Ch. 16 Management of Natural Resources

Q. What does the presence of Coliform bacteria in water sample indicate?

A. Coliform is a group of bacteria, found in the human intestine, whose presence in water indicates contamination by disease causing microorganism.

Q. List a few measurable factors used to quantify pollution in water.

A. Few measures are:

i) pH of water. It can be easily checked using mineral indicator.

ii) Presence of microbes in water.

iii) TDS meter i.e. Total dissolved solids in a solution.

Q. Which is better recycling or reusing?

A. Reusing is better than recycling as the process of recycling uses some energy. While reusing you just simply use things again and again.

Q. What are the factors considered while exploiting natural resources?

A. i) Sustainability: The management of resources requires a long term perspective so that these will last for the generations to come and will not merely be exploited to the hilt for short term gains.

ii) Equitable Distribution: It should also ensure that equitable distribution takes place so that all, not just a few of the rich and powerful people benefit from the development of these resources.

iii) Damage to the environment: The damage caused to the environment by exploiting natural resources should be minimal and biodiversity should not be lost. Like in mining pollution is extensive because of a large amount of slag which is discarded for every tonne of metal extracted.

Q. What are biodiversity hotspots? 

A. A biodiversity hotspot is a biogeographic region which is extremely rich in biodiversity and at the same time is also under severe threat of destruction.

Q. What are the major stakeholders with respect to conservation of forests?

A. i) Locals: The people who live in or around the forests are dependent on forest produce for various aspects of their life.

ii) Forest Department: They own the land and control the resources from forests.

iii) Industrialists: They use various forest produce, but are not dependent on the forests in any one area. Eg those who use tendu leaves to make 'bidis', the paper mills etc.

iv) Wildlife enthusiasts: They want to conserve nature in its pristine form. 

The locals need large quantities of firewood, small timber etc. In addition to this, nuts and medicines are collected.

Q. What is monoculture? 

A. Monoculture is the agricultural practice of producing or growing a single crop, plant or livestock species in an area at a particular time.

Q. What are the disadvantages of monoculture?

A. i) A large amount of biodiversity is destroyed. Varied needs of the locals will not be met.

ii) Soil gets deficient in the specific nutrients used by that plant species. Eg Monoculture of leguminous crops can cause the deficiency of nitrogen in the soil.

iii) If anyone crop is diseased, it spreads quickly.

Q. List any three problems caused by construction of dams.

A. i) Social Problems: As they displace a large number of peasants and tribals without adequate compensation.

ii) Economic problems: because they swallow up huge amounts of public money without the generation of proportionate benefits.

iii) Environmental problems: because they contribute enormously to deforestation and the loss of biological diversity. 

Q. What are the objectives of watershed management system?

A. Its aim is to store and harvest rainwater in the area where it falls itself. It mitigates both drought and floods, and also prevent silting of rivers.

Q. Make a list of all the traditional water harvesting systems.

A. Traditional water harvesting systems are: 

・Khadims, tankas and nadis in Rajasthan

・Bhandaras and tals in Maharashtra

・Bundhis in Madhya Pradesh

Q. What are the elements of coal?

A. Coal contains carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen and sulphur.

Q. What are the advantages of storing water in the ground?

A. Advantages of storing water in the ground are:

・ It does not evaporate, but spreads out to recharge wells and provides moisture for vegetation over a wide area.

・ It does not provide a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

・ Also, groundwater is relatively protected from contamination by human and animal waste.

Q. List the products formed when fossil fuels are burnt in the:

i) Presence of air:

A. When fossil fuels are burnt in the presence of air, the products formed are CO2, water oxides of nitrogen and oxides of sulphur.

ii) Absence of Air:

A. When combustion of fossil fuels takes place in the absence of air (oxygen), then carbon monoxide is formed.