrigation is
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 gneiss required growing
crops)
3.Soil can be used
for growing crops
with use of
fertiliser and
irrigation
Laterite Formed due Andhra Pradesh 1.Coarse in texture 1.Infertile soil poor Cashew and
soil to leaching Tamilnadu cannot retain in nitrogen and lime Tapioca
under Karnataka moisture 2.Has iron oxide (Unsuitable
conditions of Summits of the 2. Red in colour for
high Western and the because of iron agriculture
temperature Eastern Ghats oxide due to acid
and heavy Goa 3. soft and friable content,low
rainfall with Kerala fertility
alternating and
dry and wet inability to
periods retain
moisture)

Q2. State the conditions that lead to soil formation.

A2. Conditions for soil formation:
 Type of parent rock
 Climatic conditions like temperature and rainfall
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  Surface relief or topography as well as drainage

Q3. State differences between

(i) Alluvial soil and Red Soil
(ii)Sheet erosion and Gully erosion
(iii) Alluvial soil of North India and Alluvial soil of South India
(iv) Khadar and Bhangar
(v) Alluvial soil and Black Soil
A
Alluvial soil Red soil
Silt and sediments brought down by Formed by weathering of
the river- Transported soil or exsitu metamorphic rocks- In situ soil
soil
Colour ranges from yellow to brown Colour red due to iron oxide
Fertile soil good for cultivation Infertile soil responds well to
fertiliser
Rich in potash and lime Poor in lime
Loamy soil Sandy and friable

Sheet erosion Gully erosion

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1.When there is heavy rainfall in hilly
regions such as Himalayas, Hills of
North East India, Nilgiris etc the
steep slopes and rain cause sheet
erosion over vast stretches of land.
In the plains which are more or ;less
level the speed of running water is
less so erosion is comparatively less
2.Happens in areas of heavy rainfall 2. Happens in areas of low rainfall
and hill slopes with less vegetation cover
Alluvial soils of North India
The soil of North India are pale
brown in colour
The alluvial soil of North India
covers riverine alluvium of river
Indus, Ganga and the Brahmaputra
river system and covers whole of the
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1.The gully erosion takes place when
water runs down or gushes in distinct
paths, forming ravines or gullies
leading down to bedrock. Gully
erosion leads to badlands unfit for
agriculture.
e.g Chambal Valley
Alluvial soils of South India
The alluvial soil of south is dark
brown in colour as the rivers of the
Deccan Plateau flowing through black
soil region carry the same to the
delta so the colour is dark brown (as
mixed with black soil)
The alluvium soil of south India is
Deltaic alluvium found in deltas of
the rivers Mahanadi, Godavari,
Krishna, Cauvery.
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Northern plains and the Ganga delta
Khadar Soil Bhangar Soil
Khadar is new alluvium and is very Bhangar is older alluvium not very
fertile fertile
These contain fine sand and clay They contain kankar pebbles and
gravels
Found in deltas and lower beds near The soil is about 30 m in above sea
the river. Replenished by flood every level terrace
year

Alluvial soil Black soil

Formed by the silt and sediments
brought down by the river and
deposited.
Transported soil or Exsitu soil.
Found far away from the place it is
formed
Colour ranges from yellow to brown
Texture coarse to fine grained
Formed by breaking down of basaltic
rock-igneous rock
It is In situ soil found in the place
where it is formed
Colour ranges from black to chestnut
brown
Texture is fine grained

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Q4.Give reasons:
(i) Humans are responsible for soil erosion
1. Indiscriminate cutting down of trees for mining, urbanisation, agriculture causes soil to become
bare which increases erosion by wind and water.
2. Faulty methods of cultivation like jhooming removes vegetation cover from soil.
3. Overgrazing by livestock removes grass cover which leads to erosion

(ii) Planting of trees will reduce soil erosion

Roots of the plants hold on to the soil, and prevent soil from getting eroded by running water or
wind.
(iii) Deepening of river valley will reduce soil erosion
Deepening of river valley will reduce flooding of river banks so soil erosion by running water will be
reduced.
Q5. State four ways by which soil erosion can be reduced/ or ways by which we can conserve soil
A5.Four ways by which we can reduce soil erosion are
1. Planting more trees/ afforestation: Roots of the plants hold on to the soil, and prevent soil from
getting eroded by running water or wind.
2. Plugging gullies: By plugging gullies with stones causes deposition of soil in these areas. Over a
period of time it not only fills up the gullies but also prevent them from deepening and widening

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 further.
3. Construction of dams across rivers regulate their the flow of the river, prevents flooding of river
and reduces soil erosion
4. Terrace farming and Contour bunding: Creating terrace on the hill slopes reduces the speed of
the running water so soil erosion is less. Farming can be done on these terraces.
Sometimes low mud walls are made on the terrace to stop the running water. This is known as
contour bunding
5. Shelter belt Plants: Rows of trees planted perpendicular to the direction of winds help to reduce
the wind speed and check erosion by wind. It also prevent expansion of the deserts. It helps in
checking erosion in coastal areas.
6. Multiple cropping or cover crop: land for agriculture should not be kept empty .There can be
erosion by water or wind of the loose soil. Throughout the year if some crop is cultivated in turns
soil will remain covered.
Also crops like leguminous plants enriches the soil with nutrient. They should be cultivated in
between crops which are soil exhaustive to maintain the fertility of the soil.

Q6 Mention any two Government guidelines that have helped in reduction of erosion.
A 6. Two Government guidelines that help in reduction of soil erosion are:
1. Primitive method of cultivation like slash or burn or jhooming which leaves the land bare has been
controlled especially in the North Eastern states of India.
2. Indiscriminate cutting of trees have been prohibited by law. Afforestation programme like van
Mahotsav are undertaken on large scale to increase forest cover
Q7 Q. What are the three types of alluvial soil according to their place they are found?
A.1. Alluvial soil of the northern plains,
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2 alluvial soil of the deltas,
3 alluvial soil of the coastal plains

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