NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 7 Conservation of Plants and Animals

1. Fill in the blanks:

a) A place where animals are protected in their natural habitat is called a               .

Ans: sanctuary

b) Species found only in a particular area are known as                 .

Ans: endemic

c) Migratory birds fly to faraway places because of ______ changes.

Ans: climate

2. Differentiate between the following.

a) Wildlife sanctuary and biosphere reserve

Ans: The difference between wildlife sanctuary and biosphere reserve is given below

b) Zoo and wildlife sanctuary

Ans: The difference between zoo and wildlife sanctuary is given below

c) Endangered and extinct species

Ans: The difference between endangered and extinct species is given below

d) Flora and fauna

Ans: The difference between flora and fauna is given below

3. Discuss the effects of deforestation on the following.

a) Wild animals

Ans: Effects of deforestation on wild animals: 

The destruction of trees or other vegetation from an area for industrial, agricultural, or other uses is known as deforestation. Many animals' habitats are made up of trees and other vegetation. As a result, if wild animal habitat is lost, their numbers will naturally drop.

b) Environment

Ans: Effects of deforestation on the environment:

Photosynthesis occurs when plants absorb CO2 from the atmosphere. The level of CO2 in the atmosphere will rise if plants are killed. As a result, more heat radiation will be trapped by CO2, contributing to global warming. The natural water cycle will be disrupted if the Earth's temperature rises. As a result, there will be a shift in the pattern of rainfall. This could result in flooding or other disasters.

c) Villages (Rural areas)

Ans: Effects of deforestation on villages:

The main source of revenue in the village is farming, which requires fertile soil. The trees are the ones who keep the soil fruitful by holding on to it. Without trees, the soil will become loose and readily swept away by the wind, and water will cause erosion, reducing the land's productivity. As a result, deforestation will have an impact on the villagers' livelihood.

d) Cities (Urban areas)

Ans: Effects of deforestation on cities:

Because the amount of pollution in cities will be high, as will the level of CO2, trees will be required to clean up the pollutants and give fresh air. However, deforestation will result in a rise in pollution, particularly CO2 emissions from automobiles and industrial waste. It may also raise the temperature in the area, disrupting the water cycle.

e) Earth

Ans: Effects of deforestation on the Earth:

From a bird's eye view, if the number of forests decreases day by day, this will result in an increase in CO2 levels in the air, which will cause global warming by raising the temperature, causing polar ice to melt and sea levels to rise, potentially causing natural disasters. All of this is due to deforestation.

f) The next generation

Ans: Imagine the impact that deforestation will have on the following generation, as we have witnessed the effects of deforestation on a worldwide scale. The likelihood of global warming, soil erosion, greenhouse effect, drought, and flood increases as the number of trees decreases day by day. As a result, these are the other issues that the next generation will confront.

4. What will happen if:

a) We go on cutting trees.

Ans: If we continue to cut down trees indefinitely, the trees will eventually vanish from the face of the earth. Animals and birds will be displaced from their natural environment. Biodiversity will be extinct. The water cycle has been thrown off. The rainfall pattern has been thrown off. There are floods and droughts to be seen. Soil degradation, desertification, and natural disasters will all become more common.

b) The habitat of an animal is disturbed.

Ans: When an animal's habitat is damaged, it loses access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, and protection. Creatures will murder other animals for sustenance, putting the survival of the fittest hypothesis into effect. Both vegetation and animals will dwindle in the end.

c) The top layer of soil is exposed.

Ans: If the top layer of the soil is exposed, the nourishing lower layer of the soil, which is hard and rocky in character, will gradually open. Continuous soil erosion depletes the humus content of the soil, rendering it barren and unproductive.

5. Answer in brief:

a) Why should we conserve biodiversity?

Ans: Plants and animals, as well as microorganisms, make up biodiversity. We all know that all living things are dependent on one another in some way. For example, food, nutrients, and shelter. As a result, if one of the pieces is impacted, the other two will be affected as well. To maintain biodiversity, all of its components must be cultivated and cared for.

b) Protected forests are also not completely safe for wild animals. Why?

Ans: People who live near protected woods use the resources for their own needs, so the forests are not fully safe for wild animals. They murder animals for personal gain and sell the resulting products for a profit.

c) Some tribals depend on the jungle. How?

Ans: Forests provide food, fodder, and fallen tree branches for tribals. As a result, people rely on wood for their everyday needs.

d) What are the causes and consequences of deforestation?

Ans: Deforestation occurs for a variety of reasons. 

(I) Forests are destroyed to accommodate developing urban centers and meet their ever-increasing needs.

(ii) Forests are cut down to make way for crops and livestock grazing.

(iii) Trees are felled for use as firewood.

Deforestation has the following consequences:

i. soil erosion

ii. biodiversity loss

iii. floods and droughts

iv. Climate change as a result of global warming 

v. Water cycle disruption

e) What is a Red Data Book?

Ans: The Red Data Book is a reference book that keeps track of all endangered animal and plant species around the world. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) maintains this database (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources).

f) What do you understand by the term migration?

Ans: The movement of an organism or a group of organisms from one place to another at a specific time each year is referred to as migration. Organisms move from one location to another to avoid harsh climatic circumstances or to reproduce.

6. In order to meet the ever-increasing demand in factories and for shelter, trees are being continually cut. Is it justified to cut trees for such projects? Discuss and prepare a brief report.

Ans:  No, chopping down trees to meet the needs of the human population is not justified. Trees provide a home for a wide range of animals and microbes. They give off O2 and absorb dangerous CO2 gas from the atmosphere, providing us with high-quality air. They protect against soil erosion as well as other natural calamities such as floods. They aid in the fertility of the soil and protect the planet from global warming, or the greenhouse effect, which is caused by people. The removal of forests will upset the natural balance. As a result, tree cutting for personal benefit should be prohibited, and forests should be preserved.

7. How can you contribute to the maintenance of the green wealth of your locality? Make a list of actions to be taken by you.

Ans: To begin, one should take care of the plants and trees that are already flourishing in the area in order to contribute to society's green wealth. Later, you can take action by planting more trees in the area. After that, one can begin to raise awareness among the general public and explain the significance to them. The tagline for the campaigns should be "each one plant one," and more trees should be planted and grown.

8. Explain how deforestation leads to reduced rainfall.

Ans: Deforestation refers to the removal of plants and other trees from the environment for industrial, agricultural, or human interests. Trees regulate the CO2 and O2 levels in the atmosphere and safeguard the planet from global warming. It also aids in the preservation of the earth's water cycle. Deforestation has the potential to disrupt the water cycle, raise global temperatures, and alter rainfall patterns. It can also cause draughts in certain areas.

9. Find out about national parks in your state. Identify and show their location on the outline map of India.

Ans: The Corbett National Park is one of the national parks near Delhi.

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10. Why should the paper be saved? Prepare a list of ways by which you can save paper.

Ans: Paper is made from trees, as we all know. A tonne of paper requires seventeen fully grown trees. We also know that trees help to maintain the natural balance. As a result, we should conserve paper, which will save trees and, as a result, our ecosystem.

Paper can be saved by: 

i. decreasing the amount of paper used.

ii. using both sides of the paper 

iii. recycling paper

iv. raising awareness about the dangers of misusing it

11. Complete the world puzzle. Down

1. Species on the verge of extinction.

2. A book carrying information about endangered species.

5. A consequence of deforestation.

Across

1. Species that have vanished.

3. Species are found only in a particular habitat.

4. Variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms found in an area.

(Image Will Be Updated Soon)

Ans:

Down

1. ENDANGERED

2. RED DATA BOOK

5. DROUGHT

Across

1. EXTINCT

3. ENDEMIC

4. BIODIVERSITY

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NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Science Chapter 7 - Conservation of Plants and Animals

Included Topics in Class 8th Science Chapter 7 (Free PDF Download)

The topics and sub-topics of this chapter, ‘Conservation of Plants and Animals’ in the science syllabus for 8th standard will help you study in a more organized.

The important question-answers are given in “NCERT solutions for class 8 science chapter 7”. Therefore, students must go through the NCERT solutions to score higher marks in the exam.

Questions in Class 8 Science Chapter 7 and Solution by NCERT

7th chapter of class 8 NCERT science solutions consists of both subjective and objective questions. Few important question-answers are mentioned, which is discussed in NCERT solutions of class 8 science chapter 7. You can access the same completely free of cost from Vedantu’s website.

Deforestation and Its Effects and Causes

The existing plants and animals on earth are essential for the survival and well-being of humankind. It is also known to be one of the major threats to mankind.

Deforestation refers to the process of destroying and cleaning the forests to use the land for other purposes. Other purposes include the following common actions.

I. Procurement land for cultivation.

II. Using wood as fuel and resources

There are other natural causes such as, 

1. Forest fires and droughts.

Consequences of deforestation are:

• Soil erosion.

• Loss of biodiversity.

• Disruption of the water cycle.

• Climate change due to global warming.

Wildlife Sanctuary

This is an area where animal habitats and their surroundings are protected from any risk and disturbance. In these regions, capturing and killing of animals is strictly prohibited. The primary purpose of a wildlife sanctuary is to provide a comfortable and safe living to the animals. The authorities make these regions suitable for the animals with proper safety. Explanation has been given in the answer of NCERT solutions for class 8 science chapter 7.

Biosphere Reserve

It is a large protected area meant for the conservation of biodiversity and culture. A biosphere reserve is a place for the conservation of endangered species of flora (plant), fauna (animal) in their natural habitat. You can find thorough discussion on biosphere reserve in class 8 science chapter 7.

Flora and Fauna

This topic has been explained in a chart-form in NCERT solutions for class 8 science chapter 7 Conservation of Plants and Animals. Flora is the particular name given for the collective plant life present in a specific region under a certain time period. Fauna is the number of animals residing in a specific region under a particular time period. Most broadly, flora and fauna refer to the plants and animals.

Endangered Species

NCERT Class 8 science chapter 7 describes the difference between endangered and extinct species. The species that are most likely to become extinct in the near future, either worldwide or in a particular region is called endangered species.

Extinct Species 

Extinct species are the non-existing species that used to exist in the past. In general, extinction is considered to be the death of the last individual of the species. Answer 2(c) in NCERT solutions for class 8 science chapter 7 gives the difference between endangered and extinct species.