NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Chapter 2 - Resources And Development Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation And Wildlife Resources Pdf

A. Answer the Following Questions:

1. Which are the two main climatic factors responsible for soil formation?

Ans: Two main factors responsible for soil formation are Temperature and Rainfall.

2. Write any two reasons for land degradation today.

Ans: Two reasons for land degradation are deforestation and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides on agricultural land.

3. Why is land considered an important resource?

Ans: Land provides habitat for various varieties of flora and fauna. Humans also use it for various purposes like agriculture, building houses and roads, forestry, mining, and setting up industries. It serves many purposes like these and is thus considered an important resource.

4. Name any two steps that the government has taken to conserve plants and animals.

Ans: The steps taken by the government to conserve plants and animals are as follows:

• Various national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves have been set up for protecting natural vegetation and wildlife. For example, Kaziranga National park, Assam.

• The killing of lions, tigers, deer, peacocks, and great Indian bustards has been banned. The trade of the species of plants and animals has also been banned under the international agreement CITES.

5. Suggest three ways to conserve water.

Ans: Three ways to conserve water are:

• Replenishing groundwater by encouraging afforestation.

• Avoiding seepage of water by lining irrigation canals.

• Rainwater harvesting.

B. Tick the Correct Answer.

1. Which one of the following is NOT a factor of soil formation?

(a) Time (b) Soil texture (c) organic matter

Ans: (b) Soil texture

2. Which one of the following methods is most appropriate to check soil erosion on steep slopes?

(a) Shelterbelts (b) Mulching (c) terrace cultivation

Ans: (c)terrace cultivation

3. Which one of the following is NOT in favour of the conservation of nature?

(a) switch off the bulb when not in use

(b) close the tap immediately after using

(c) dispose poly bags after shopping

Ans: (c) Dispose poly bags after shopping.

C. Match the following.

(i) Land use           (a) Prevent Soil erosion.

(ii) Humus              (b) Land suitable for agriculture.

(iii) Rock dams      (c) Productive use of land.

(iv) Arable Land    (d) Organic matter deposited on topsoil.

Ans: 

(i) Land use – (c) Productive use of land

(ii) Humus – (d) Organic matter deposited on topsoil

(iii) Rock Dams – (a) Prevent Soil erosion

(iv) Arable Land – (b) Land suitable for agriculture

D.State Whether the Given Statement is True or False. If True, Write the Reason.

1. Ganga-Brahmaputra plain of India is an overpopulated region.

Ans: True. These are densely populated areas because plains and rivers provide suitable land for agriculture.

2. Water availability per person in India is declining.

Ans: True. Although water is present in abundance on the Earth, freshwater resources are limited. The availability of water has become a serious problem throughout the world. The availability of water is declining very fast because of wastage of water, deforestation, and the pollution and depletion of freshwater resources like rivers and groundwater.

3. Rows of trees planted in the coastal areas to check the wind movement are called intercropping.

Ans:  False. The given process is known as Shelterbelts. Intercropping is when different crops are grown in alternative rows and also sown at different times so as to protect the soil from rain wash.

4. Human interference and changes in climate can maintain the ecosystem.

Ans: False. The ecosystem is adversely affected by human interference and climatic changes.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science - Geography - Resources and Development Chapter 2 Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation, and Wildlife Resources

Important Topics Covered in Chapter 2 of Social Science Class 8 

The important topics covered in Chapter 2 of NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development are given below.

• Land, uses of land, and conservation of land resources

• Soil and soil formation

• Factors affecting soil formation

• Degradation of soil and conservation measures

• Water and problems of water availability

• Conservation of water resources

• Natural vegetation and wildlife

• Distribution of Natural Vegetation

• Conservation of natural vegetation and wildlife

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 History - Free PDF Download

NCERT Solutions will help you to conceptually solve all the questions in Chapter 2 of Class 8th Geography. In Chapter 2 of Class 8th Geography, we will study the uses of land, Soil, conservation of Land resources, Soil formation, factors affecting soil formation, conservation of soil, etc. You will also study natural vegetation and wildlife and its distribution and conservation. These chapters are very important when it comes to gaining knowledge as well as scoring good marks in the exams.

All the teachers at Vedantu are really knowledgeable in making learning easy and conceptual in an enjoyable way. The NCERT Solution for Class 8 Social Sciences is also available in a readily downloadable PDF format that lets you learn everywhere including offline. Download Vedantu's free PDF for Class 8 Social Science NCERT Solutions right now with a single click on the PDF file above.

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Social Science - Resources and Development Chapter 2 Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation, and Wildlife Resources - Brief Summary

Chapter 2 deals with the most important resources that are responsible for sustaining all living creatures on earth. Abiotic resources, as we know, comprise land, soil, and water. Natural vegetation and wildlife resources compose the biotic resources. From this chapter, students will learn that since both these two types of resources are exhaustible in nature, hence it calls for sustainable use of them, thereby minimising wastage and increasing longevity.

Land makes for the prime natural resource for all. The total usable land covers about 30% of the total area of the earth’s surface. Interestingly, 90% of the world population inhabits only 30% of the land area. The remaining land, which is  70% of the land, is either entirely uninhabited or sparsely populated.

Chapter 2 will also inform the students that the reason behind the uneven pattern of distribution of land is credited to various factors that include land texture, climate, availability of water, fertility of the soil, etc. For example, areas with rugged top soil result in less population growth. The chapter further delves into topics such as uses of land, conservation of land resources, soil, soil formation, factors affecting soil formation, degradation and conservation of soil, water, problems of water availability and conservation of water, natural vegetation and wildlife, its distribution and conservation.

Some Important Points Covered in NCERT Solutions Class 8 Social Science Chapter 2

• Land is a vital natural resource that covers 30% of the earth's surface, yet not all of it is habitable.

• Topography, soil, climate, minerals, and water supply are among the physical factors that influence land usage. Land use patterns are influenced by a number of factors, including population and technology.

• Soil is defined as a thin coating of granular substance that covers the planet's surface and is intricately intertwined with the land. Soil is made up of organic matter, minerals, and weathered rocks that have been exposed to the elements.

• The kind of soil is determined by landforms. The soil composition is influenced by topography and organic matter.

• The rate of humus development throughout the soil formation process is influenced by time.

• Natural vegetation and fauna can only be found in the biosphere, which is the small zone of contact between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

• Living beings in the ecosystem are interconnected and reliant on one another for survival.

• Due to soil fertility, plains and valleys are heavily populated.

• The ecosystem is the name for this life-sustaining system. Animals, birds, insects, and aquatic life forms all fall under the category of wildlife.

• Big or tiny, all animals have a role in preserving environmental balance.

• Temperature and moisture are the most important factors in vegetation development.

• Forests are the most important resources on the planet as they balance the ecosystem. 

• Forests, grasslands, scrubs, and tundra are the four major forms of vegetation on the planet.

• The loss of forests causes the extinction of many species. Many natural and human activities such as deforestation, construction activities, soil erosion and forest fires cause the loss of forests. 

• Government and many NGOs run the awareness programme to conserve the forest. 

NCERT Class 8 Social Science Resources and Development Chapter-wise Solutions

• Chapter 1 - Resources

• Chapter 2 - Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources

• Chapter 3 - Mineral and Power Resources

• Chapter 4 - Agriculture

• Chapter 5 - Industries

• Chapter 6 - Human Resources

NCERT Solutions for Class 8 Geography Chapter 2

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