CLASS VIII | SCIENCE | CHAPTER 7
notes prepared by Subhankar Karmakar
Chapter 7: conservation of plants and animals
Q1) Define biosphere.
Ans: Biosphere is that part of the earth in which living organism exist. It includes land surface of the earth, atmosphere of the earth, as well as water bodies on the earth.
Q2) What do you understand by the term wildlife?
Ans: The term wildlife means all the animals and plants which are found naturally in the forest and other natural habitats.
Q3) What is biodiversity?
Ans. Biodiversity refers to the variety of organisms like plants animals and microorganism etc better found in a particular area of habitat.
Q4) What is an ecosystem?
Ans: A system which includes all the living organisms like plants animals and microorganisms of an area and the physical environment like soil air and water in which they live are together called an ecosystem.
Q5) What is deforestation?
Ans: The tearing of forest by cutting down forest trees over a wide area is called deforestation.
Q6) What are the various causes of deforestation?
Ans: The various causes of deforestation are
i) the forest trees are cut down to obtain wood for using as fuel
ii) the forest trees are cut down to obtain doors, windows and furniture.
iii) the forest trees are cut down to obtain wood for making paper.
iv) the forest trees are cut down to obtain more agricultural land for cultivation of crops for the increasing population.
v) the forest trees are cut down to get land for building houses, factories, roads and dams etc.
Q7) What are the consequences of deforestation?
Ans: The consequences of deforestation are
i) deforestation will lead to a shortage of wood and other forest products
ii) deforestation will cause an increase in temperature of Earth's atmosphere leading to global warming.
iii) deforestation will cause soil erosion making the soil infertile and lead to desertification.
iv) deforestation will cause frequent flooding of rivers leading to loss of life and property.
v) deforestation affects the water cycle leading to decrease in rainfall. The decrease in rainfall lowers the groundwater level and could cause droughts.
vi) deforestation leads to the extinction of many wild animals and plants.
Q12) Name some biosphere reserves of India.
Ans: There are several biosphere reserves in India.
These are
1. great nicobar biosphere reserve
2. Kaziranga biosphere reserve
3. Sundarbans biosphere reserve
4. Kanha biosphere reserve
5. Pachmarhi biosphere reserve
Q13) What are the roles of biosphere reserve?
Ans: The biosphere reserves perform the following roles
1. It help in conservation of wildlife of the area
2. It help to maintain the biodiversity of the area.
3. It preserve the natural ecological conditions in the area.
4. It promotes the economic development of the area.
5. It helps to maintain the lifestyle the tribal people living in the area
6. It prevents the commercial exploitation of the area.
7. It provides opportunities for scientific research, environmental education and tourism.
Q14) What do you understand by flora and fauna?
Ans: The plants that grow naturally in a particular area are called Flora of that area and the animals which live naturally in a particular area are called fauna of that area. As an example, Teak, jamun, fern, mango, Arjun are the flora of pachmarhi biosphere reserve and cheetal, wolf, Leopard, chinkara, blue bull, barking deer and wild dog are the examples of fauna of the pachmarhi biosphere reserve.
Q15) What are endemic species of a particular area?
Ans. Endemic species are those species both of plants and animals which are found exclusively in a particular area. The plants and animals which are found only in a particular area are said to be endemic to that area. As an example sal and wild mango are the two examples of the endemic flora of the pachmarhi biosphere reserve and giant squirrel, flying squirrel and bison are the three examples of endemic fauna of the pachmarhi biosphere reserve area.
Q16) Explain biosphere reserve.
Ans: A biosphere reserve is a large, protected area of land meant for the conservation of wildlife, biodiversity, and the traditional lifestyle of the tribal people living in the area. A special feature of the biosphere reserve is that local people or tribals are an integral part of it.
Q17) What are the different zones in a biosphere reserve?
Ans: A biosphere reserve has been divided into 3 zones.
i) The innermost zone of a biosphere reserve is known as core zone. It is devoted to strict protection of wildlife. No human activity e is allowed in the core zone of a biosphere reserve.
ii) The middle zone of a biosphere reserve is called buffer zone. Buffer zones around the core zone and limited human activity is allowed here.
iii) The outermost zone of a biosphere reserve is called transition zone. In the transition zone several non destructive human activities such as settlements of tribals and cultivation of crops are allowed.
Q18) What are the different types of protected areas which have been established by the government for the conservation of forest and wild animals?
Ans: There are three types of protected areas established by government for the conservation of forest and wild animals. These are
i) biosphere reserves
ii) wildlife sanctuaries
iii) national parks
Q19) Why do we need protected areas forest and wildlife conservation?
Ans: The purpose of establishing several biosphere reserves, wildlife sanctuaries and national parks in India is to conserve wild animals and their natural surroundings so as to maintain a healthy balance in nature and to prevent the extinction of endangered wild animals.
Q20. What is wildlife sanctuary?
Ans. Wildlife sanctuary is a protected area of land who is is created for the protection of wild animals in their natural environment like forests. Therefore a wildlife sanctuary provides protection and suitable living conditions to the wild animals in their natural habitat. In a wildlife sanctuary killing or poaching and capturing of wild animals is strictly prohibited.
Q21. Write the name of some wildlife sanctuaries of India.
Ans. There are more than 500 wildlife sanctuaries in India. The major wildlife sanctuaries are-
1. Sanjay Gandhi wildlife sanctuary in Maharashtra
2. Mudumalai wildlife sanctuary in Tamil Nadu
3. Nagarjun Sagar wildlife sanctuary in Andhra Pradesh
4. Bharatpur Bird sanctuary in Rajasthan
5. Sultanpur lake bird sanctuary in Haryana
6. Dandeli wildlife sanctuary in Karnataka
7. Thattekad Bird sanctuary in Kerala
8. Satkosia Basipalli wildlife sanctuary in West Bengal
9. Lokchao wildlife sanctuary in Manipur
10. Bori wildlife sanctuary in Madhya Pradesh.
Q22. What are the differences between biosphere reserve and wildlife sanctuary?
Ans. The main differences between biosphere reserve and wildlife sanctuary are as follows.
1. A biosphere reserve is spread over a very large area of land, where as a wildlife sanctuary occupies a comparatively smaller area of land.
2. A biosphere reserve is for the conservation of biodiversity of the area as well as the economic development of the area where as a wildlife sanctuary is mainly for the protection of wild animals of the area in their natural habitat.
3. Local tribal people form an integral part biosphere reserve where as local people is not included in a wildlife sanctuary.
4. The human activities such as cultivation of land and building of settlements are allowed in the outermost zone of a biosphere reserve where as the human activities are not allowed in a wildlife sanctuary.
Q23. What is a national park?
Ans. A National Park is a relatively large area of scenic beauty protected and maintained by the government to preserve flora and fauna landscape history objects of the area and places of of scientific interest. Another purpose of establishing National parks is to provide human recreation and enjoyment.
Q24. Write the name of some prominent National parks of India.
Ans. Name of the some prominent National parks of India are as follows.
1. Corbett national park in uttarakhand
2. Kanha national Park in madhya Pradesh
3. Ranthambore national Park in Rajasthan
4. Gir national Park in Gujarat
5. Kaziranga national Park in Assam.
Q25. What is project tiger?
Ans. Tiger is one of the many wildlife species which are slowly disappearing from our forest. Project tiger is a world life conservation project which was launched by the government of India in 1972 to protect the tigers in the country. There are 28 tiger reserves in India at present which are governed by project tiger.
Q26. What are the main differences between a wildlife sanctuary and a national park?
Ans. The main differences between a wildlife sanctuary and a national park are as follows
1. A Wildlife sanctuary may or may not be an area of great scenic beauty but a national park is an area of great scenic beauty.
2. A wild life sanctuary protects and preserves the wild animals in their natural environments but a national park protects and preserves wild animals and their environment as well as the scenic beauty e historical objects and habitats of scientific interest in the area.
3. A wildlife sanctuary is not meant for recreation and enjoyment of the public but in a national park in addition to protection wild animals are kept for recreation enjoyment and educated interests of the public.
4. Wildlife sanctuary is usually does not allow easy access to the visitors but a national park allows easy access for the visitors.
Q27. What is a a extinct species?
Ans. The species who is no longer exist anywhere on the earth are called extinct species. Dinosaur, dodo bird, cave lion, Caspian tiger, Irish deer are examples of extinct species.
Q28. What is an endangered species?
Ans. The species which are facing the risk of extinction are called endangered species. It means that the wild animals whose numbers are are diminishing to such a low level that they might face extinction soon are known as endangered animals. Tiger, snow leopard, great Indian rhinoceros, Asiatic lion, desert cat, lion tailed macaque, namdapha flying squirrel and Kashmir stag are some examples of endangered species.
Q29. What is a red Data book?
Ans. Red Data book is the book which keeps record of all the endangered animals, plants and other species. Some of the endangered species of animals listed in the red Data book of India are: Flying squirrel, Indian giant squirrel, Barasingha, blackbuck, Himalayan musk deer, great Indian rhinoceros, snow leopard and tiger.
Q30. What is migration?
Ans. Thr process of a bird or other animals moving from one place to another according to the season is called migration. Migration of birds for other animals is an adaptation to escape the harsh and cold conditions of their normal habitat in winter so as to survive.
Q31. What are migratory birds?
Ans. The birds which move from very cold region to warmer regions in winter and go back after the winter is over are called migratory birds. Migratory birds fly to far away places more than 3000 km every year.
One of the example of migratory birds is the Siberian crane.
Q32. What is Recycling of paper?
Ans. Paper is made from wood pulp that is produced from the wood of the forest trees. And it causes a rapid deforestation. But we already know deforestation harms ecology very much. To save forest trees from deforestation, the used paper can be reconverted into usable paper and that is called recycling of paper. Paper can be recycled 5 to 7 times for use.
Q33. What are the Advantage of recycled paper?
Ans. The advantages of recycling of paper are as follows.
1. Recycling of paper reduce the amount of deforestation of trees.
2. Recycling of paper saves tremendous amount water which are used in paper making.
3. Recycling of paper also save use amount of energy used in making paper.
4. It reduces the amount of harmful chemicals used in paper making.
Q34. How many full grown trees are needed to make 1 tonne of paper?
Ans. It has been estimated that 17 full grown trees are needed to make 1 tonne of paper.
Q35. What is reforestation?
Ans. The planting of trees in an area in which forest were destroyed is called reforestation. The planted trees should generally be of the same species which wire cut down from the forest during deforestation.
Q36. What are the advantages of reforestation?
Ans. The advantages of reforestation are as follows-
1. Reforestation producers a large quantity of raw materials for industry like paper industry, timber trade etc.
2. Reforestation will lead to a decrease in global warming by reducing the amount of carbon dioxide gas in the atmosphere.
3. Reforestation increases rainfall in an area. This will raise ground water level and prevent droughts.
4. Reforestation prevents soil erosion and floods.
5. Reforestation increases the area of Earth under forest which is good for the conservation of wildlife.