Chapter 2: Land and Soil Resources

A. Choose the correct answer and fill in the blanks.

1. The percentage of the total surface area of the Earth that is covered by land is
30.

2. The Alpine meadows are used for grazing.

3. India’s forest cover is 22%.

4. The Ganga Plain is covered with alluvial soil.

5. Gully erosion is common in Chambal Valley.

B. State whether true or false. If false, correct the statement.

1. Land under agriculture is less in India than in the UK.

Ans.: False – Land under agriculture is more in India than in the UK.

2. Planned land use helps in its optimum utilization.

Ans.: True

3. It takes ten years to get a 2-3 cm thick layer of soil.

Ans.: False – It takes ten thousand years to get a 2-3 cm thick layer of
soil.

4. The minerals present in the soil depend upon the type of the parent rock.
Ans.: True

5. Laterite soils are found in the Himalayan region.

Ans.: False – Laterite soils are found in Western & Eastern Ghats
 C. Match the columns.

Column A Column B
1.alluvial soil deposition of sand and silt
2.black soil weathering of volcanic rocks
3.red soil weathering of igneous rocks
4.mountain soil deposition of organic matter
5.desert soil deposition of sand in arid regions

D. Fill in the blanks.

1. Wise use of resources is called conservation.

2. Land provides almost 95 percent of our requirements.

3. The plateau regions of the world are rich in minerals.

4. A view of the different layers of soil is known as soil profile.

5. Humus provides organic matter to the soil.

E. Answer the following questions in 10-20 words.

1. Mention any four uses of land.

Ans.: a) Cultivation of Crops, b) Grazing of animals, c) Mining & d) Constructing
roads.

2. What is the percentage of the total land area in India that is covered by forests
and pastures respectively?
Ans.: The percentage of the total land area in India that is covered by forests is
22 percent and pastures in 4 percent respectively.
3. How are human activities responsible for soil erosion?
Ans.: Deforestation, overgrazing, overuse of chemical fertilisers, over-irrigation
and unscientific farming methods are the human activities responsible for soil
erosion.

4. What are shelter belts?

Ans.: Planting rows of trees on one side of an area prevents the wind from
eroding the soil, these are called shelter belts.

5. How can crop rotation help in maintaining the fertility of the soil?
Ans.: Crop rotation is the system of cultivating different crops on the same land in
each year. Since different crops need different minerals from the soil, this prevents
exhaustion of one type of mineral from the soil. Thus, it helps in maintaining
fertility of the soil.

F. Answer the following questions in 50-70 words.

1. With the help of neatly labelled diagram, describe a soil profile.

Ans.: Soil develops in horizontal layers. A view of the different layers of soil is
known as soil profile. There are four distinct layers of soil.
 Topsoil: The very fine particles of rock such as clay, silt and sand form
the upper layer of the soil called the topsoil. This layer also contains
humus. Roots of plants are confined to this layer.
 Subsoil: Below the topsoil is the subsoil. Rainwater collects in this layer.
It is madeup of weathered rock, silt, clay and some nutrients such as
soluble minerals and iron oxides.
 Substratum: This layer lies in between the subsoil and the parent
bedrock. It consists of weathered rocks.
 Bedrock: The last layer, at the bottom of the soil profile, is the parent
bedrock. It is a solid layer of unweathered rock.

2. Classify soils on the basis of their colour and texture.

Ans.: On the basis of colour there are black, red, brown and grey soils. On the
basis of texture soils are sandy, clayey and loamy. Sandy soils contain more than
60% of sand while clayey soils contain more than 60% of clay. Loamy soil has a
balanced proportion of sand and clay, together with humus. It is the best soil for
the cultivation of crops.
3. Distinguish between sheet erosion and gully erosion.
Ans.: Sometimes during heavy rainfall the volume of run-off is very high. If the
top soil is not protected by sufficient plant cover, it is washed away by the force
of surface run-off. This is known as sheet erosion. When rain falls heavily over an
uneven terrain, the run-off scoops out narrow and deep grooves. With time, these
grooves or gullies grow in size and spread over a large area. This is known as gully
erosion, leading to the formation of ravines or badlands. The Chambal Valley in
Madhya Pradesh is a good example of gully erosion.

G. Answer the following questions in 80-100 words.

1. Give an account of the various methods of soil conservation.

Ans.: The methods used for conservation of soil are chosen according to the local
environment. These are some of them.
 Afforestation: Reckless cutting down of trees should be stopped and more
trees, shrubs and grasses should be planted. In dry area, where wind
erosion is common, rows of trees and shrubs called the shelter belts should
be planted, to check the velocity of the wind. Afforestation is the most
effective method of conserving soil.
 Overgrazing: Overgrazing by sheep and cattle should be controlled
because it exposes the land to rain and wind. Fodder should be grown as a
crop.
 Terrace farming: This method is very effective in mountain regions. The
hill slopes are cut into terraces and crops are grown on them. This reduces
the speed of the flow of rain water.
 Contour ploughing: Fields are ploughed along the natural contours of the
hills rather than up and down the slopes. This checks the flow of water.
 Strip cropping: Different crops are grown in narrow strips (cover crops
alternating with cultivated crops), usually along the natural contours of the
land.
 Crop rotation: Different crops are cultivated on the same land each year.
As different crops need different nutrients from the soil, this prevents any
type of nutrient being exhausted from the soil.
 Bunding the fields: Bunding of fields along with rivers reduces soil erosion
during floods.
 Construction of dams: This can prevent floods by controlling the flow of
water.