Natural Vegetation Class 9 GSEB Solutions Social Science Chapter 17

Gujarat Board Class 9 Social Science Natural Vegetation Textbook Questions and Answers

1. Answer the following Questions brief:
Question 1. Why a diversity of vegetation is seen in India?
Answer:
Factor responsible for diverse natural vegetation:

Relief features: Presence of diversified relief features like mountains, plateaus, plains, deserts, etc. have created a diverse pattern in vegetation of India.

1. Soil: Different types of soils such as alluvial, black, mountain, desert type etc. are found in this diversified geography of India. This variation in soils also creates differences in vegetation.
2. Temperature: The vast difference in temperature and humidity of cold Himalayan regions and southern peninsula also leads to variations in vegetation.
3. Isolation: The amount of sunlight over a region depends upon its latitude and altitude. Vegetation grows faster in presence of more rain and isolation. Thus, sunshine leads to variation in vegetation.
4. Rainfall: The distribution of rainfall in India is also quite unequal. This too causes diversity in vegetation.

Question 2. What is the environmental importance of forests?
Answer:
Forests are important for our environment in the following ways:

1. Forests helps in bringing rain.
2. They control the atmosphere from becoming adverse and hence maintain its optimum level.
3. They purify air by taking up carbon dioxide and releasing life-saving oxygen.
4. They control floods.
5. They absorb harmful gases like carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, etc.
6. They prevent soil erosion.
7. They maintain groundwater level.
8. They prevent deserts from expanding.
9. They enhance natural beauty of a region.
10. They are useful in reducing air pollution.
11. They are used as places for adventures and tourist activities.
12. Some forests are reserved as national parks, sanctuaries and bio-reserves. This help in preserving flora and fauna of the nature.

Question 3. What are the reasons for forest destruction?
Answer:
Destruction of forests:

1. Man due to his several anti-environmental activities and selfish motives disturbs the ecosystem.
2. Man’s never-ending desire to procure more and more land and exploit it for commercial purposes leads to destruction of forests.
3. Forests also get destroyed due to increased population, government policies of establishing industrial units away from residential areas, urbanization, multi-purpose projects, construction of roads, Jhoom cultivation for obtaining timber and fuelwood, forest fire, etc.
4. Destroying forests imbalances the ecology.

Question 4. What are the effects of forest destructions:
Answer:
Effects of destruction of forests:

1. Destruction of forests causes several adverse and harmful effects.
2. Decreased rainfall, drought, global warming, greenhouse effect, advancing deserts, lost habitat of wild animals, etc, are some of these effects.

Question 5. “Tropical Forests are also called evergreen Forests”. Give reason.
Answer:
Tropical forests are found almost all part of the India and are called evergreen forests because:

1. Tropical rain forests are found in hot and humid regions where annual rainfall exceeds 200 cm.
2. Trees of these forests do not shed their leaves fully in any season.
3. Hence, they remain green throughout the year and are known as evergreen forests.
4. In other words, since the trees do not shed their leaves fully in any season these forests do not see autumn season.

2. Answer the following questions in detail:
Question 2. Write about the utility of Forest.
Answer:
Utility of forests:

1. Forests are useful to man in several ways.
2. Timber wood from teak and sal is used for making furniture.
3. Boats are prepared from the wood of Sundari trees of Sunderban.
4. Sports goods and packing boxes are made from the wood of pine and chid trees.
5. Turpentine is made from the liquid of chid trees.
6. Sandalwood tree is used to prepare perfumed oil, cosmetics, etc.
7. Forests also provide lac (sealing wax), resin, gum, rubber, honey, cane,etc.
8. They also provide several plants that have medicinal value. These plants are used in making ayurvedic medicines. Amla (embolic myrobalan), baheda, harde, ashwagandha, etc. are a few such plants.
9. Leaves of Khakhra tree are used to make plates and bowls and that of timru to make bidis.
10. We also get catechu from kher trees.
11. Forests provide livelihood and food to people who live in an around forests.
12. Thus, forests provide a great contribution in the social and economic development of mankind.

Question 3. Elaborate the remedies for forest conservation.
Answer:
Remedies to conserve forests:

1. In order to protect and conserve forests, the Government of India implemented a National Forest Policy in 1952.
2. Later, in 1980 the Parliament passed Forest (Conservation) Act. It made amendments in this policy in 1988.

Following steps to should be taken preserve forests:

1. Forests are part of our national resource. Hence, it is our moral duty to protect them.
2. Cutting of trees should be stopped. Strict punishment should be given to those who cut trees illegally.
3. To increase public participation in ‘Van Mahotsava’ and ‘Social Forestry’, people should be encourages to plant trees on either sides of wasteland, river, railway tracks and roads.
4. Awareness should be created about environment by educating people through seminars, workshops, street plays, etc.
5. Environmental protection should also be included in school syllabus.
6. Environment-related days should be celebrated to continuously remain about conserving environment.
7. Take precautions to avoid forest fire. In case of fire immediate action should be taken.
8. Renewable energy resources such as solar energy, bio-energy, wind energy, etc. should be used in place of traditional resources like wood.
9. People should be explained the importance of forests through media such as newspapers, journals, internet, TV, etc.
10. Institutes such as F.R.I. (Forest Research Institute) which undertakes forest-related research activities should be supported well to enable them develop more and more ways to conserve forests.

3. Select a correct option for the following questions and write answer:
Question 1. Which place does India hold in world with respect to vegetation diversity?
A. First
B. Fourth
C. Tenth
D. Fifth
Answer:
C. Tenth

Question 2. Which of the following statement is incorrect?
A. Tidal forest is located in Ganga delta.
B. Turpentine is prepared from liquid of chid tree.
C. Sundari wood is used to prepare boats.
D. Thorny bust occur in mountainous area of Himalayan.
Answer:
D. Thorny bust occur in mountainous area of Himalayan.

Question 3. Join the pairs :
Pair A
(A) Tropical Rain forests
(B) Tropical Desert Vegetation
(C) Tidal Forests
(D) Coniferous Forests
Pair B
(A) Cher
(B) Pine
(C) Acacia
(D) Mahogany

A. A-3 B-4 C-1 D-2
B. A-4 B-3 C-1 D-2
C. A-4 B-3 C-2 D-1
D. A-4 B-2 C-3 D-1
Answer:
B. A-4 B-3 C-1 D-2

Question 4. What is prepared out of the liquid of chid?
A. Catechu
B. Turpentine
C. Lac
D. Gum
Answer:
B. Turpentine