Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation And Wildlife Resources (Basic)

Land

Land is a fundamental natural resource, forming the basis for human settlements, agriculture, industries, and various other activities. It is a finite resource, and its availability is limited. The way land is used and managed has significant implications for our environment, economy, and society.

Land Use

Land use refers to the way in which land is utilized by humans for different purposes. In India, land is used for a variety of purposes, reflecting the country's diverse geography, economic activities, and population distribution.

Major Categories of Land Use in India:

• Forests: Areas covered by forests, which are crucial for ecological balance, biodiversity, and providing timber and other forest products.
• Land Not Available for Cultivation: This includes barren and unculturable land, land covered by snow and glaciers, and land used for non-agricultural purposes like buildings, roads, and railways.
• Other Uncultivated Land (excluding fallow land): This includes permanent pastures and grazing lands, land used for forestry (other than reserved forests), and miscellaneous tree crops and groves not included in the net sown area.
• Fallow Lands: These are lands that are temporarily left uncultivated. They are further divided into:
  • Current Fallow: Land left uncultivated for one or more crop seasons but less than five years.
  • Fallow Lands other than Current Fallow: Land left uncultivated for five or more consecutive crop seasons.
• Net Sown Area: The total area sown more than once in an agricultural year is accounted for only once in the net sown area.

The patterns of land use vary significantly across different regions of India, influenced by factors like climate, terrain, soil type, population density, and economic development.

Conservation Of Land Resource

Land is a finite and precious resource. Its degradation through human activities like deforestation, overgrazing, mining, and quarrying, as well as natural causes like floods and droughts, poses a serious threat. Therefore, conservation of land resources is essential.

Measures for Conservation of Land Resource:

• Afforestation and Tree Plantation: Planting more trees helps to prevent soil erosion, maintain soil fertility, and regulate the climate. This is particularly important in areas prone to deforestation and desertification.
• Land Management: Implementing proper land management practices, including crop rotation, mixed farming, and contour ploughing in hilly areas.
• Control of Overgrazing: Regulating grazing to prevent the degradation of pastures and the erosion of soil.
• Stabilization of Sand Dunes: Planting shrubs and trees to stabilize sand dunes in arid and semi-arid regions, preventing their encroachment on fertile land.
• Proper Management of Waste and বিপজ্জনক Chemicals: Industrial and urban waste needs to be treated and disposed of properly to prevent land pollution. The use of chemicals in agriculture should also be managed carefully.
• Controlling Mining Activities: Restoring mined-out areas through reclamation and preventing the spread of mining-related pollution.
• Water Management: Efficient water management techniques, like rainwater harvesting and efficient irrigation, can prevent soil salinization and waterlogging.

Soil

Soil is a thin layer of material covering the Earth's surface that is made up of minerals, organic matter, water, and air. It is a crucial component of the terrestrial ecosystem, supporting plant life, which in turn sustains animal life. Soil is a living, dynamic system, and its formation is a slow process.

Landslides

Landslides are a common natural hazard, particularly in mountainous regions. They occur when rock, earth, or debris moves down a slope. While often triggered by natural causes like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, heavy rainfall, or snowmelt, human activities like deforestation, construction on slopes, and mining can also contribute to their occurrence by destabilizing the ground.

Factors Contributing to Landslides:

• Steep Slopes: Gravity plays a primary role.
• Heavy Rainfall: Water saturates the soil, increasing its weight and reducing friction.
• Earthquakes: Seismic vibrations can dislodge and move large masses of soil and rock.
• Volcanic Eruptions: Can trigger landslides through ground shaking and ash deposition.
• Deforestation: Tree roots help bind the soil; their removal makes slopes more susceptible to erosion and movement.
• Construction Activities: Cutting into slopes for roads or buildings can destabilize them.

Conservation Measures related to Landslides:

• Hazard mapping to identify landslide-prone areas.
• Construction of retaining walls and barriers.
• Controlled deforestation and promoting afforestation on slopes.
• Improving drainage to reduce water saturation of soil.
• Avoiding construction in landslide-prone zones.

Factors Of Soil Formation

Soil formation is a complex process influenced by several factors working together over long periods:

1. Parent Material: The type of rock or sediment from which the soil develops (e.g., granite, sandstone, limestone) influences the soil's mineral composition, texture, and structure.
2. Climate: Factors like temperature, rainfall, and humidity affect the rate of weathering of parent material, decomposition of organic matter, and chemical reactions within the soil. High rainfall and temperature generally lead to faster soil formation and deeper soils.
3. Topography (Relief): The shape of the land influences the depth and type of soil. Slopes tend to have thinner soils due to erosion, while valleys and low-lying areas may accumulate thicker layers of soil.
4. Organisms: Living organisms, including bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and plants, play a vital role in the decomposition of organic matter, formation of humus, and improving soil structure and aeration.
5. Time: Soil formation is a very slow process, taking hundreds to thousands of years to develop even a few centimetres of soil. The longer a soil has been developing, the deeper and more mature it becomes.

Degradation Of Soil And Conservation Measures

Soil degradation is the decline in soil condition caused by improper use or poor management, resulting in a loss of productivity and ecological function. This is a major concern for agriculture and environmental sustainability.

Causes of Soil Degradation:

• Erosion: The removal of topsoil by wind and water. This is accelerated by deforestation, overgrazing, and unsustainable agricultural practices.
• Loss of Organic Matter: Intensive farming, removal of crop residues, and lack of organic fertilizers reduce the soil's fertility and structure.
• Salinization and Waterlogging: Improper irrigation practices, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, can lead to the accumulation of salts in the soil (salinization) or water saturation (waterlogging), making the land infertile.
• Chemical Contamination: Excessive use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and industrial waste can pollute the soil.
• Desertification: The process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought, deforestation, or inappropriate agriculture.

Conservation Measures for Soil:

• Contour Ploughing: Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill or along contour lines. This creates a natural barrier for water to collect and reduces soil erosion.
• Terrace Farming: Cutting steps on the slopes of hills and mountains. This allows farming on slopes and reduces soil erosion by slowing down water runoff.
• Mulching: Covering the exposed soil surface between plants with a layer of organic material (like straw, dried leaves, or wood chips). This helps retain soil moisture, suppress weeds, and prevent erosion.
• Intercropping: Growing different crops in alternating rows. This helps in maintaining soil fertility and reducing the risk of soil erosion.
• Crop Rotation: Growing different crops in a sequence on the same field. This helps in restoring nutrients to the soil and prevents the depletion of specific nutrients.
• Shelter Belts: Planting lines of trees or shrubs to protect the soil from wind erosion, especially in arid and semi-arid areas.
• Regulating Animal Grazing: Controlling the number of livestock and preventing overgrazing to protect vegetation and soil cover.

Water

Water is a vital natural resource, essential for all forms of life and many human activities, including agriculture, industry, and domestic use. It is a renewable resource, but its availability is unevenly distributed, leading to issues of scarcity in many regions.

Problems Of Water Availability

Water availability is affected by a variety of factors, leading to problems of scarcity and unequal distribution:

• Uneven Distribution: Rainfall varies significantly across regions and over time. Some areas receive abundant rainfall, while others are arid or semi-arid, leading to natural water scarcity.
• Over-exploitation of Groundwater: Excessive withdrawal of groundwater for irrigation, industrial, and domestic use has led to a decline in water tables in many parts of the world, including India. This can cause the land to subside and can also lead to the contamination of freshwater sources with saltwater in coastal areas.
• Pollution of Water Resources: Industrial effluents, untreated sewage, agricultural runoff (containing fertilizers and pesticides), and domestic waste contaminate rivers, lakes, and groundwater, making the water unsafe for consumption and use.
• Seasonal and Yearly Variations: Rainfall patterns can be highly variable, with monsoons being crucial for agriculture. Droughts occur when rainfall is significantly below average, while floods can result from excessive rainfall.
• Increased Demand: A growing population, increased agricultural needs (especially for irrigation), and industrial development all contribute to a rising demand for water.

In India, states like Rajasthan face extreme water scarcity due to low rainfall, while states with high rainfall might still face water stress due to over-extraction or pollution.

Conservation Of Water Resources

Conserving water is crucial to ensure its availability for current and future generations. It involves managing water resources efficiently and preventing their pollution.

Measures for Conservation of Water Resources:

• Rainwater Harvesting: Collecting and storing rainwater for future use. This can be done at household levels (e.g., rooftop rainwater harvesting) or community levels (e.g., building check dams, ponds). India has a long tradition of rainwater harvesting.
• Water Management in Agriculture:
  • Drip Irrigation: Water is delivered directly to the plant roots, minimizing evaporation and wastage.
  • Sprinkler Irrigation: Water is sprayed over the crops, reducing wastage compared to flood irrigation.
  • Promoting water-efficient crops: Encouraging the cultivation of crops that require less water.
• Reducing Water Pollution:
  • Treating industrial effluents before discharging them.
  • Implementing effective sewage treatment systems for urban areas.
  • Reducing the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.
• Water Recycling: Treating wastewater from industries and households for reuse in non-potable applications like gardening or industrial processes.
• Preventing Leakages: Repairing leaks in water supply systems to reduce water loss.
• Public Awareness: Educating people about the importance of water conservation and encouraging responsible water use.
• Government Policies: Implementing policies for water pricing, water allocation, and protection of water sources.

The 'Jal Shakti Abhiyan' in India is a prime example of a government initiative focused on water conservation and rainwater harvesting.

Natural Vegetation And Wildlife

Natural vegetation refers to a plant cover that grows naturally without human interference, while wildlife encompasses all non-domesticated animals. Together, they form crucial components of the Earth's biosphere, providing essential services and maintaining ecological balance.

Distribution Of Natural Vegetation

The distribution of natural vegetation is primarily determined by climatic factors, especially temperature and rainfall, and also by soil type, topography, and altitude. India's diverse geographical conditions support a wide variety of vegetation types:

• Tropical Evergreen Forests: Found in areas with heavy rainfall (over 200 cm) and high temperatures. Trees do not shed their leaves simultaneously. Dense, multi-layered canopy. Found in the Western Ghats, northeastern hills, and Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
• Tropical Deciduous Forests: These are the most widespread forests in India. They are also called monsoon forests. They occur in areas with moderate rainfall (70-200 cm). Trees shed their leaves during the dry season (typically spring and early summer) to conserve water. Examples include Teak and Sal. Found in the northeastern states, foothills of the Himalayas, Eastern Ghats, and parts of the Deccan Plateau.
• Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs: Found in areas with low rainfall (less than 70 cm) and high temperatures. Vegetation consists of thorny bushes, grasses, and scattered trees. Found in the northwestern parts of India, including Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Haryana.
• Montane Forests: These forests are found in the mountainous regions of the Himalayas. Their type changes with altitude. They range from wet temperate forests at lower altitudes to alpine vegetation (grasslands and shrubs) at higher altitudes.
• Mangrove Forests: Found in the deltaic regions of rivers, especially in the Sunderbans (West Bengal) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. These forests are adapted to saline conditions and tidal influences.
• Themed Forests (Vegetation): Related to specific regions like Desert Vegetation (Cacti, thorny bushes in Rajasthan) and Coastal Vegetation.

Conservation Of Natural Vegetation And Wildlife

Natural vegetation and wildlife are facing threats due to habitat destruction, pollution, human activities like poaching, and climate change. Conservation is essential to protect biodiversity and maintain ecological balance.

Conservation Measures for Natural Vegetation and Wildlife:

• Establishment of Protected Areas: Creation of National Parks, Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Biosphere Reserves to protect natural habitats and endangered species. India has numerous such areas, e.g., Corbett National Park, Ranthambore National Park, Kaziranga National Park, Gir Forest National Park.
• Afforestation and Reforestation: Planting trees on a large scale to increase forest cover, restore degraded forests, and prevent soil erosion.
• Sustainable Forest Management: Implementing practices that ensure forests can regenerate and provide resources sustainably without depletion.
• Protection Against Poaching and Hunting: Strict laws and enforcement against illegal hunting and trade of wildlife products.
• Conservation of Species: Specific programs targeted at saving endangered species (e.g., Project Tiger, Project Elephant, Project Rhino).
• Awareness and Education: Educating the public about the importance of conserving forests and wildlife and promoting responsible tourism.
• Sustainable Land Use Planning: Integrating conservation needs into land-use planning to protect ecologically sensitive areas.
• Combating Pollution: Reducing all forms of pollution that can harm vegetation and wildlife habitats.

The Indian government and various NGOs are actively involved in conservation efforts. The Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and the Forest Conservation Act, 1980, are key legal instruments for protecting these resources.