Environmental Studies · Geography

Deforestation and Land Degradation

2,619 Questions

Deforestation and land degradation address the environmental impacts of human activities on natural ecosystems. Key areas include soil erosion, forest fires, and the consequences of overgrazing. These subjects frequently appear in the geography and environmental science sections of competitive exams.

Causes of deforestationForest fires consequencesSoil erosion factorsDesertification impactsAgroforestry benefitsReforestation advantages

Deforestation and Land Degradation Questions

Multiple choice

What is the cause of loss of vegetation

  1. Grazing pressure

  2. Over-cultivation

  3. Climatic modification

  4. Over-population
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

While many factors contribute to vegetation loss, grazing pressure from livestock or wild animals is a primary driver in many ecosystems, as it prevents plant regeneration.

Multiple choice

Rates of deforestation are significantly high in developing countries because

  1. It creates additional land for subsistence agriculture

  2. Wood is important for rural populations

  3. Generates significant export income for developing countrie

  4. It generates income for ISIS
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In many developing nations, rapid population growth and poverty drive the need for more land for subsistence agriculture. This leads to the clearing of forests for farming, which is a primary driver of deforestation.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is NOT an ecosystem service of a forest?

  1. Reduce soil erosion

  2. Regulate climate

  3. Store carbon

  4. Provide lumber

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Ecosystem services are natural processes that benefit humans. While providing lumber is an economic benefit, it is a commodity extraction rather than an inherent ecological service provided by the forest's existence.

Multiple choice biology global environmental change causes of greenhouse effect greenhouse effect pollution and its effects

Which of the following cause green house effect?
(i) Deforestation
(ii) Emission of gases from factories
(iii) Melting of polar ice

  1. Only (i) and (ii)

  2. Only (i) and (iii)

  3. Only (ii) and (ii)

  4. (i), (ii) and (iii)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Deforestation is removal, decrease or deterioration of forest cover of an area. It causes the change in climate, floods, soil erosion, siltation, cyclones, drought, desertification and increased level of carbon dioxide (greenhouse gas) in the atmosphere. Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and CH$ _4$ that are also released from factories cause green house effect.
Multiple choice depletion of water table water a precious resource biology

Which of the following is responsible for groundwater shortage?

  1. Heavy rainfall

  2. Aforestation

  3. Increasing population

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
  • Groundwater is the water found underground in the cracks and spaces in soil, sand, and rock.
  • Groundwater is useful in many ways such as irrigation, drinking, washing, etc.
  • Increasing population is responsible for groundwater shortage.
  • So, the correct answer is 'Increase in population'.
Multiple choice social studies natural vegetation and communities dependent on forest land degradation wildlife resources human activities and environmental degradation

Depletion of forest is called _______.

  1. Deforestation

  2. Afforestation

  3. Social forestry

  4. Unclassed forest
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
The depletion of the forest is called deforestation.
Over the years, the area under forest cover has decreased steadily, as forests have been cleared for agriculture, industry, housing, and other development activities like the construction of roads, railways, and hydroelectric plants.

Deforestation, clearance, clearcutting or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land which is then converted to a non-forest use. Deforestation can involve the conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use.

Multiple choice social studies natural vegetation and communities dependent on forest land degradation wildlife resources human activities and environmental degradation

Deforestation results in ___________.

  1. Increase in temperature on the earth

  2. Ground water depletion

  3. Weather change in different parts of the world

  4. All of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Deforestation is the process of cutting down forests in order to satisfy human needs like laying roads, for the purpose of wood for furniture etc.

Deforestation has many negative effects like Increase in temperature on the earth, Ground water depletion, and Weather change in different parts of the world

Multiple choice chemistry planet earth acid deposition air and air pollution natural resources- air, water and land

Acid rain is caused by:

  1. deforestation
  2. $CO _2$
  3. $CO$

  4. oxides of sulphur and nitrogen
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Acid rain is caused by oxides of sulphur and nitrogen. 
The sulphur dioxide gas released during burning of coal and oxides of nitrogen released during combustion of petrol dissolve in rain water and form acids such as sulphuric acid and nitric acid. these acids drop down with rain which makes rain acidic.

Multiple choice evs whose forests? conservation of forest and wildlife wildlife deforestation and conservation

Which of the following helps to overcome the deforestation?

  1. National parks

  2. Social forestry

  3. Gardens

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation
Option B is correct.
Social forestry is the process of management and protection of forest against deforestation. The purpose of social forestry is to help in the environmental, social and rural development. Social forestry aims to increase plantation to meet the growing need for wood, fodder, timber, fuel etc.
Multiple choice evs whose forests? conservation of forest and wildlife wildlife deforestation and conservation

Forests help

  1. To prevent diseases

  2. To prevent rainfall

  3. In soil erosion

  4. To prevent floods
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

  • A forest is a large area dominated by trees. Forests are the dominant terrestrial ecosystem of Earth, and are distributed around the globe. Forests account for 75% of the gross primary production of the Earth's biosphere, and contain 80% of the Earth's plant biomass.
  • Forest helps in controlling the flow of water and slows it down which helps in preventing flood. Also, the trees present in the forest prevents the rain from directly hitting the ground and bind the soil together which helps in absorption of the rain water and thus prevent flood.
  • Trees also prevent soil erosion.
So, the correct answer is 'To prevent floods'.

Multiple choice

Which is not a reason why deforestation occurs?

  1. Collecting timber

  2. Using land for houses

  3. Using land for farming

  4. Breeding programmes
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Deforestation is the clearing of forests for land use or resources. Breeding programmes are conservation efforts intended to protect species, not destroy forests.

Multiple choice

Tropical Rain forest are threatened by

  1. deforestation and trade of plants and animals

  2. a decrease in average temperature at the equator

  3. decrease in rainfall at the equator

  4. thining of the soil
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Deforestation for timber and land use, combined with the illegal trade of exotic plants and animals, are the primary threats to rainforest ecosystems.

Multiple choice zoology biodiversity, classification and conservation biodiversity losses biodiversity loss and need for conservation environmental conservation and biodiversity

Which of the following practices has caused maximum damage to the diversity of Indian forests?

  1. Selective harvesting

  2. Block cutting

  3. Taungya cultivation

  4. Jhum cultivation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Jhum cultivation, also known as the slash and burn agriculture, is the process of growing crops by first clearing the land of forests and burning them thereafter. It is also known as shifting agriculture. The burnt soil contains potash which helps in increasing the nutrient content of the soil. This process has led to the maximum damage to the Indian forests as they are cleared for this process.

So, the correct answer is 'Jhum cultivation'.