Forest: (unit 4)

Q What are linear plantations (Protective Forest)? (4)

Ans: Linear plantation means the tree planted along the road, canals and railway lines. Trees hold the
soil and protect the soil erosion, beside provide shadow, reduce pollution and increase afforested area.

Q What are productive forests?

Ans: Productive Forest is mainly natural forest. Tree density is high, has commercial value, and is a
source of timber and firewood.

Q State two domestic use of wood. (2) J2007

Ans: Timber is used for construction of houses, for furniture, doors and windows.

Q Explain how wood is used in industry and transport.

Ans: Industry: Wood is raw material for furniture making, paper, matches, pencils, sports goods like
hockey sticks, bats and rackets. Resin which is a fluid in tissues of chirr plant is used for making
varnishes. Mazri is used for making mats and baskets. Ephedra is a shrub used in pharmaceutical
(medicine) factories.

Transport: In transport wood is used in making truck bodies, railway carriages and sleeper, animal carts,
boats and bridges.

Q What is sustainable forestry? (3)

Ans: Sustainable forestry means the forests are utilized (used) in such a way that they remain productive
for long time. When mature trees are cut new ones are planted.

Q What is snow line? (1)

Ans: The altitude (height 4500 Meters) above which snow remains throughout the year on mountain
peaks vegetation cannot grow above it.

Q What is a snow field? (1) J2007

Ans: Snow field is a large area covered with snow throughout the year.

Q Explain why a large part of northern area is covered with snow field. (2)

Ans: Snow field exists over 4500 meters because of low temperature during long winter, high snow fall
take place in these areas, during short summer little amount of snow melts next winter bring more snow
falls, snow goes on piling up, turns into hard ice.

Q Explain the importance of forest for the conservation of the environment in Pakistan? (3) N99

Ans: (1) Forest checks soil erosion and floods. (2) Forest adds to oxygen in air and reduces air pollution.
(3) Forest provides home to wildlife. (4) Forest reduces temperature and causes rainfall. (5) Forest adds
to natural beauty.
Q What is the difference between afforestation and reforestation? (4)

Ans: Afforestation means to grow forest on an area where there was no forest. Reforestation means
growing forest on deforested areas.

Q Why is afforestation called a long-term investment? (2)

Ans: Trees take 10 to 20 years to reach maturity to become economically valuable.

Topic: Alpine Forest.

Q At what altitude are Alpine trees found? (1)

Ans: From 4000 to 4500 meters.

Q Describe the features of Alpine trees.

Ans: Alpine trees are found in Dir, Chitral, Swat and Kohistan. Due to extreme (harsh) weather
conditions Alpine trees do not grow to full height and have stunted (undersized) growth. Alpine forest
grows over small areas and has little economic value. Silver Fir, Junifer and Birch are types of Alpine
trees. Alpine forest provides only firewood. (Alpine trees are actually coniferous trees growing above
4000 meters).

Topic: Coniferous Forest.

Q At what altitude coniferous trees are found? (1)

Ans: From 1000 to 4000 meters.

Q Name the types of coniferous trees.

Ans: Fir, Silver Fir, Spruce, Birch, Deodar, Pine, Larch and Junifer.

Q Name the places where coniferous trees are found in Pakistan.

Ans: Abbottabad, Mansehra, Swat in K.P.K. Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Muree in Punjab. Quetta and
Kalat in Baluchistan.

Q How coniferous adopted themselves according to the climate of northern areas? (3) J2006.

Ans: Coniferous trees have thick bark to protect them from low temperature, needle like leaves reduce
transpiration, sloping branches slides snow, long shallow roots provide strength against winds and
absorb water. Evergreen leaves of coniferous trees save energy.

Topic: Tropical thorn forest.

Q Describe the features of tropical thorn forest.

Ans: These are low height, thorny hardwood trees. They are also known as Rakh. These trees have long
roots so they can live on very small amounts of water. These trees are 6 to 10 meters high. Acacia and
salvadora are common types of trees found in tropical thorn forest used as firewood.
Topic: Sub-Tropical Scrub Forest.
Q Name the places where Sub-Tropical Scrub Forest are found?

Ans: These forests are found in Sulaiman range, Kirthar range and foothills of lower Himalayas. These
trees are also found in western mountains (Peshawar, Kohat and Mardan).

Q What are the main features of Sub-Tropical Scrub Forest?

Ans: Sub-Tropical Scrub Forest are broad leafed thorny trees. Sub-Tropical Scrub Forest are used as
grazing place and provide firewood.

Topic: Riverain trees or Bela Forest.

Q At what altitude riverain forest found?

Ans: Below 1000 meters.

Q Describe the features of riverain forest.

Ans: Riverain forest is found along the banks of river Indus and its tributaries locally known as Bela. It
mostly covers active flood plain. Babul, Shisham, Willow, Dhrek and Jhand are common types of trees
used as firewood. wood of Shisham trees is used for making furniture.

Topic: Mangrove Forest.

Q Name the type of mangrove trees.

Ans: Timar, Kirani and kunni.

Q Why is this type of forest found along coastal areas?

Ans: Mangrove Forest grows in coastal areas, which are drained by both fresh river water and salty sea
water. These trees can live in Salty Sea water. The roots of Mangrove trees can filter the salt. Trees have
stunted (slow) growth due to water pollution. Trees can grow up to 8 meters in case of favorable (good)
conditions.

Q Name the areas where Mangrove trees are found.

Ans: Indus and Hub delta.

Q What are advantages of Mangrove trees?

Ans: (1) Mangrove trees supply firewood (2) material to make huts (3) Mangrove trees provide breeding
places for fish and shrimps. Fallen leaves of Mangrove provide nutrients (food) to fish. (4) Roots of
Mangrove trees protect small fish from predators (big fish). (5) Camel and livestock feeds on leaves of
Mangrove trees. (6) Mangrove protects coasts from erosion and high sea waves. (7) Mangrove trees
reduce carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere.

Q Why has the area of Mangrove Forest decreased in recent years?

Ans: Careless cutting of trees for firewood and timber, overgrazing, oil spills and water pollution
damages Mangrove trees. Deforestation of mangrove is done to make roads and housing.

Topic: Irrigated Forest.

Q Why Pakistan needs to increase the area of irrigated forest?

Ans: In Pakistan less than 5% of area is covered with forest. There is shortage of wood in Pakistan.
Rainfall is low in Indus plain. To fulfill the needs of firewood and timber, irrigated forests are grown with
the help of irrigation facilities.

Q Describe the main features of irrigated forest.

Ans: valuable types of trees like Shisham, Babul, Jhand, and Eucalyptus are grown to provide firewood
and timber.

Q Name the places where irrigated forest is grown.

Ans: Changa Manga near Lahore, Chichawatni, Khanewal, Bahawalpur, Taunsa Barrage and Ghuddu
Barrages.

Q Explain the advantages and disadvantages of developing more irrigated plantations in Indus Delta?

Ans: Advantages: Provide timber for furniture, construction and firewood for fuel, Fodder for animal,
honey and fruit for people, leave fall adds humus to the soil, protect soil erosion, eucalyptus trees
reduce water logging and salinity, provide natural home for wildlife, decrease pollution, provide oxygen,
adds to scenic beauty.

Disadvantages: High cost and it is long-term investment, cost of looking after are high, need irrigation
and farmland can be used for growing crops and problems are caused by roots.

Q Why is irrigation necessary for a new plantation?

Ans: (1) Rainfall is low and evaporation-transpiration rate is high in Indus Plain (2) rainfall in only
seasonal, (3) irrigation keep the soil wet prevent soil erosion (4) Plants need water to grow.

Topic: Deforestation.
Q State the causes of deforestation.

Ans: (1) Deforestation is done for firewood and timber (2) land is cleared for farmland (3) urbanization
or construction of dams (4) for establishment of road or mining activity (5) deforestation for raw
material for industry (6) overgrazing by livestock, droughts (7) forest fire and flash flood also reduce
forest area.

Q How soil can be preserved in deforested areas?

Ans: By making hill terracing: Steps are made along slopes of hills, edges of terraced fields are lined with
stones to preserve soil. (2) On gentle slopes crops are cultivated known as contour ploughing helps to
reduce erosion. (3) In strip farming small crop is grown between large crops to cover soil. (4)
Afforestation also helps to check soil erosion.
Q What problems are caused by deforestation in mountain areas for (a) communication (b) farming in
valley (c) hydro-electricity?

Ans: Communication: Deforestation causes land sliding. Roots of vegetation bind (hold) soil. In the
absence of tree cover landslides and blocks roads, damage poles of telephone and electricity.

Valley farming: Surface runoff increases because flooding in valley also causes soil erosion make it unfit
for farming. Muddy water is undrinkable for farm animals and people.

Hydro-electricity: deforestation causes soil erosion and siltation of dams which reduces water storage
capacity and electric production, may block tunnels and machinery of dams.

Q How deforestation can cause soil erosion?

Ans: Soil is exposed due to deforestation and there are no roots to hold soil so it is washed away by rain.
Loss of nutrients is caused due to erosion and humus is not added because no leaf fall, little chance of
growth of new plants.

Q Explain why dry climate of Balochistan increases the risk of soil erosion? (3)

Ans: The land of Balochistan is bare of vegetation, overgrazing is common and re-growth of vegetation is
slow, dry soil is blown away by wind.

Q Where does eroded soil go to?

Ans: Wind blows it into dunes or foothill, water take it in rivers or ditches. It may drain in dam or lake.

Q Describe the distribution of natural and irrigated forest. (4)

Ans: Coniferous forest is found in northern and north-western mountains. Gilgit, Chitral, Swat, Murree,
Abbotabad, Mansera, Nathiagali, and Khaghan. Coniferous Forest is also found in Waziristan, Quetta,
Pishin and Ziarat. Below 1000 meters sub-tropical dry forest in Rawalpindi, Attock, Peshawar, Mardan
and Kohat. Mangrove forest is found in Indus and Hab delta. Irrigated forest is found in Changa Manga,
Khanawal, Taunsa, Bahawalpur, Guddu barrage and Hyderabad.