NCERT Solutions Class 10 Social Science Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Geography for Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources

Forests and wildlife resources
Before You Read:

• Natural Vegetation: Natural vegetation refers to a plant community which has grown naturally It is also known as virgin vegetation.
Ex: Forests (woodlands), Grasslands etc.
• Wildlife: Wild animals living in the natural environment.
• Flora: Plants of a particular region or period.
• Fauna: The species of animals.
• Eco-system: All the plants and animals in an area are inter dependent and inter related to each other in their physical environment, thus forming an ecosystem.
• Endemic plants: The virgin (plants) vegetation, which are purely indian. They are also known as indigenous species.
• Zoological parks: Reserved gardens for wild animals and birds.
• Wildlife sanctuaries: Natural forests where hunting and poaching of wild animals and birds are prohibited.
• Biodiversity or Biological diversity: Refers to diverse form of plants and animals which are closely integrated and interdependent.
• Endangered Species: These are species which are in danger of extinction
Ex: Indian wild ass, indian rhino, black buck, crocodile, sangai, lion tailed macaque, etc.

• Extinct Species: These are species which are not found after searches of known or likely areas where they may occur.
Ex: Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck.
• Vulnerable Species: These are species whose population has declined to levels from where it is likely to move into the endangered category in the near future, if the negative factors continue to operate.
Ex: Blue sheep, asiatic elephant, gangetic dolphin, etc.

Important Points:
• India is rich in its flora. It has about 47,000 plant species and about 15,000. Flowering species are endemic to india.
• India is also rich in its flora. It has more than 81000 of animal species.
The country has more than 1200 species of birds. There are 2,500 species of fish and more than 2500 species of insects.
• There are five types of forests in India.
(1) Tropical Evergreen (2) Tropical deciduous
(3) Thorny (4) Montane (5) Mangrove
• Human beings cut the trees and kill the animals creating ecological imbalance.
• "Project tiger" One of the well publicised wildlife campaigns in the world, was launched in indian 1973.
• The Indian wildlife protection act was implemented in 1972 and later in 1980, 1986, and 1991 some other provisions were added.
• Community had played and can play a vital role in the conservation of forests and wildlife in India.
• The biological loss through destruction of forests and wildlife is strongly corrected with loss of cultural diversity.
• The greatest damage inflicated on India's forests was during the colonial period.
• Among the largest animals in india, 7 species of mammals, 44 of birds, 15 of reptiles, and 3 of amplibians are threatened.
• Nearly 1500 plant species are considered endangered Asian cheetah is nearly extinct due to a decline of a vailable habitat and prey.
• "Taxol" a chemical compound extracted from the himalayan yew is the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.
• In some tribal areas Poverty is a direct outcome of environmental destruction.
• American consumes 40 times more resources than an average somalian.
• The Nicobar megapode is an endangered bird species.
• If we share books after passing a class we may save trees.
• As per U.N. report per head trees in our country are 28 only while the number in 8953 in canada, 4461 in russia, 716 in USA and 102 in china.
• In every five years our environment become hotter by 1 degrees celsius.

Categories of Plants and Animal Species

Questions

Question. What is IUCN?
Answer. International union for conservation of nature and natural resources.

Question. Name any one vulnerable species of animal in India.
Answer. Asiatic elephant / Gangetic dolphins / Blue sheep

Question. Name a medicinal plants found in India.
Answer. Jamun, Arjun, Neem, Babool, Tulsi (any one)

Question. Which is afforestation?
Answer. Growing trees

Question. Name a bird, disaapeared from Delhi in recent years.
Answer. Sparrow (Gauraiya)

Question. Name the nearest rivers to you place? Why it is not clean?
Answer. River yamuna (due to pollution)

Question. Write any one cause of damage to the Indian forests during colonial period?
Answer. Expansion of the railways/ mining/ agriculture/ scinetific forestry.

Question. Which mineral mining is causing a serious threat to the buxa tiger reserve in west Bengal?
Answer. Dolomite (An ore)

Question. Write any one use of forests and wildlife to us?
Answer. Wood, backs, leaves, rubber, medicines, dyes, food, fuel, fodder, manure, etc. (any one)

Question. By which plant or tree the rich Himalayan oak was replaced during colonial period?
Answer. Chir, pine

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources Objective Type Questions

Fill in the blanks:

Question. The term is used to denote plants of a particular region or period..................
Answer. Flora

Question. Species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival are known as .................
Answer. Normal

Question. Match the following:

(i) Bishnoi of rajasthan                 (a) Beej Bachao
(ii) Tribals of orissa and bihar      (b) Black buck
(iii) Citizens groups of tehri         (c) Tarmarind and mango
(iv) Asiatic chettah                      (d) World’s fatest land mammal
Answer. (i) b (ii) c (iii) a (iv) d

 

Long Answer Type

Question. Explain three types of forests and wildlife resources classified by forests department?
Answer. (i) Reserved forests (ii) Protected forests (iii) Unclassed forests

Question. Explain chipko movement.
Answer. The chipko movement is an ecological movement, concerned with thet preservation of forests.

Question. Differentiate between endangered species and extinct species with examples.
Answer. 
Endangered species                Extinct species
(i) These are species which     (i) These are species which are
are in danger.                           not found after searches of known or likely areas where they may occur.
Ex: Sangai, Black buck            Ex: Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck

Question. How dow human beings influence the ecology of a region?
Answer. (i) They utilise the vegetation and wildlife.
(ii) They cut trees and kill animals, thereby creating an ecological imbalance.
(iii) Due to the insensitivity to our environment and lack of sustainable development.
(iv) Greed of human beings leads to overutilisation of there resources.

Question. Explain any three factors that have led to the decline in India’s biodiversity environmental degradation.
Answer. (i) Over-population
(ii) Mining, over-grazing
(iii) Un-equal access, inequitable consumption of resources.
(iv) Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, poisoning and forest fires.
(v) Environmental pollution
(vi) River valley projects, fuel wood collection.

Question. What is wildlife sanctuary? How is it different from national park?
Answer. (i) A wildlife sanctuary is like a national park but the difference is that in a sanctuary certain types of activities might be permitted.
Livestock grazing and collection of forest produce, for instance may be allowed.
(ii) In a national park, conservation of species is mostly left to nature with the least human activities, but in a sanctuary conservation of species is affected by manipulative management.

Question. How mining is responsible for the loss of forests. Give reasons.
Answer. (i) Mining is important factor behind deforestation.
(ii) The buxa tiger reserve in west bengal is seriously threatened by the on going dolomite mining.
(iii) It has disturbed the natural habitat of many species and blocked the migration route of several other, including the great.

Question. Write a short note on beej bachao andolan in Tehri.
Answer. (i) Beej Bachao Andolan in Tehri and Navdahya Save the need movement varches, reintroduces, collect, tests, distributes and popularizes every indigenous variety of mountain crops available.
(ii) It advocates the discontinuation of the use of chemical dependent needs and synthetic chemicals.
(iii) These measures, they argue are also economically viable as diversified crop production in adequate quantities have been achieved.
(iv) It has also been able to successfully review the free exchange of needs within the coomunity and has proved to be a lifeline of traditional mountain agriculture.

Question. Write down the features of JFM (Joint Forest Management).
Answer. (i) In India JMF Program furnishes a good example for involving local communities in the management and restoration fo degraded forests.
(ii) The program has been in formal existence since 988 when the state of Odisha passed the first resolution for joint forest management.
(iii) JFM depends on the formation of local (village) institution that undertake protection activities mostly on degraded forest land managed by the forest department.
(iv) In return the members of there communities are entitled to intermediary benefits like with timber, forest produces and share in the timber larvested by successful protection.

 

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources Source Based Questions

(A) The world's fastest land mammal, the cheetah (Ainonyx jubantus) is a unique and specialised member of the cat family and can move at the speed of 112 km/hr. The cheetah is often mistaken for a leopard. Its distinugish marks are the long teardrop shaped lines on each side of the nose from he corner of its eyes to its mouth. Prior to the 20th century, cheetahs were widely distributed througout Africa and Asia. Today, the Asian cheetah is nearly extinct due to a decline of available habitat and prey. This species was declared extinct in India long back in 1952.

Questions

Question. Name of the world's fastest land mammal.
Answer. Asiatic cheetah.

Question. How one can distinguish a cheetah from a leopard?
Answer. Its distinguishing maks are the long tear drop shaped lines on each side of the nose from the corner of its eyes to its mouth.

Question. In which year, Asian cheetal was declared extinct in India?
Answer. 1952

Question. At what speed Asiatic cheetah can move?
Answer. 112 km/hr

(B) The Himalayan Yew (Taxus Wallachiana) is a medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh. A chemical compound called 'taxol' is extracted from the bark, needles, twings and root of this tree and it has been successfully used to treat some cancers — He drug is now the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world. The species is under threat due to over- exploitation.

Questions

Question. Where is Himalyan Yew found?
Answer. Himanchal Pradesh & Arunachal Pradesh.

Question. What is the use of Taxus Wallachina?
Answer. It is used as a medicinal plant

Question. Name the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.
Answer. Taxol

Question. Why Himalyan Yew is in threat?
Answer. Due to over— exploitation.

 

 

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources Very Short Answer Questions

Question. What are Endemic Species?
Answer. These are species which are only found in some particular areas usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers. Example—Nicobar Pigeon, Andaman teal, etc.

Question. How is colonial period to be blamed for depletion of forest?
Answer. The greatest damage inflicted on Indian forests was during the colonial period due to the expansion of the railways, agriculture, commercial and scientific forestry and mining activities.

Question. How were forests depleted by tribal people of India?
Answer. Substantial parts of tribal belts, especially in the northeastern and central India have cleared the forests for practising shifting cultivation or jhumming, a type of ‘slash and burn’ agriculture.

Question. What is the role of forests in ecological system?
Answer. Key role-Forests are the primary producers on which all other living beings depend.

Question. Which species are on the verge of extinction or are ‘critical’?
Answer. The cheetah, pink-headed duck, mountain quail, forest spotted owlet, and plants like Mahua and hubbardia (a species of grass).

Question. Which species are called Normal Species?
Answer. Species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival such as cattle, sal, pine, rodents etc.

Question. Name the species which fall in endangered species category.
Answer. Black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion tailed macaque, Sangai, etc.

Question. In which three categories are forests divided by the Governments through forest department?
Answer. (i) Reserved Forests (ii) Protected Forests
(iii) Unclassed Forests

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources Short Answer Questions

Question. What is biodiversity? Why is biodiversity important for human lives?
Answer: Biodiversity is immensely rich in wildlife and cultivated species, diverse in form and function, but closely integrated in a system through multiple networks of interdependencies. Biodiversity is important for human lives because the human beings, along with the biodiversity, form a complete web of ecological system in which we are only a part and are very much dependent on this system for our own existence. For example, the plants, animals, and microorganism re-create the quality of the air we breathe.

Question. How have human activities affected the depletion of flora and fauna? Explain.
Answer: Human activities have affected the depletion of flora and fauna. Habitat destruction, hunting, poaching, over-exploitation, environmental pollution, poisoning and forest fires are factors, which have led to the decline in India’s biodiversity. Other important causes of environmental destruction are unequal access, inequitable consumption of forest resources and differential sharing of responsibility for environmental well-being.

Question. Name three tribes in India which have helped immensely in the conservation of plant and animal life.
Answer. (i) The Mundoos and Santhals of Chotanagpur region worship Mahua and Kadamba trees.
(ii) Tribals of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind and mango trees during weddings.
Therefore, destruction of these trees is banned.
(iii) In Rajasthan, herds of blackbuck, nilgai and peacock are found around the villages of Bishnoi and are considered an integral part of the community and nobody harms them.

Question. Why do we need to conserve our forests and wildlife?
Answer. (i) Conservation preserves the ecological diversity and our life support systems—water, air and soil.
(ii) It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth of species and breeding.
(iii) We humans along with all living organisms form a complex web of ecological system in which we are only a part and very much dependent on this system for our own existence.

Question. What is biodiversity?
Answer. (i) Biodiversity includes all living beings, starting from micro-organisms and bacteria, lichens to banyan trees, elephants and blue whales.
(ii) It is closely integrated in a system through multiple network of interdependencies.

Question. How are villagers of Alwar district of Rajasthan struggling to conserve their forests and wildlife?
Answer. The inhabitants of five villages in the Alwar District of Rajasthan have declared 1,200 hectares of forests as ‘Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri’ declaring their own set of rules and regulations which do not allow hunting and are protecting the wildlife against any outside encroachments.

Question. “Grazing and fuel wood collection are not responsible for deforestation in India.” Support the statement with suitable reasons.
Answer. (i) Many environmentalists hold the view that grazing and fuel wood collection are responsible for the depletion of forests.
(ii) But actually more trees are cut for the need of teakwood for furniture or other requirements.
(iii) Due to rapid industrialization demand of wood and land made the forests fall due to urbanization, forests are cleared for the settlement of people.

Question. Assess the need for conservation of forests and wildlife in India.
Answer. (i) Conservation preserves the ecological diversity and our life support systems—water, air and soil.
(ii) It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth of species and breeding.
(iii) In agriculture, we are still dependent on traditional crop varieties. Fisheries too are heavily dependent on the maintenance of aquatic biodiversity

Question. How are flora and fauna in India under great threat?
Answer. India is one of the world’s richest countries in flora and fauna. This diverse flora and fauna are so well-integrated in our daily life.
(i) But they are under great stress mainly due to insensitivity towards the environment.
(ii) Some estimates suggest that at least 10 per cent of India’s wild flora and 20 per cent of its mammals are on the threatened list.
(iii) Many of these are on the verge of extinction like the cheetah, pink headed duck, plants like Madhuca, etc.

Question. How is mining an important factor behind deforestation?
Answer. (i) The Buxa Tiger Reserve in West Bengal is seriously threatened by the ongoing dolomite mining.
(ii) It has disturbed the natural habitat of many species and blocked the migration route of several others, including the great Indian Elephant.

Question. What were the provisions of The Indian Wildlife Act of 1972?
Answer. (i) It was implemented with various provisions for protecting habitats.
(ii) The thrust of the programme was towards protecting the remaining population of certain endangered species by banning hunting, giving legal protection to their habitats and restricting trade in wildlife.

Question. Which are endangered species?
Answer. (i) The cheetah, pink-headed duck, mountain quail, forest spotted owlet and plants like mahua and hubberdia are all in the verge of extinction.
(ii) The survival of such species is difficult if the negative factors that have led to a decline in their population continue to operate.

Question. Which are ‘Extinct Species’?
Answer. (i) These are species which are not found after searches of known or likely areas where they may occur.
(ii) A species may be extinct from a local area, region, country, continent or the entire earth.
(iii) Example—Asiatic Cheetah and pink headed duck.

NCERT Solutions for Class 10 Social Science Chapter 2 Forest and Wildlife Resources Long Answer Questions

Question. Describe how communities have conserved and protected forests and wildlife in India.
Answer: Indian forests are home to different communities. These communities have a complex relationship with their environment. The Mundas and the Santhal of Chhota Nagpur Region worship mahua and kadamba trees, and the tribal’s of Odisha and Bihar worship the tamarind and mango trees during weddings. The Bishnois of Rajasthan hold the antelopes in high reverence. Peepal and banyan trees are considered sacred. Villagers around the Sariska Reserve have opposed mining activities in the region as these activities endanger wildlife. Villagers in the Alwar district of Rajasthan have banned hunting and lumbering activities in a 1200-hectare area they have marked as Bhairodev Dakav 'Sonchuri'. Such activities have helped in the conservation and protection of forest and wildlife in India.

Question. Write a note on good practices towards conserving forest and wildlife.
Answer: The Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act was implemented in 1972, with various provisions for protecting habitats. A list of wildlife species that has to be protected was published and hunting of these animals was banned. Central and state governments in India have set up national parks and wildlife sanctuaries to protect forests and endangered species in wildlife. Project tiger was initiated in 1973 by the government of India to protect tigers. Under Wildlife Act of 1980 and 1986, several hundred butterflies, moths, beetles, and one dragonfly have been added to the list of protected species. Various communities, especially in tribal areas, who are dependent on forests for their living, are now taking an active role in this form of conservation.

Question. What methods of conservation have been adopted by the Indian government?
Answer. (i) In the 1960’s and 1970’s, conservationists demanded a national wildlife protection programme.
(ii) The Indian Wildlife Act was implemented in 1972, with provisions for protecting habitats.
(iii) An all India list of protected species was also published.
(iv) The thrust of the programme was on protecting the remaining population of certain endangered species by banning hunting activities, giving legal protection to their habitats and restricting trade in wildlife.
(v) Then the central and many state governments established national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
(vi) The Central government also announced several projects for protecting specific animals, which were gravely threatened like the tiger, the one-horned rhinoceros, the Kashmir stag and crocodiles.
(vii) Recently the Indian elephant, black buck, the great Indian bustard and the snow leopard have been given full or partial legal protection against hunting and trade throughout India.

Question. Explain any five different categories of existing plants and animal species based on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources with examples.
Answer. Classification of species of animals and plants:
(i) Normal Species: Species whose population levels are considered to be normal for their survival are normal species.
Examples: Cattle, sal, pine, rodents, etc.
(ii) Endangered Species: These are species which are in danger of extinction. The survival of such species is difficult if the negative factors that have led to a decline in their population continue to operate.
Examples: Black buck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, lion tailed macque, etc.
(iii) Vulnerable Species: These are species whose population has declined to levels from where it is likely to move into the endangered category in the near future, if the negative factors continue to operate.
Examples: Blue sheep, Asiatic elephant, Gangetic dolphin, etc.
(iv) Rare Species: Species with small population may move into the endangered or vulnerable category if the negative factors affecting them continue to operate.
Examples: Himalayan brown bear, wild asiatic buffalo, desert fox, hornbill, etc.
(v) Endemic Species: These are species which are only found in some particular areas usually isolated by natural or geographical barriers.
Examples: Andaman teal, Nicobar pigeon, Andaman wild pig, mithun in Arunachal Pradesh.
(vi) Extinct Species: These are species which are not found after searches of known or likely areas where they may occur. A species may be extinct from a local area, region, country,continent or the entire earth.
Examples: Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck.

Question. Which good practices are exercised to conserve forests and wildlife?
Answer. In some areas of India, local communities are struggling to conserve forests and wildlife along with government officials, to secure their own livelihood.
(i) The famous Chipko Movement in the Himalayas was organised which has not only successfully resisted deforestation in several areas but has also shown that community afforestation with indigenous species can be enormously successful.
(ii) Attempts to revive the traditional conservation methods or developing new methods of ecological farming are now widespread.
(iii) In India, Joint Forest Management (JFM) Programme furnishes as a good example for involving local communities in the management and restoration of degraded forests.
(iv) Nature worship is an age-old tribal belief based on the premise that all creations of nature have to be protected. Such beliefs have preserved several virgin forests in pristine form called ‘Sacred Groves’.
(v) The Central Government has announced several projects for protecting specific animals,which were gravely threatened including the tiger, one-horned Rhinoceros, etc.