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 economics environment pollution introduction to environmental pollution introduction to pollution environment and pollution

Which are the following consequences of deforestation?

  1. Decrease in rainfall

  2. Decrease in fertility of soil

  3. Increased global warming

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

All of the following are the consequences of deforestation.
(A) Decrease in rainfall
(B) Decrease in fertility of soil
(C) Increased global warming
Cutting of trees reduces amount of rainfall, it also decreases the fertility of soil. Deforestation increases the temperature and carbon dioxide level thus causing increased global warming.

Multiple choice geography agriculture in india - i : introduction agricultural policy in india indian agriculture problem and policies problems of indian agriculture

Which one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in Punjab?

  1. Deforestation

  2. Intensive cultivation

  3. Over-grazing

  4. Over-irrigation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Intensive cultivation.

In states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra overgrazing is one of the main reasons for land degradation. Mining sites are abandoned after excavation work is complete leaving deep scars and traces of over-burdening. In Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha, deforestation due to mining has caused severe land degradation. In Punjab, Haryana, western Uttar Pradesh, over-irrigation is responsible for land degradation due to waterlogging leading to an increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil. The mineral processing like grinding of limestone for the cement industry and calcite and soapstone for the ceramic industry generates a huge quantity of dust in the atmosphere which retards the process of infiltration of water into the soil after it settles down on the land. Also, industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water pollution in many parts of the country.

Multiple choice water and air and their importance natural resources- air, water and land air around us air chemistry introduction to natural resources land

Cutting down forests and using the land for other purposes is known as deforestation. It has adverse effects on the environment. Which of the following are correct regarding these effects? 
(i) Decrease in soil erosion  (ii) Increase in temperature (iii) Ground water level gets lowered (iv) Droughts and floods (v) Increase in water holding capacity of the soil

  1. (i), (ii), (iii) & (iv)

  2. (ii), (iv) & (v)

  3. (ii), (iii) & (iv)

  4. (i), (ii), (iv) & (v)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Deforestation is the permanent destruction of forests in order to make the land available for other uses.
effects of deforestation:
Forests are complex ecosystems that affect almost every species on the planet. When they are degraded, it can set off a devastating chain of events both locally and around the world.
Loss of species: 
Seventy percent of the worlds plants and animals live in forests and are losing their habitats to deforestation, according to National Geographic. Loss of habitat can lead to species extinction. It also has negative consequences for medicinal research and local populations who rely on the animals and plants in the forests for hunting and medicine.
Water cycle: 
Trees are important to the water cycle. They absorb rain fall and produce water vapor that is released into the atmosphere. Trees also lessen the pollution in water, according to the North Carolina State University, by stopping polluted runoff. In the Amazon, more than half the water in the ecosystem is held within the plants, according to the National Geographic Society. 
Soil erosion: 
Tree roots anchor the soil. Without trees, the soil is free to wash or blow away, which can lead to vegetation growth problems. The WWF states that scientists estimate that a third of the worlds arable land has been lost to deforestation since 1960. After a clear cutting, cash crops like coffee, soy and palm oil are planted. Planting these types of trees can cause further soil erosion because their roots cannot hold onto the soil. "The situation in Haiti compared to the Dominican Republic is a great example of the important role forests play in the water cycle," Daley said. Both countries share the same island, but Haiti has much less forest cover than the Dominican Republic. As a result, Haiti has endured more extreme soil erosion, flooding and landslide issues.
Life quality: Soil erosion can also lead to silt entering the lakes, streams and other water sources. This can decrease local water quality and contribute to poor health in populations in the area.

Multiple choice water and air and their importance natural resources- air, water and land air around us air chemistry introduction to natural resources land

_________  is the man-made cause of deforestation.

  1. Urbanization

  2. Forest Fire

  3. Droughts

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Urbanization is the man-made cause of deforestation. Whereas forest fires and droughts are natural causes of deforestation.
Urbanization is due to increase population. It is caused due to human activities. Urbanization decreases the area under forests which leads to reduction in the number of CO2 consuming trees. Hence, CO2 accumulates in the air.

Multiple choice zoology biodiversity and conservation hotspots and methods of conservation biodiversity: conservation conservation of biodiversity basis of classification in animals basis of the classification of animals criteria for animal classification

Genetic erosion is due to

  1. Deforestation

  2. Shifting cultivation

  3. Adoption of genetically uniform varieties

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

Genetic erosion is a process whereby an already limited gene pool of an endangered species of plant or animal diminishes even more when individuals from the surviving population die off without getting a chance to meet and breed with others in their endangered low population. Low genetic diversity in a population of wild animals and plants leads to a further diminishing gene pool, inbreeding and a weakening immune system and fast tracks that species towards eventual extinction. 

Multiple choice zoology biodiversity and conservation hotspots and methods of conservation biodiversity: conservation conservation of biodiversity basis of classification in animals basis of the classification of animals criteria for animal classification

Genetic erosion is

  1. Deforestation

  2. Shifting cultivation

  3. Adopting genetically uniform varieties

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

Genetic erosion is a process, whereby an already limited gene pool of an endangered species of plant or animal diminishes even more when individuals from the surviving population die off without getting a chance to meet and breed with others in their endangered low population. The term is sometimes used in a narrow sense, such as when describing the loss of particular alleles or genes, as well as being used more broadly, as when referring to the loss of varieties or even whole species.
Genetic erosion occurs because each individual organism has many unique genes which get lost when it dies without getting a chance to breed. Low genetic diversity in a population of wild animals and plants leads to a further diminishing gene pool inbreeding and a weakening immune system can then "fast track" that species towards eventual extinction.

Multiple choice biology natural resources water management - case studies water and air and their importance introduction to natural resources

Which of the following is the major cause of the pitiable condition of small farmers at Vaddicherla?

  1. Soil erosion

  2. Water scarcity

  3. Low rain fall

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Vaddicherla is a small village situated in the Warangal district in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The village is known for the problems due to groundwater pollution and water crisis. There are fewer groundwater resources which increase the problems in irrigation and crop production. The condition of the farmers is very pitiable because the main occupation of the people in the village is agriculture. This village is known to be scarcity village for having fewer resources of water and food. 

Thus, the correct answer is option B. 

Multiple choice history impact of colonisation in india deforestation and rise of commercial forestry impact of colonisation on forests forest society and colonialism

Why did the government decide to ban shifting cultivation?

  1. To grow trees for railway timber

  2. When a forest was burnt, there was danger of destroying valuable timber

  3. Difficulties for the government to calculate taxes

  4. All the above reasons
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
 They felt that land which was used for cultivation every few years could not grow trees for railway timber. When a forest was burnt, there was the added danger of the flames spreading and burning valuable timber. Shifting cultivation also made it harder for the government to calculate taxes. Therefore, the government decided to ban shifting cultivation. 

Multiple choice history impact of colonisation in india deforestation and rise of commercial forestry impact of colonisation on forests forest society and colonialism

Which of the following was the reason for forests disappearing near railway tracks?

  1. Wood was used to make railway sleepers.

  2. 'Scorched earth' policy of imperial troops

  3. Indiscriminate exploitation by tribals

  4. Indiscriminate cutting of trees by contractors
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

As the railway tracks spread through India, a larger and larger number of trees were felled. The government gave out contracts to individuals to supply the required quantities. These contractors began cutting trees indiscriminately. Forests around the railway tracks fast started disappearing.

Multiple choice evs mud and stones importance of soil in agriculture soil - formation, profile and properties soil as a natural resource

When large patches of forests are being cleared for cultivation of crops, the environmental impact of such a practice would lead to______

  1. Soil erosion

  2. Soil conservation

  3. Soil pollution

  4. Soil fertility
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

 Deforestation is a direct cause of the erosion happening in tropical rain forests. Once plant cover is gone there are no roots to hold the soil in place during heavy tropical rains, which then wash away the topsoil and the nutrients necessary to regenerate future vegetation.

Multiple choice adaptations - european woodland and african grassland adapting to a habit plant adaptations adaptations to different ecosystems biology

What is reason of African desert expanding?

  1. Climate change and Human Activities

  2. Deforestation

  3. Over cultivation

  4. Exploitation of resources
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The expansion of deserts, or desertification, is primarily driven by a combination of climate change and unsustainable human activities such as overgrazing and deforestation.

Multiple choice

How can deforestation cause drought in surrounding areas?

  1. hot temperatures = no condensation

  2. less snow = less runoff = less groundwater

  3. no trees = no soil = no groundwater

  4. no transpiration = less evaporation = less rain
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Trees release water vapor into the atmosphere through transpiration. When forests are cleared, this moisture contribution decreases, leading to reduced cloud formation and rainfall in the region.