Tag: sustainability of natural resources

Forests occupy more than 30 percent of Earth's land surface and account for 50 percent of plant productivity. Therefore 45% of the carbon stored on land is tied up in forests. Further, these being the dominant terrestrial ecosystem, the forest account for 75% of the gross primary productivity of the Earth's biosphere and 80% of the plant biomass. Removing half the forest cover, will not only bring in an increase in the population of human beings and other living organisms but will also bring about increased pollution and a great ecological imbalance.

Floods are common in north India because of excessive deforestation in the catchment areas. Roots of the trees keep the soil together and drain the extra water into the underground water reservoir. Due to deforestation (cutting down of the trees), the soil is no longer able to hold or drain the excess water thus leading to floods. 

Deforestation is the cutting of trees which disturbs the equilibrium of a healthy environment. It increases the carbon dioxide content in the atmosphere and contributes to global warming. They produce oxygen and regulates the water cycle by releasing water vapour into the atmosphere. Without trees, forest lands can quickly become barren land. It also causes loss of wildlife, due to the loss of its habitat. Deforestation leads to famine (scarcity of food), flood, and drought as well as loosened soil causes soil erosion. Thus, the correct answer is option D.

Soil erosion is removal of top soil by agency of water (water erosion) and wind (wind erosion). Soil erosion is of two types- natural and anthropogenic. Natural or geological erosion is extremely slow removal of top soil due to rain water or wind. Anthropogenic soil erosion is caused by removal of plant cover through over grazing, litter collection, tree felling, leaving the soil unprotected during agricultural operations.

Soil erosion is the removal of top soil by the agency of water (water erosion) and wind (wind erosion). Soil erosion is of two types, natural and anthropogenic. 

Soil erosion involves the removal of the top layer of soil which adversely affects the fertility of the soil. Heavy rainfall leads to splashing of soil. However, the majority of the soil splashed is not immediately lost from the field. Most of the splashed soil particles don't leave the field, they clog surface pores, which in turn reduces water infiltration, increases water runoff, and increases soil erosion.

Soil erosion is removal of top soil by agency of water (water erosion) and wind (wind erosion). Soil erosion is of two types- natural and anthropogenic. 

The top layer of the soil is the vital component, since all the nutrients required by plants are present in this layer. The loss of topsoil or disturbance of soil structure is known as soil erosion or land erosion. Water erosion is the removal of soil from the lands surface by running water, including runoff from melted snow and ice. Soil erosion by wind is common in dry arid regions where soil is chiefly sandy and the vegetation is very poor or even absent. Fossilization is the alteration of an organism's remains, impressions or activities by physical, biological or chemical changes retaining the original material in some form. Leaching is the process of extracting minerals from a solid by dissolving them in a liquid, either in nature or through an industrial process. Calcification is the accumulation of calcium salts.

Fossil fuels are non renewable conventional energy resources found inside earth's crust, where they have been formed through heat and compression on forests and other organic matter buried underneath due to earthquakes, landslides etc.

The popular 'Chipko Andolan' was started in 1973 in Gopeshwar, U.P. when forest trees were not allowed to be cut by village folk by hugging them first near village Mandal, then Rampur Phata and in 1974 near village Reni (led by Gaura Devi). The movement had two leaders, Chandi Prasad Bhatt of Gopeshwar and Sunder Lal Bahugana of Silyara in Tehri region.  A similar movement was undertaken by Paudurang Hegde in the south. It was known as Appiko movement. It's aim were uliso (conservation), belesu (growth-plantation) and balasu (rational use).