RESOURCES
MEANING
OF RESOURCES
·
It
is made by two words- re+source.
·
Re
means – long period /reuse.
·
Source
means – supply / origin .
Definition
–
·
All
the things present in the nature that fulfill our daily requirements, called
resources.
Features
of resources
·
Normally
limited resources are available.
·
Resources
are useful. It helps us in making useful items/utility or provides services.
·
Resources
fulfill our various needs.
·
More
and important resources make a nation advanced.
The resources can be classified in the following ways –
(a)
On the basis of origin – biotic and abiotic
(b)
On the basis of exhaustibility – renewable and non-renewable
(c)
On the basis of ownership – individual, community, national and international
(d)
On the basis of status of development – potential, developed stock and
reserves.
TYPES
OF RESOURCES
On
the Basis of Origin
Biotic Resources:
·
These
are obtained from biosphere and have life such as human beings, flora and
fauna, fisheries, livestock etc.
Abiotic Resources:
·
All
those things which are composed of non-living things are called abiotic
resources.
·
For
example, rocks and metals.
On the Basis of Exhaustibility
Renewable
Resources:
·
The
resources which can be renewed or reproduced by physical, chemical or
mechanical processes are known as
renewable or replenishable resources.
·
For
example, solar and wind energy, water, forests and wildlife, etc.
·
The
renewable resource may further be divided into continuous or flow (Fig.1.2).
Non-Renewable
Resources:
·
These
occur over a very long geological time. Minerals and fossil fuels are examples
of such resources.
·
These
resources take millions of years in their formation. Some of the resources like
metals are recyclable and some like fossil fuels cannot be recycled and get
exhausted with their use.
On the Basis of Ownership
Individual Resources:
·
These
are also owned privately by individuals. Many farmers own land which is
allotted to them by government against the payment of revenue. In villages
there are people with land ownership but there are many who are landless. Urban
people own plots, houses and other property. Plantation, pasture lands, ponds,
water in wells etc. are some of the examples of resources ownership by
individuals.
·
Make
a list of resources owned by your household.
Community Owned Resources:
·
There
are resources which are accessible to all the members of the community. Village
commons (grazing grounds, burial grounds, village ponds, etc.) public parks,
picnic spots, playgrounds in urban areas are de facto accessible to all the
people living there.
National Resources:
·
Technically,
all the resources belong to the nation. The country has legal powers to acquire
even private property for public goods. All the minerals, water resources,
forests, wildlife, land within the political boundaries and oceanic area up to
12 nautical miles (22.2 km) from the coast termed as territorial water and
resources there in belong to the nation.
International Resources:
·
There
are international institutions which regulate some resources.
·
The
oceanic resources beyond 200 nautical miles of the Exclusive Economic Zone
belong to open ocean and no individual country can utilise these without the
concurrence of international institutions.
On the Basis of the Status of Development
Potential Resources:
·
Resources
which are found in a region, but have not been utilised.
·
For
example, the western parts of India particularly Rajasthan and Gujarat have
enormous potential for the development of wind and solar energy, but so far
these have not been developed properly.
Developed Resources:
·
Resources
which are surveyed and their quality and quantity have been determined for
utilisation.
·
The
development of resources depends on technology and level of their feasibility.
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·
Materials in the environment which
have the potential to satisfy human needs but human beings do not have the
appropriate technology to access these, are called Stock.
·
Eg: Hydrogen can be used as a rich source of energy. But we do
not have advanced technology to use it.
Reserves
Reserves are the subset of the stock, which
can be put into use with the help of existing technical ‘know-how’ but their
use has not been started. These can be used for meeting future requirements.
Eg: Water in the dams, forests etc. is a reserve which can be
used in the future.
Development of Resources
Resources have been used by human beings indiscriminately and
this has led to the following major problems.
- Depletion of resources for satisfying the
greed of a few individuals.
- Accumulation of resources in a few hands,
which, in turn, divided the society into two segments i.e rich and poor.
- It has led to global ecological crises such as
global warming, ozone layer depletion, environmental pollution and land
degradation.
Resource planning is essential for the sustainable existence of
all forms of life. Sustainable Economic Development means
“development should take place without damaging the environment, and
development in the present should not compromise with the needs of future
generations.”
Resource Planning
In India, there are some regions which can be considered
self-sufficient in terms of the availability of resources and there are some
regions which have acute shortage of some vital resources. This calls for
balanced resource planning at the national, state, regional and local levels.
Resource Planning in India
Resource planning is a complex process which involves:
(i) Identification and inventory of resources across the regions
of the country. This involves surveying, mapping and qualitative and
quantitative estimation and measurement of the resources.
(ii) Evolving a planning structure endowed with appropriate
technology, skill and institutional set up for implementing resource
development plans.
(iii) Matching the resource development plans with overall
national development plans.
Resources can contribute to development only when they are
accompanied by appropriate technological development and institutional changes.
India has made concerted efforts towards achieving the goals of resource
planning, right from the First Five Year Plan launched after Independence.
To overcome irrational consumption and over-utilisation of
resources, resource conservation at various levels is important.
Land Resources
Land is a natural resource of utmost importance. It supports
natural vegetation, wildlife, human life, economic activities, transport and
communication systems. India has land under a variety of relief features,
namely; mountains, plateaus, plains and islands as shown below:
Land Utilisation
Land resources are used for the following purposes:
- Forests
- Land not available for cultivation
- a)
Barren and wasteland
b) Land put to
non-agricultural uses
- Fallow lands
- Other uncultivated lands (excluding fallow
land)
- Net sown area
Land Use Pattern in India
The use of land is determined
- Physical factors: such as topography,
climate, soil types
- Human factors: such as population
density, technological capability and culture and traditions etc.
The data below represents the land use pattern in India.
Waste land is the land put to other non-agricultural uses which
include rocky, arid and desert areas, roads, railways, industry etc. Continuous
use of land over a long period of time without taking appropriate measures to
conserve and manage it, has resulted in land degradation.
Land Degradation
and Conservation Measures
Human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, mining and
quarrying have contributed significantly to land degradation. Mining sites
leave deep scars and traces of over-burdening the land. In recent years,
industrial effluents as waste have become a major source of land and water
pollution in many parts of the country.
Some of the ways through which we can solve the problems of land
degradation are:
- Afforestation and proper management of
grazing.
- Planting of shelter belts of plants.
- Stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny
bushes.
- Proper management of waste lands.
- Control of mining activities.
- Proper discharge and disposal of industrial
effluents and wastes after treatment.
Soil as a Resource
Soil is the most important renewable natural resource. It is the
medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the
earth.
- It takes millions of years to form soil upto a
few cms in depth. Various forces of nature such as change in temperature,
actions of running water, wind and glaciers, activities of decomposers etc
contribute to the formation of soil.
- Parent rock or bedrock, climate, vegetation
and other forms of life and time are important factors in the formation of
soil.
- Chemical and organic changes which take place
in the soil play an important role.
- Soil also consists of organic (humus) and
inorganic materials.
Classification of
Soils
On the basis of the factors responsible for soil formation,
colour, thickness, texture, age, chemical and physical properties, the soils of
India are classified in different types as mentioned below.
Alluvial Soils
- The entire northern plains are made of
alluvial soil.
- The Alluvial Soil is deposited by 3 important
Himalayan river systems – the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.
- It is also found in Rajasthan, Gujarat and
eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the
Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.
- The alluvial soil consists of various
proportions of sand, silt and clay. As we move inlands towards the river
valleys, soil particles appear to be bigger in size whereas in the upper
side of the river valley, the soils are coarse.
- Based on age, Alluvial soils can be classified
as:
- Old Alluvial (Bangar): The Bangar soil has a
higher concentration of kanker nodules than the Khadar.
- New Alluvial (Khadar): It has more fine
particles and is more fertile than the Bangar.
- Alluvial soils are very fertile. These soils
contain an adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime, which
are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and
pulse crops.
Black Soil
- This soil is black in colour and is also known
as regur soil. Climatic conditions along with the parent rock
material are the important factors for the formation of black soil.
- The soil is ideal for growing cotton and is
also known as black cotton soil.
- This type of soil is typical of the Deccan
trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up
of lava flows.
- The soil covers the plateaus of Maharashtra,
Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and extends in the
south-east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.
- The black soils are made up of extremely fine
i.e. clayey material and well-known for their capacity to hold moisture.
- Black soil is nutrients rich and contains
calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime.
- The soil is sticky when wet and difficult to
work on unless tilled immediately after the first shower or during the
pre-monsoon period.
Red and Yellow Soils
- This type of soil develops on crystalline
igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts
of the Deccan plateau.
- These soils develop a reddish colour due to
diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks. It looks yellow
when it occurs in a hydrated form.
- Found in parts of Odisha, Chhattisgarh,
southern parts of the middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont zone of
the Western Ghats.
Laterite Soil
- The laterite soil develops under tropical and
subtropical climate with the alternate wet and dry season.
- This soil is the result of intense leaching
due to heavy rain.
- Lateritic soils are acidic (pH<6.0) in
nature and generally deficient in plant nutrients. This type of soil is
found mostly in Southern states, Western Ghats region of Maharashtra,
Odisha, some parts of West Bengal and North-east regions.
- The soil supports deciduous and evergreen
forests but humus poor.
- This soil is very useful for growing tea and
coffee.
Arid Soils
- Arid soils range from red to brown in colour.
- This soil is generally sandy in texture and
saline in nature. In some areas, the salt content is very high and common
salt is obtained by evaporating the water.
- Arid soil lacks humus and moisture.
- The lower horizons of the soil are occupied by Kankar because
of the increasing calcium content downwards. The Kankar layer formations
in the bottom horizons restrict the infiltration of water.
Forest Soils
- These soils are found in the hilly and
mountainous areas.
- The soil texture is loamy and silty in valley
sides and coarse grained in the upper slopes.
- In the snow covered areas of Himalayas, these
soils experience denudation and are acidic with low humus content. The
soil is fertile on the river terraces and alluvial fans.
The map below shows the different types of soils found in India.
Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation
The denudation of the soil cover and subsequent washing down is
described as soil erosion. The soil erosion is caused due to human activities
like deforestation, over-grazing, construction and mining etc. Also, there are
some natural forces like wind, glacier and water which lead to soil erosion. Soil
erosion is also caused due to defective methods of farming.
The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep
channels as gullies. The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad
land. When water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope and the
topsoil is washed away, it is known as sheet erosion. Wind blows
loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion.
Different Ways for Soil Conservation
- Ploughing along the contour lines decelerate
the flow of water down the slopes. This is called Contour Ploughing.
- Terrace cultivation restricts erosion.
This type of agriculture practice is done in Western and Central
Himalayas.
- When a large field is divided into strips and
strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. Then, this breaks up
the force of the wind. This method is known as Strip Cropping.
- Planting lines of trees to create shelter
helps in the stabilisation of sand dunes and in stabilising the desert in
western India. Rows of such trees are called Shelter Belts.
Page 12 Q1:
Multiple choice questions:
(i) Which one of the following types of resources is iron ore?
a. Renewable
b. Biotic.
c. Flow
d. Non-renewable
(ii) Under which of the following
type of resource can tidal energy be put?
a. Replenishable
b. Abiotic
c. Human-made.
d. Non-recyclable
(iii)Which
one of the following is the main cause of land degradation in
Punjab?
a. Intense cultivation
b. Deforestation
c. Over irrigation
d. Overgrazing
(iv) In which
one of the following states is the terrace cultivation practiced?
a. Punjab
b. Haryana
c. Plains of Uttar Pradesh
d. Uttaranchal
(v) In which one
of the following states is the black soil found?
a. J & K
b. Gujarat
c. Rajasthan
d. Jharkhand
Answers:
(i) (d) Non-renewable
(ii) (a) Replenishable
(iii) (c) Over irrigation
(iv) (d) Uttarakhand
(v) (b) Gujarat
Page 13:
Q.2: Answer the following questions in about 30 words:
(i) Name three states having black soil and the crop which is mainly grown in
it.
(ii) What type of soil is found in the river deltas of the Eastern Coast? Give
three main features of this type of soil.
(iii) What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?
(iv) What are biotic and abiotic resources? Give some examples.
Answer:
(i) The
Black soils are black in colour.
These are also known as regur soils.
This soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest
Deccan Plateau. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa,
Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh and extend in a south-east direction along the
Godavari and the Krishna valleys. Black soil is ideal for growing cotton.
(ii) Alluvial soil is found in the eastern coastal plan is
particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the
Kaveri rivers.
Three main features of this type of soil are as follows :
·
The alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt,
and clay.
·
These soils are very fertile. Due to its high fertility, regions
of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated.
·
These soils contain an adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric
acid, and lime which are ideal forthe growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and
other cereal and pulse crops.
(iii) The soil erosion in the hilly areas can be controlled by
taking steps as mentioned below :
·
Contour ploughing: Ploughing along the contour
lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. This is called contour
ploughing.
·
Terrace cultivation: Steps can be cut out on the
slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion.
·
Strip cropping: Large fields can be divided
into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up
the force of the wind. This is strip cropping.
(iv) Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere and have
life such as human beings, flora, and fauna, fisheries, livestock, e.g.,
forests and animals are biotic resources.
Abiotic resources consist of all those things which are
composed of non-living things. e.g., rocks and metals. Land, water, and soil
are also abiotic resources.
Q3. Answer the following questions in about 120 words.
(i) Explain land use pattern in India and why has the land under forest not
increased much since 1960-61?
(ii) How have technical and economic development led to more consumption of
resources?
Answer:
(i) Land resources in India are primarily divided into agricultural land,
forest land, pasture and grazing land, and wasteland. Wasteland includes rocky,
arid and desert areas and land used for non-agricultural purposes like housing,
roads, industry, etc.
According to recent data available, the percentage of net
sown area (NSA) in India is about 54% of the total reporting area (if, the
other than current fallow lands is included). . 22.5% is covered by forests,
and 3.45%is used for grazing. The rest is
a wasteland, with traces of miscellaneous cultivation.
Improper use of forest land has led to land degradation and made conservation
of forests difficult. Human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, mining,
quarrying, etc have contributed to the slow growth rate of forests. Thus, land
under forest has increased by only about 4% since 1960-61.
(ii) The following
factors have been responsible for technical and economic development leading to
overconsumption of resources.
In colonial times,
imperial powers used their technological and economic superiority to establish
control over other countries and thereby gain access to the latter’s resources.
One country’s resources were accessible to the citizens of its colonial ruler
too, leading to increased consumption. Technical progress also results in
inefficient machinery, increased production, and greater consumption of
resources.
Technological development and economic progress have led to
populations increasing due to low mortality at all ages. With new developments
in medicine and health care, fewer people die due to accidents, diseases,
childbirth, etc. This too has contributed to higher consumption of resources.
Multiple Choice Questions
1.
Resources which are surveyed and their quantity and quality have been
determined for utilisation is known as [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) Potential resources
(b) Stock
(c) Developed resources
(d) Reserves
2.
Which one of the following soil is ideal for growing cotton? [CBSE (CCE)
2011]
(a) Regur soil
(b) Laterite soil
(c) Desert soil
(d) Mountainous
soil
3. In which of the following states is
overgrazing responsible for land degradation? [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) Jharkhand and Orissa
(b) Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan
(c) Punjab and Haryana
(d) Kerala and Tamil Nadu
4. Which one of the following statements is true
about the term resources? [CBSE (CCE) 2011]
(a) Resources are free gifts of nature.
(b) They are the functions of human activities.
(c) All those things which are found in nature.
(d) Things which cannot be used to fulfill our needs.
5. Which one of the following types of the
resource is iron ore?
(a) Renewable
(b) Biotic
(c) Flow
(d) Non-renewable
6. Under which of the following types of
resource the tidal energy can be put?
(a) Replenishable
(b) Human-made
(c) Abiotic
(d) Non-recyclable
7. Soil formed by intense leaching is
(a) Alluvial soil
(b) Red soil
(c) Laterite soil
(d) Desert
8. Fallow land refers to
(a) land not under cultivation.
(b) land with many gullies.
(c) a fertile land.
(d) cultivable land not cultivated for a season to regain its fertility.
9. Method of growing long strips of grass
between the crops refers to
(a) Contour ploughing
(b) Terrace farming
(c) Strip cropping
(d) Crop rotation
10. Resources which are found in a region, but
have not been utilised.
(a) Renewable
(b) Developed
(c) National
(d) Potential
11. Which of the following factors involves the
transformation of things into a resource ?
(i) Physical environment
(ii) Technology
(iii) Human beings
(iv) Institutions
(a) (i) and (ii)
(b) (ii) and (iii)
(c) (i) and (iv)
(d) All of above
12. Renewable resources are those
(a) which cannot be renewed
(b) which are accessible
(c) which are developed
(d) which are renewed by physical, chemical or mechanical processes.
13. Which one of the following is not a
community resource ?
(a) Public parks
(b) A library
(c) A car
(d) A community hall
14. Territorial waters of India extends to
(a) 10 Nautical miles
(b) 15 Nautical miles
(c) 12 Nautical miles
(d) 1900 kilometres
15. Find out which one of the following is a
stock?
(a) Biofuels
(b) Coal
(c) Solar energy
(d) Hydro-electricity
16. The first International Earth Summit was
held in
(a) Geneva
(b) New York
(c) Japan
(d) Rio de Janeiro
17. “There is enough for everybody’s need but not
for anybody’s greed”. Who said this ?
(a) Jawahar Lai Nehru
(b) Atal Bihari Vajpai
(c) M. K. Gandhi
(d) Sunder Lai Bhauguna
18. The area brought under cultivation in a year
is called …………….
(a) Fallow land
(b) Cultivable
(c) Net sown area
(d) Gross sown area
19. I am the most widespread soil, covering the
Northern Plains and Eastern Coastal Plains-who am I ?
(a) Black soil
(b) Forest soil
(c) Red soil
(d) Alluvial soil
20. Resources which are non-renewable but can be
recycled are called
(a) Renewable resources
(b) Non-renewable resources
(c) Recyclable resources
(d) Biotic resources
21. The most widespread relief feature of India
is
(a) Mountains
(b) Forests
(c) Plains
(d) Plateaus
22. The current net sown area of India in
2002-03 is
(a) 45 percent
(b) 43.4 percent
(c) 50 percent
(d) 48 percent
23. The state having maximum net sown area in
India is ……………
(a) Jammu and Kashmir
(b) Uttar Pradesh
(c) Tamil Nadu
(d) Punjab
24. Land left without cultivation for one or
less than one agricultural year is called
(a) Culturable waste land
(b) Current fallow land
(c) Waste land
(d) None of the above
25. The present per cent of area under forests
is (2002 – 03)
(a) 18 percent
(b) 22.57 percent
(c) 19 percent
(d) 11 percent
26. The factor responsible for maximum land
degradation is ………………
(a) Human activities
(b) Wind
(c) Salinity
(d) Soil erosion
27. Which agent is responsible for maximum land
degradation ?
(a) Wind
(b) Water
(c) Glaciers
(d) Overgrazing
28. Soil is formed by the process of
(a) Denudation
(b) Gradation
(c) Weathering
(d) Erosion
29. Supply a technical term for the dead and decomposed
material found on the top soil.
(a) Bed rock
(b) Fossils
(c) Humidity
(d) Humus
30. The old alluvial soil is known as ………………
(a) Bangar
(b) Bhabbar
(c) Khadar
(d) Regur
31. Which of the following statement(s) is true
for black soil ?
(i) It has larger proportion of clay.
(ii) It can retain moisture for a long time.
(iii) It develops cracks during summer which helps in aeration.
(iv) Cotton grows best in this soil.
(a) (i) and (ii)
(b) (iii) and (iv)
(c) (i) and (iv)
(d) All of the above
32. Red colour of soil is due to
(a) it is rich in humus.
(b) it is rich in iron compounds.
(c) it is derived from volcanic origin.
(d) it is rich in potash.
33. The denudation of the soil cover and washing
down of soil by various agents are known as ………………
(a) Weathering
(b) Gradation
(c) Soil erosion
(d) Soil conservation
34. The land consisting of many gullies and
ravines are called ……………….
(a) Gully erosion
(b) Bed rock
(c) V shaped valleys
(d) Bad land
35. Terrace cultivation can be used to control
soil erosion in
(a) Desert regions
(b) Hill slopes
(c) Valleys
(d) Plains
36.Strip cropping refers to
(a) growing of crops in long strips.
(b) growing of trees in long rows.
(c) growing of strips of grass in between the crops.
(d) ploughing along the contour lines.
37. Erosion of the top soil when water flows as
a sheet over large areas down the slope is called
(a) Gully erosion
(b) Badlands
(c) Soil erosion
(d) Sheet erosion
38. Which one of the following statements is
correct as regards to international resources ?
(a) Resources which are regulated by international institutions.
(b) Resources which lie beyond the territorial waters.
(c) Resources which are found along the international frontier.
(d) Resources which are not yet developed.
39. Which one of the following methods is ideal
for controlling land degradation in coastal areas and in deserts ?
(a) Strip cropping
(b) Contour ploughing
(c) Planting of shelter belts
(d) Plugging of gullies
40. Which type of soil is suitable for the
growth of cashew nut ?
(a) Alluvial soil
(b) Black soil
(c) Red soil
(d) Red laterite soil
41. Arid soils are less fertile as
(i) it lacks humus and moisture
(ii) it has high salt content
(iii) it is sandy in nature
(iv) it is rich in Iron
(a) (i) and (ii)
(b) (ii) and (iii)
(c) (iii) and (iv)
(d) (i) and (iii)
42. Ploughing along the contour lines can
(a) accelerate the flow of water.
(b) decelerate the flow of water.
(c) accelerate the force of winds.
(d) decelerate the force of winds.
43. Bad lands or ravines are found in
(a) Chenab basin
(b) Chambal basin
(c) Ganga basin
(d) Godavari basin
ANSWERS
