WBBSE Solutions For Class 10 Geography And Environment India – Soils Of India

Geography Class 10 West Bengal Board India – Soils Of India True Or False Type:

Question 1. The soil composed of pebbles, sands and silts, found along the foothills of Siwalik is called the bet.
Answer: True

Question 2. The old alluvial soil of the Ganga plain is called Bhangar.
Answer: True

Question 3. Black soil is mixed with lime and potash.
Answer: True

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Question 4. Saline soil is mainly found in the coastal region.
Answer: True

Question 5. Mountain soil is suitable for cultivation.
Answer: False

Geography Class 10 West Bengal Board

Question 6. Bhabar soil is unsuitable for agriculture.
Answer: True

Question 7. Podzol soil is found in the Ganga Plain.
Answer: False

Question 8. Duns are flat-floored structural valleys.
Answer: True

Question 9. Black soil is good for the cultivation of cotton.
Answer: True

Question 10. An agent of sheet erosion is wind.
Answer: True

Question 11. Soil erosion can be checked by afforestation.
Answer: True

Question 12. Laterite soil is organic in character.
Answer: False

Question 13. Khadar soil is found in the Ganga Plain.
Answer: False

Question 14. Black soil is also known as chernozem.
Answer: True

Question 15. Red soil is mixed with iron oxide.
Answer: True

Question 16. Saline soil is suitable for agriculture.
Answer: False

Question 17. Soil erosion is a menace to agriculture.
Answer: True

Question 18. The Black cotton soil is locally known as regur in Maharashtra.
Answer: True

Question 19. The coastal region of India is hardly composed of Red soil.
Answer: False

Question 20. Mountain soil is suitable for cultivation.
Answer: False

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board India – Soils Of India Fill In the Blanks Type:

Question 1. ______ soil is ideal for the growth of mangrove forests.
Answer: Coastal.

Question 2. New alluvium is called _____ soil.
Answer: Khadar.

Question 3. In deltaic regions and on deserts, soils are ______.
Answer: Saline.

Geography Class 10 West Bengal Board

Question 4. Tarai soils are composed of ______ and coarse grains.
Answer: Gravels.

Question 5. Podzol soil is mainly found in ______ region.
Answer: Mountain.

Question 6. Black soil is suitable for ______ cultivation.
Answer: Cotton.

Question 7. Desert soil has no ______ holding capacity.
Answer: Water.

Question 8. Rill erosion is mainly done by _______.
Answer: Wind.

Question 9. Gully erosion is mainly done by running ______.
Answer: Water.

Question 10. _______ erosion is responsible for heavy rainfall.
Answer: Sheet.

Question 11. ______ land is not suitable for agriculture.
Answer: Bhabar.

Question 12. There are ______ types of soil found in India.
Answer: Seven.

Question 13. Black soil is mainly found in _____ and its adjoining areas.
Answer: Maharashtra.

Question 14. Laterite soil is mainly found in _____.
Answer: Karnataka.

Question 15. ______ soil is mainly found in the Upper & Middle Ganga Plains.
Answer: Khadar.

Question 16. ______ is the old alluvial soil, found in the Ganga Plain.
Answer: Bhangar.

Geography Class 10 West Bengal Board

Question 17. Lands between two rivers are called _______.
Answer: Doabs.

Question 18. ______ land is not suitable for agriculture.
Answer: Bhabar.

School Geography Class 10 WBBSE India – Soils Of India Very Short Answer Type:

Question 1. Name a farming technique which prevents soil erosion on the hill slopes.
Answer: Terrace Farming / Contour Farming / Strip Farming.

Question 2. State the importance of terrace cultivation.
Answer: Terrace cultivation or cultivation on hill slopes by cutting terraces along the slope, significantly reduces the gradient and prevents soil erosion by washing away to a great extent.

Question 3. What is soil?
Answer: Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust on which trees and plants exist.

Question 4. Which soil is very much productive?
Answer: Alluvial soils are very productive

Geography Class 10 West Bengal Board

Question 5. Which is the most fertile soil in India?
Answer: Alluvial soil.

Question 6. Where do you find Black soil in India?
Answer: Maharashtra, Gujarat, M.P. and parts of Karnataka.

Question 7. Where do you find saline soil in India?
Answer: Saline soil is found in coastal regions.

Question 8. For which crops black soil is suitable?
Answer: Cotton, Sugarcane and Jowar.

Question 9. For which crops laterite soil is suitable?
Answer: Laterite soil is not at all suitable for agriculture. But coffee, rubber, and tea can be produced here by adding fertilizer.

Question 10. For which crop saline soil is suitable?
Answer: Coconut production.

Question 11. Where is the Soil Research Institute of India located?
Answer: It is in Pune.

Question 12. For what crops red soils are suitable?
Answer: Sugarcane, cotton, tobacco, rice, jute.

Question 13. For what crop Podzol soil is suitable?
Answer: For apples, oranges and other fruits.

Geography Class 10 West Bengal Board

Question 14. Mention the types of soil erosion.
Answer: Gully erosion, Sheet erosion and Rill erosion.

Question 15. In which part of India can laterite soil be found?
Answer: South India.

Question 16. What is the other name for Black soil?
Answer: Regur soil.

Question 17. What is the main characteristic of desert soil?
Answer: Desert soil contains coarse brown sands. This is very porous.

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board India – Soils Of India 2 Marks Questions And Answers:

Question 1. What is soil erosion?
Answer:

Soil erosion:

The washing away or the removal of soil from the upper portion of the earth’s crust due to the action of water, wind, waves, etc. is known as soil erosion.

Question 2. What is leaching?
Answer:

Leaching:

Leaching is the process of formation of laterite soil by the removal of minerals by excessive heating and rainfall. :

Question 3. What is Bhabar?
Answer:

Bhabar:

Bhabar is a kind of soil made up of coarse pebbles, cemented with silt, porous in nature which is mainly found on the foothills of the Himalayas.

Question 4. What is Podzol soil?
Answer:

Podzol soil:

These are the soils formed below the mountain soil mainly mixed with boulders, clays, and rotten leaves of trees. Podzol soils are not fertile.

Question 5. What is meant by ‘Regur’?
Answer:

‘Regur’:

Regur is a soil found in large quantities in the Deccan Trap region of India. They are made up of volcanic rocks or lava flows. Therefore, the colour of the soil is black and sometimes called Black soil or lava soil. These soils are fertile and suitable for the cultivation of cotton, sugarcane, wheat and groundnut.

Question 6. In which regions of India Laterite soil and Mangrove forests are found?
Answer:

Laterite soils are found in Orissa, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. Mangrove forests are found in Sunderban in West Bengal.

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board

Question 7. Why is the black soil of India fertile?
Answer: Black soil of India is fertile because its special merit lies in it. water holding capacity and contains a high percentage of lime and a moderate amount of potash.

Question 8. What is Soil?
Answer:

Soil:

Soil is the end product of rock consisting of some minerals like iron, phosphorous, sulphur, potassium, etc. as well as organic matter (Humus).

Question 9. What is ‘Khadar’?
Answer:

‘Khadar’:

New riverine alluvial soil of Gangetic plain is known as Khadar and it is lighter in colour and finer than older alluvium. This soil is found in flood plains of Indo-Gangetic plains.

Question 10. Write briefly two characteristics of Alluvial soils.
Answer:

The characteristics of Alluvial soils are:

1. They are generally fertile soils which are brought by rivers.
2. They are rich in potash and contain adequate phosphoric acid and lime.

Question 11. What is Bhangar?
Answer:

Bhangar:

Bhangar is old alluvium darker in colour than newer alluvium. This soil is acidic in nature and contains humus found in old flood plains, far from river banks.

Question 12. What are the characteristics of red soil?
Answer:

Characteristics of red soil:

This soil is rich in iron and not very fertile, moisture retaining capacity is low.

Question 13. Write three characteristics of laterite soil.
Answer:

Characteristics of laterite soil

1. Laterite soil is red in colour.
2. Low moisture retaining; a capacity that’s why it is infertile.
3. The soil is heavily leached, so aluminium accumulates at the surface.

Question 14. What are the characteristics of desert soil?
Answer:

The characteristics of desert soil are:

1. The soil is mainly sandy.
2. Low humus content as plants are rare in desert regions.
3. The soil is generally grey in colour and is known as chernozem.
4. Minerals accumulate on the surface.

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board

Question 15. Give two characteristics of old alluvium (Bhangar).
Answer:

Two characteristics of old alluvium (Bhangar) are:

1. It has kankar nodules with calcium carbonate in its subsoil.
2. It is coarser and less fertile as compared to new alluvium.

Question 16. Which soils are suitable for the production of coffee and cotton?
Answer: Forest-cleared brown soil is suitable for coffee production. Coffee grows well in Terra-Roza soil (Brazil). Black Cotton soil is suitable for cotton.

Question 17. From where does the word laterite come? What does it mean?
Answer: The word ‘Laterite’ comes from the Latin word ‘Later’ which means bricks because this soil looks like the dust of red bricks.

India – Soils Of India Short Notes:

Question 1. Soil conservation.
Answer:

Soil conservation

There is a wide variety of soils in India due to which India is able to produce a variety of crops. These fertile soils can make India self-sufficient in various agricultural products. It is necessary that we should adopt scientific management of our soil resources. Checking of soil erosion and maintenance of their fertility is very important. Nearly nine million hectares of black soils are suffering from salinity and alkalinity at present. The problems of water-logging and excessive irrigation are also to be attended to Conservation of soil is a must to maintain the productivity of the land.

School Geography Class 10 WBBSE India – Soils Of India 3 Marks Questions And Answers:

Question 1. Differentiate between Khadar soil and Bhangar soil.
Answer:

Difference between Khadar soil and Bhangar soil:

Question 2. Black soil is called ‘Black cotton soil’. Why?
Answer:

Black soil is suitable for cotton cultivation due to the following reasons:

1. Black soil is formed due to lava deposition coming from the interior of the earth. It contains iron, aluminium and calcium carbonate. In an agricultural point of view, it is suitable for cotton cultivation. Hence, this soil cotton is cultivated without the use of fertilizers.

2. Black soil is very clayey. It has a huge capacity to retain water. Hence, during rain it becomes wet and during sunshine its upper surface becomes dry but it contains water in it. Hence without irrigation cotton can be cultivated easily. Black soil for these reasons is called “Black cotton soil”.

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board

Question 3. Mountain soil is suitable for tea plantations. Why?
Answer:

Mountain soil is suitable for tea plantations due to:

(1) As the mountain has a slope, water cannot stop there. Hence tea plantation is easily done there.
(2) Due to the presence of huge forests, decayed or decomposed plants or humus is also found there. Hence, presence. of humus makes the soil very fertile.
(3) Mountain soil has less limestone but contains a huge amount of iron which is necessary for tea plantations.
Hence, mountain soils are suitable for tea plantations.

Question 4. What are the effects of soil erosion?
Answer:

Effects of soil erosion:

These are the following effects of soil erosion:

1. Loss of fertility: Due to soil erosion, red sil and mountain soils lose their fertility. Serozem soils in the desert area become unculturable wastes due to erosion.

2. Frequency of floods: Due to soil erosion, streams, rivers, ponds, etc. lose their capacity to hold water. Eroded materials are deposited in these water bodies and they are gradually filled up and because of heavy rain floods occur.

3. Depletion of groundwater: Due to soil erosion very little of rainwater is held in the soil as groundwater. Because of this depletion of groundwater, enough water is not available for wells and tube-wells irrigation.

4. Increase in salinity: Due to lack of proper drainage of water, salinity increases in eroded soils. The level of salinity is thus increasing gradually in-the plains and deltas of India.

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board

Question 5. In which part of India is black soil found? What are its characteristics?
Answer:

Block Soil: The black soil is found in the Deccan trap region of north-western Maharashtra, Surat, Vadodara and Bharuch of Gujarat, Western Madhya Pradesh, Northern Karnataka and parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Characteristics: The chief characteristics are:
1. The soil has mainly formed due to weathering of basalt parent in rock and so the colour is black.
2. The soil has the presence of compounds of iron, aluminium, lime, calcium and magnesium.
3. The soils have a greater proportion of clay and lime.
4. The soil has greater moisture holding capacity and releases it to the plant during the dry season.

Question 6. Name three important soil regions of India.
Answer:

Important soil regions of India

1. Black soil region: Karnataka, Maharashtra,
2. Red soil region: Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu,
3. Alluvial soil region: Punjab, Bihar, etc.

Question 7. What is soil erosion and what are its causes of it?
Answer:

Soil erosion

Soils wear away by the action of rain-wash running water, streams, rivers and other natural agents, and thereby, they are lost forever. The erosion of the most layer of the earth’s crust, i.e., soil, is known as soil erosion.

Soil erosion is caused by:

1. Unscientific process of agriculture in which bare soil falls away easily by rainwash,
2. Destruction of forests in which natural agents of erosion get easy access causing widespread erosion,
3. Overgrazing which withers away vegetation and soil becomes bare and open to natural agents for erosion.

Class 10 Geography WBBSE

Question 8. How can soil be conserved?
Answer:

The following steps can be taken to conserve soil and to protect it against erosion:

1. Construction of an earthen dam on the field to check rainwash and gully erosion,
2. Prohibition and control of grazing and preservation of land for pasture,
3. Afforestation on steep slopes to check soil erosion from rainwash, etc.

Question 9. What are He regions of soil erosion in India?
Answer:

Regions of Soil Erosion in India: In India, the problem of soil erosion has attained a menacing proportion. In fact, soil erosion is one of the greatest enemies of Indian agriculture responsible for low agricultural productivity. According to an estimate, every year rainwater alone washes out 1/8 cm thick fertile topsoil. Among the States, Rajasthan comes on the top of the soil-eroded regions, followed by Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The worst affected areas include:

1. The badlands of the Chambal and Yamuna rivers.
2. The piedmont zone of the western Himalayas.
3. The Chotanagpur plateau region.
4. The Tapi-Sabarmati valley region in Gujarat.
5. The regur soil area of Maharashtra and
6. The dry areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Haryana.

Question 10. State three schemes for soil conservation in India.
Answer:

Soil Conservation Schemes:

1. The centrally sponsored scheme of Integrated Watershed Management in the catchments of flood-prone rivers was launched during the Sixth Plan in eight flood-prone rivers of the Gangetic Basin covering seven States and one Union Territory. It aims at enhancing the ability of the catchment by absorbing a larger quantity of rainwater, reducing erosion and consequent silt load in the stream and river beds and thus helping to mitigate the fury of floods in the productive plains.

2. A scheme for reclamation and development of. ravine areas were launched in 1987-88 in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan. The components of this scheme included peripheral bunding to halt further ingress of ravines, afforestation of ravines for fuel, and fodder and reclamation of shallow ravines.

3. The scheme for control of shifting cultivation is being implemented since 1994-95 in the States of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura. The integrated programme envisages the settling of families practising shifting cultivation. It helps them to practise terraced cultivation, raising horticultural plantations and afforestation to support animal husbandry and meet fuel and fodder requirements.

Class 10 Geography WBBSE

Question 11. What is the need for soil conservation?
Answer:

There is an acute need to prevent soil erosion because of its adverse effects which include the following:

1. Loss of fertile topsoil together with its mineral nutrients, from the upper surface, leading to gradual loss of soil fertility and agricultural productivity.
2. Lowering of the underground water table and decreasing soil moisture.
3. Drying of vegetation and extension of arid lands, increase in the frequency of droughts and floods.
4. Silting of the river and canal beds, recurrence of landslide, adverse effect on economic prosperity and cultural development.

Question 12. State the characteristics of laterite soil.
Answer:

Characteristics of Laterite Soil:

1. It is of a coarse texture, soft and friable.
2. It is red due to the presence of iron oxide which is formed by leaching. The soluble plant foods like potash are removed from the top soil leaving alumina and iron oxide.
3. It is a porous soil; silica is removed from it by chemical action. It is poor in lime and magnesium and deficient in nitrogen.
4. It does not retain moisture and hence is not fertile. It suits only special crops like Tapioca, Cashewnuts, etc.
5. It is acidic as alkalis are leached.

Question 13. State the characteristics of red Soil.
Answer:

Characteristics of Red Soil:

1. Red soil got its name from its colour.
2. It is porous and has a high percentage of iron oxide.
3. It is generally shallow and its pH value ranges from 6.6 to 8.0.
4. It is loose and aerated.
5. It is not fertile and responds to fertilizers.
6. It is poor in nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and organic matter.
7. It needs irrigation support for cultivation.
8. It contains soluble salts in small quantities.
9. Cultivation is done with the help of fertilizers.

Class 10 Geography WBBSE Question 14.

State the characteristics of black soil.
Answer:

Characteristics of Block Soil:
1. It is fine-textured and clayey in nature.
2. It has high quantities of lime, iron, and magnesium and generally a poor percentage of phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter.
3. It is black in colour as it is formed from weathered lava rocks.
4. It is very clayey (up to 50% clay content) and, therefore, highly retentive of water. Because of the high clay content, these soils expand when wet and become difficult to plough. During the dry season, the black soils shrink and develop big cracks which help in air circulation.
5. The soil is very fertile in most of places.
6. It is suitable for the cultivation of cotton, jowar, wheat, sugarcane, linseed and gram.
7. In any season it has moisture stored in its subsoil.

Question 15. State the characteristics of alluvial soil.
Answer:

Characteristics of Alluvial Soil:
1. It is formed by the deposition of the river load as it flows from the upper to the lower course.
2. In the upper reaches of the river valleys (near the place of their origin) the soils are coarse. Soil particles are large and non-uniform. Such soils are predominant in piedmont plains (plains near the foot of mountains). As we move further down a river valley, the soil particles become smaller and more uniform. They are found up to a depth of 500 metres.
3. The alluvial soil of the Upper Ganga Valley is dry, porous, sandy, faint yellow and consists of clay and organic matter, while the soils of lower Ganga Valley, i.e., of West Bengal and Bangladesh are more compact, less coarse and moister.
4. It is light and porous, therefore, easily tillable.
5. It is fertile soil as it is rich in minerals, especially potash and lime.
6. It is deficient in nitrogen and humus, except for the alluvium of the Ganga deltaic region which is rich in humus.
7. It is suitable for the growth of a large variety of rabi and Kharif crops.
8. Soils in the drier areas are more alkaline. iss)

Question 16. State how waste leads to soil pollution.
Answer:

Industrial wastes: The disposal of industrial wastes is the major problem for soil pollution

Sources: Industrial pollutants are mainly discharged from various origins such as pulp and paper mills, chemical fertilizers, oil refineries, sugar factories, tanneries, textiles, steel, distilleries, fertilizers, pesticides, coal and mineral mining industries, drugs, glass, cement, petroleum and engineering industries, etc.

Effect: These pollutants affect and alter the chemical and biological properties of soil. As a result, hazardous chemicals can enter into the human food chain from the soil or water, disturb the biochemical process and finally lead to serious effects on living organisms.

Urban wastes: Urban wastes comprise of both commercial and domestic wastes consisting of dried sludge and sewage. All urban solid wastes are commonly referred to as refuse.

Constituents of urban refuse: This refuse consists of garbage and rubbish materials like plastics, glasses, metallic cans, fibres, paper, rubbers, street sweepings, fuel residues, leaves, containers, abandoned vehicles and other discarded manufactured products. Urban domestic wastes, though disposed of separately from industrial wastes, can still be dangerous. This happens because they are not easily degraded.

WBBSE Class 10 Geography Solutions India – Soils Of India 5 Marks Questions And Answers:

Question 1. Give a brief account of the alluvial and black soils of India.
Answer:

1. Alluvial Soil: These soils occupy about 46% of the total land area of the country. Content — The soil is composed of sand, silt, pebbles, and sediments brought down by rivers. The older alluvium or Bhangar soil is mainly composed of clay and contains kankar (lime nodules), pebbles and gravel. The newer alluvium called khadar is mostly sandy.

Characteristics:
1. Colour: These soils are mostly light (pale brown) to dark in colour depending on their time of deposition (young khadar or old bhangra).
2. Texture: Their texture ranges from coarse-grained (upper section) to fine-grained (lower section).
3. Minerals present: Rich in potash and humus but deficient in phosphorous and nitrogen.
4. Crops associated: Alluvial soil is very productive. Wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds, pulses, rice, jute, etc. are grown On this soil.
5. Regional distribution: The soil is found in vast riverine tracts of Sutlej, Ganga and Brahmaputra, in the Northern plains, in the deltas of Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers. The states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and other coastal (Eastern) states have alluvial soil.

2. Black Soil: This soil covers 16.6% of the total land area of India and is also called regur (derived from the Telegu word regular) and black cotton soil. Composition — The soil is composed of basic lava spread during volcanic activity in the Deccan plateau region.

Class 10 Geography WBBSE

Characteristics:
1. Colour: The soil varies in colour from black to chestnut brown, medium black or even a mixture of red and black.
2. Texture: They are fine-grained with more than 60% of clay.
3. Minerals present: Black soils contain lime, alumina, iron, potash, magnesium carbonates and calcium. They are deficient in phosphate and nitrogen.
4. Crops associated: Because of their high fertility and moisture retentive capacity, crops like cotton wheat, rice, sugarcane, groundnut, tobacco, jowar, fruits and vegetables are grown on it.
5. Regional distribution: They are common in the Deccan Trap region covering Maharashtra, parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Question 2. What are the processes by which soil erosion takes place?
Answer:

The processes by which soil erosion takes place are as follows:

Soil erosion by water:
1. Sheet erosion: Sometimes the whole of the top layer of the soil of a place is washed away by water. This is known as sheet erosion.
2. Rill erosion: When farmers rill the land before the onset of monsoon after the first rainfall, the water deposited on the land tries to get out by making streams. While doing so, it also takes away the underlying soil by Rill erosion.
3. Gully erosion: Sometimes, by a subsequent number of rainfalls, the streams made by Rill erosion are widened and Gullies are formed by which more erosion takes place.
4. Stream bank erosion: The erosion by streams on their banks, the fertile soils of the banks are lost.
5. Coastal erosion: The waves take away the fine sediments of soil from the coast by this type of erosion.

Other natural causes:
1. Floods,
2. Earthquake,
3. Action of wind,
4. Volcanic eruptions.

Unhealthy agricultural practices:
1. Shifting cultivation: The people of some areas use one land only for one time, as a result, the land gets barren after harvesting.
2. Cultivation of the same crop: Cultivation of the same crop causes a reduction in soil fertility.
3. Use of fertilizer, irrigation and pesticides: These methods remove the natural fertility of the soil.

Man-made causes:
1. Construction activities: It causes the consumption of fertile soil.
2. Conversion of land: It also converts soil unfit for agriculture.

Class 10 Geography West Bengal Board

Other causes:
1. Overgrazing,
2. Deforestation,
3. Pollution.

Question 3. What steps have been taken for the conservation of soil in India during the Five Year Plans?
Answer:

Several steps have been taken during the Five Year Plans for the conservation of soil.

Under the First Five-Year Plan: A Central Soil Conservation Board was constituted. Separate Boards were also constituted in every state. Five research-cum-training institutes also started at Dehra Dun, Kotah, Hazaribagh, and Ootacamund. In 28 million hectares of land, soil erosion has been checked in Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra.

Under the 2nd Five-Year Plan: Various steps were taken to check soil erosion in 1.2 million hectares of land. A forest belt has been created. Arrangements were also made to create windbreaks along the agricultural fields.

Under the 3rd Five-Year Plan: Rs. 72 crores were vested for the conservation of soil. Soil conservation projects were stated in the DVC and Bhakra Nangal Project areas.

Under the 4th Five Year Plan: Some effective measures were taken up for soil conservation. An outlay of Rs. 59.4 crores was spent for soil conservation and 5.5 million hectares of land were reclaimed.

Under the 5th Five Year Plan: Various steps were taken and a huge sum of money was invested for it. A new watershed management strategy was also adopted during this plan period.

Under the 6th Five Year Plan: 208 soil conservation schemes were in execution in different states along with 18 central schemes in the catchment areas of the river valleys. An amount of Rs. 390 crores was spent for the purpose of soil conservation.

Under the 8th and 9th Five-Year Plans: Several steps have been taken for the conservation of soil. With the help of afforestation, land reclamation, reservation of special areas and forests, scientific method of cultivation, and construction of dams and barrages, the conservation of soil is made.

Question 4. What do you know about the influence of soil on agriculture or the economic activity of the people?
Answer:

Influence of soils on agriculture: Among all the factors that affect human life soil plays the most important role. Food, dress, shelter all these necessities are fulfilled by soil. 70% of total population in India are engaged in agriculture and agro-based industries.

Human life is affected in the following ways :

1. Agriculture: Agricultural products differ from region to region depending on the properties of soil, variation in temperature and rainfall to the formation of different kinds of soil. Each type of soil is favourable for a particular kind of crop. Agriculture is best developed in alluvial soil but saline soil is not at all suitable for agriculture.

Laterite soil is not fertile but with the help of fertilizer, crops can be produced. Mountain soil can be utilised for fruits and other crops. Sandy soil (coastal saline soil) is suitable for coconut production. Black soil is good for cotton and sugarcane. Red soil is fertile but irrigation and fertilizer are needed for the production of rice and jute.

2. Industry: Industries depend on soil for raw materials. Cotton and sugarcane are best produced in black soil. That is why most of the cotton textile mills are situated here. Sugarcane is extensively produced in U.P. and that is why most of the sugar mills are situated here. Saline soil is good for coconut. So coconut oil mills, and coir product factories are situated near the coast.

3. Forests and Grasslands: Coniferous forest thrives well in podzol soils. Softwood of these forests is used as raw materials for paper pulp, and rayon industries. Deciduous hardwood is used in furniture making, ship-building and other industries.

4. Minerals: Laterite soils provide bauxite, whereas saline soils yield salt.

5. Population density: Population density depends on the types of soil. Fertile alluvial soil attracts large populations.

6. Cultural development: It is also dependent on soil. Ancient civilizations had their roots in the fertile plain lands of the river valleys.

Question 5. Mention the crops produced in each and every type of soil.
Answer:

Crops produced in each and every type of soil:

1. Black Soils: Cotton, lower, sugarcane, oilseeds.
2. Laterite Soils: Cashew, tapioca, millet. But extensive agriculture along with manures can produce cotton, jower, wheat, sugarcane, banana, coffee, tea, rubber and coconut.
3. Red Soils: Wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane and pulses.
4. Alluvial Soils: Wheat, rice, vegetables, pulses, jute, sugarcane, etc. are grown in this soil.
5. Desert Soils: Poor soil but under irrigation, the soil can produce wheat, rice, barley, bajra, etc.
6. Desert Soils: This type of soil is mainly suitable for literal plants. But rice can be produced by wheat, rice, barley, bajra etc.
7. Mountain Soils: it is suitable for the production of rice, wheat, soybean, sugarcane, tea, fruits, etc.

Question 6. Discuss the major six types of soils present in India.
Answer:

Alluvial Soil: These soils occupy about 46% of the total land area of the country. Content — The soil is composed of sand, silt, pebbles, and sediments brought down by rivers. The older alluvium or Bhangar soil is mainly composed of clay and contains kankar (lime nodules), pebbles and gravel. The newer alluvium called khadar is mostly sandy.

Characteristics:
1. Colour: These soils are mostly light (pale brown) to dark in colour depending on their time of deposition (young khadar or old bhangra).
2. Texture: Their texture ranges from coarse-grained (upper section) to fine-grained (lower section).
3. Minerals present: Rich in potash and humus but deficient in phosphorous and nitrogen.
4. Crops associated: Alluvial soil is very productive. Wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds, pulses, rice, jute, etc. are grown on this soil.
5. Regional distribution: The soil is found in a vast riverine tract of Sutlej, Ganga and Brahmaputra, in the Northern plains, in the deltas of Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri rivers. The states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Assam, Odisha and other coastal (Eastern) states have alluvial soil.

Black Soil: This soil covers 16.6% of the total land area of India and is also called regur (derived from the Telegu word regular) and black cotton soil. Composition —The soil is composed of basic lava spread during volcanic activity in the Deccan plateau region.

Characteristics:
1. Colour: The soil varies in colour from black to chestnut brown, medium black or even a mixture of red and black.
2. Texture: They are fine-grained with more than 60% of clay.
3. Minerals present: Black soils contain lime, alumina, iron, potash, magnesium carbonates and calcium. They are deficient in phosphate and nitrogen.
4. Crops associated: Because of their high fertility and moisture retentive capacity, crops like cotton wheat, rice, sugarcane, groundnut, tobacco, jowar, fruits and vegetables are grown on it.
5. Regional distribution: They are common in the Deccan Trap region covering Maharashtra, parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Red Soil: This soil covers about 10.6 per cent of the total land area of India. They are formed due to weathering of ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks.
Composition: They are composed of weathered materials from the parent rocks.

Characteristics:
1. Colour: High content of iron oxide gives it a distinctive red colour. The colour varies from red to brown, chocolate and yellow.
2. Texture: They have a mixed texture, sandy and clayey.
3. Mineral content: They are rich in potash and lime but deficient in nitrogen, and phosphoric acid humus.
4. Crops associated: They are less fertile but with the help of irrigation and fertilisers grow rice, wheat, millet, gram, pulses, sugarcane, oil seeds and cotton.
5. Regional distribution: A very large part of peninsular India, particularly the states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and Orissa and Bihar, West Bengal, east Rajasthan, parts of Assam in north India and the north-eastern states of India.

Laterite Soil: The word laterite in Latin means ‘brick’. They cover an area of about 2.4 lakh sq km. They are usually formed under very high temperatures and heavy rainfall.
Composition: This soil is composed of materials that look like the dust of red bricks.

Characteristics:
1. Colour: The soil is red in colour because of the presence of iron oxide.
2. Texture: It is usually coarse-grained and porous in nature.
3. Minerals: The soil is rich in iron but poor in lime, magnesium, phosphoric acid and potash.
4. Crops associated: Due to intensive leaching laterite soil is infertile, with manure and irrigation crops. tea, coffee, rubber, coconut etc. are grown on it.
5. Regional distribution: This soil is found in highland areas of the peninsular plateau region. They are found in the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa (some parts), Kerala and in Assam.

Desert Soil: The desert soil covers an area of 1.4 lakh sq. km. in India. They originate due to the mechanical disintegration of sandstone.
Composition: It is composed of 90% of sand and 5% of clay and other materials.

Characteristics:
1. Colour: The soil is yellowish to brown in colour.
2. Texture: It is coarse-grained and porous in nature.
3. Minerals: There is a high percentage of soluble salts, silica, etc.
4. Crops associated: Hardly drought-resistant crops like millet, barley, cotton, bajra, wheat and groundnut are grown on this soil with the help of irrigation.
5. Regional distribution: This soil is mainly found in arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan and Punjab and Haryana.

Mountain Soil: The name of this soil suggests that it is mainly confined in mountainous areas and hill slopes. Composition: This soil is composed of rocks, boulders and clay.

WBBSE Class 10 Geography Solutions

Characteristics:
1. Colour: The soil is mostly dark in colour,
2. Texture: The soil is rocky in nature with a large grain size.
3. Mineral content: This soil is made up of mixed minerals. It is deficient in potash, phosphorous and lime.
4. Crops associated: This soil is rich in humus and suitable for crops like tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits; sam potatoes, rice and wheat are also grown in it.
5. Regional distribution: The soil is found in the Himalayan mountain, on the highlands of Assam, Kashmir, Sikkim and Himachal Pradesh.

Question 7. State some measures to prevent soil erosion.
Answer:

Following are some of the measures taken to prevent soil erosion and conserve soils.

1. Terrace Farming: On hilly slopes, terraces act as bunds and prevent the soil from being washed away by running water. Terrace farming is practised with successful results in Japan, South-East Asia and the USA.
2. Shelter Belts: Farmers plant trees in several rows to check wind erosion. They are known as windbreaks.
3. Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along contours on a slope prevents soil from being washed away by rainwater or by surface runoff. Contours act like bunds. Terraces are levelled into step-like small fields with even slopes. Contour ploughing is common in Japan, China and some South-East Asian countries.
4. Strip Cropping: Crops are grown in alternate strips of land to check the impact of the winds.
5. Construction of dams: Rivers cause soil erosion. Dams are built in the upper course of rivers to control the erosion of soil.
6. Plugging Gullies: The gullies made in the soil are plugged with the deposition of silt during heavy rains.
7. Planting Trees: The trees, like in the case of Shelter Belts in Prairies, are planted along the edges of the fields, the wasteland and on steep slopes to prevent soil erosion as well as to enhance the capacity of the soil to retain water.

Question 8. What are the consequences of soil erosion?
Answer:

Soil erosion on a large scale leads to serious consequences. The effects of soil erosion are discussed below:

1. Loss of the top layer of fertile soil: Loss of topsoil through soil erosion can reduce soil nutrients and soil quality and can cause water pollution. E.g. Agricultural production is greatly affected by the red soils in the basins of the Chambal and Godavari rivers where valuable topsoil is lost annually due to erosion.

2. Fall of groundwater table and reduction in soil moisture: The areas with heavy soil erosion lie exposed and evaporation takes place causing a consequent fall in the groundwater table. E.g. 45% of the perennial hill springs in the Nainital district of Uttar Pradesh go dry during the non-monsoon season because of the reduction in groundwater storage resulting from erosion of the previous soil horizon.

3. Expansion of desert region: Desertification is a serious effect of soil erosion. It is a type of land degradation in which dry lands become increasingly arid, losing its bodies of water or vegetative cover. E.g. Expansion of the Thar desert in India (Rajasthan).

WBBSE Class 10 Geography Solutions

4. Frequent occurrence of flood and drought: Removal of soil cover may cause them to get deposited in river channels. Those rivers overflow their banks during the rainy season and cause floods. Flood occurs in the Brahmaputra river valley annually due to soil erosion caused by deforestation. Too much evaporation from soil causes the topsoil to lose moisture and become dry, resulting in a drought situation.

5. Increasing landslide in canals and rivers: Is caused due to deposition of removed topsoil in these water channels. The sediment load due to soil erosion caused siltation in the Alaknanda river and also there is a huge concentration of sediment in the Ganga river at Haridwar.

6. Increasing landslide: Soil erosion can loosen the top soil cover which consequently slides down the slope of a mountain in a mass in the form of landslides. E.g. In the Himalayan region, Shiwalik Himalaya has become a landslide-prone area as a consequence to soil erosion.

7. Hindrance to economic prosperity and cultural development: Soil erosion affects the fertility of the land. Ona less fertile soil crops do not grow properly due to a lack of nutrients. Hence productivity of land reduces. This poses a hindrance to the economic prosperity of the land.