Class 10 Ch 4 Forest Resources - plant and animal species, sacred groves and joint forest management

Forest Resources is the name of the chapter in the Geography Text of Class 10 which deals with concepts of the forest as a resource, source of biodiversity, different types of plant and animal species according to the IUCN, forest conservation techniques, sacred groves, Joint Forest Management and social movement to protect the forest resources.

Types of species based on the IUCN Classification

Following are questions that could be asked from this chapter

Q. What do you understand by biodiversity?

ANS. Biodiversity refers to the presence of various living organisms in a given place.

Q. What are biodiversity hotspots?

ANS. Biodiversity hotspots are highly rich in biodiversity. India alone has 3 biodiversity hotspots. It is one of the richest countries in terms of biodiversity.

Q. Name the 3 biodiversity hotspots in India.

ANS. The three biodiversity hotspots in India are-

1. The Western Ghats
2. The Eastern Himalayas and
3. The Indo Burmese border region.

Q. What is the strength of India in the number of species?

ANS. India is estimated to have about 1.6 million species of plants and animals which accounts for about 8% of the total species existing in the entire world.

Q. How many flowering species are native to India.

AND. About 15000 species of flowering plants are native to India. These species are known to have originated in India from the start of their existence. These types of species (native species) are also known as endemic or indigenous species.

Q. How many plant species are endangered in India?

ANS. About 1500 plant species in India fall in the endangered category.

Q. What is the percentage of India's wild flora are in the threatened list?

ANS. 10 per cent.

Q. What is the percentage of India's mammals that are on the threatened list?

ANS. 20 per cent.

Q. What are the main factors responsible for India's biodiversity?

ANS. India is one of the richest countries in terms of the biodiversity of flora (plants) and fauna (animals). This is because there are various geographical conditions prevailing in India ranging from the plains and lowlands of the major rivers to the gently sloped ranges of Western and Central India. From the thick rainforest of the Western Ghats to the flattening Eastern Ghats and from the slopy Himalayas that runs in stepping parallels to the heaviest rainfall region of North East India. India experiences various types of climates ranging from the hottest desert of Rajasthan to the coldest snow-covered in the Himalayas. Besides, the Mangroves of the Sunderbans and the age-old sacred groves of Meghalaya, Kerela and many other states have all contributed to the richness of bio diversities in India.

Q. Discuss India's rich flora and fauna.

ANS. India's rich in flora and fauna is evidenced by the identification of the three most important hotspots of biodiversity in the country. India accounted for about 8 per cent of total species in the world. There are more than 90,000 animal species found in India including the vulnerable and endangered 79 species of mammals, 44 species of birds, 15 species of reptiles, fish species and a large number of butterflies.

About 47000 plant species are discovered in India. Of these, about 15000 species of flowering plants are endemic to the country.

Q. What is the full form of IUCN?

ANS. IUCN stands for the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.

Q. What is an IUCN?

ANS. IUCN or the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources is an organisation of scientists and scientific organisations which classify plants and animals into different categories for conservation strategies. 

Q. Name the different categories of existing plants and animals as being outlined by the IUCN.

ANS. The IUCN classified the existing plants and animals into 6 categories. These are - 

1. Normal species
2. Endemic species
3. Rare species
4. Vulnerable species
5. Endangered species and,
6. Extinct species.

Q. What are normal species? Give examples of normal species.

ANS. Normal species are those species of plants and animals that have large populations and are considered normal for survival. Examples are cattle, rodents, and sal. 

Q. What are endemic species? Give examples of endemic species.

ANS. The species of plants in animals which are found only in particular places and found nowhere else in the world are called endemic species. Examples are the Mithun of Arunachal Pradesh, the wild pig of Andaman island, the Nicobar pigeon, etc.

Q. What are rare species? Give examples of rare species.

ANS. The species of plants or animals which have only a small population are called rare species. Examples are wild Asiatic buffalo, hornbill, etc. Rare species can become vulnerable or endangered if their population decreases. 

Q. What are vulnerable species? Give examples.

ANS. The species of plants or animals which have declining populations due to various factors are considered vulnerable species. Examples Asiatic elephant, blue sheep, Gangetic dolphin, etc.

Q. What are Endangered species? Give examples of endangered species.

ANS. The species of plants or animals which are on the verge of extinction are called endangered species. Examples are blackbuck, crocodile, Indian wild ass, Indian rhino, sangria etc.

Q. What are extinct species? Give examples of extinct species.

ANS. The species of plants or animals that are no longer found in the places where they are known to survive are called extinct species. Examples Asiatic cheetah, pink head duck, mountain quail, etc.

Q. Differentiate between extinct species and endangered species.

ANS. See above.

Q. Differentiate between endemic species and rare species.

ANS. See above.

Q. What is the forest cover of India?

ANS. About 22% of the land in India is covered with forest.

Q. Explain the main reasons for the destruction of flora and fauna in India.

ANS. The cause of depletion of the flora and fauna in India is the shrinking of forest which is the habitat of wildlife. The depletion of forests in India is brought about by the following factors:-

1. Expansion of agriculture: more than 26,200 sq km of land was used for the expansion of agriculture between 1951 and 1980.
2. Expansion of railways, commercial and scientific forestry, and mining activities further deplete forest cover in the counter.
3. Abrasive agricultural practices like jhum cultivation also contributed to forest depletion and land degradation.
4. Development projects such as the river valley project submerged forests under the waters.
5. Besides, fuelwood collection, grazing and colonial forest policies are some other factors that deplete forests of the country.

Q. Suggest ways to preserve the flora and fauna (wildlife) of India.

ANS. India has been striving toward the conservation and protection of wildlife. Some of the ways that the government of India has taken to conserve the flora and fauna of the country are - 

1. Legal protection through the implementation of the Indian wildlife protection act in 1972.
2. Establishment of national parks by the state and Central governments.
3. The setting of reserves forests for threatened animals such as the Project Tiger, rhinoceros, bird sanctuaries etc.
4. Establishments of biosphere reserves and forest reserves across the country.
5. Listing of flora and fauna in the list of endangered species.

Q. Why was the Project Tiger launched? What are its objectives? What are its effects on the conservation of wildlife?

ANS. The famous Project Tiger was launched in 1973 at the Corbett National Park.

The objectives of the Project Tiger were to protect and reduce the high biotic pressure that affects the fragile but unique habitats of tigers and to protect the tigers from the man's greed for extracting natural resources as well as poaching for illegal trade.

In total, the Project Tiger covers an extensive 37,761 sq. km across the length and breadth of the country. The project was considered successful as the population of tigers in the country has risen from 1827 in1973 to more than 4330 by 1990. In addition to protecting the tigers, the tiger reserve forests are also home to all kinds of wild animals and plants and bird species.  Thus, the Project tiger has not only achieved its objectives but also help to conserve a variety of wildlife.

Q. What are the different types of forests in India?

ANS. For administration purposes, forests are classified into three types. These are-

1. Reserved forest: Reserved fires are permanently earmarked for timber production and other forest produce. Grazing and cultivation are not allowed. These forests are also important for the conservation of wildlife. More than 50% of the total forest land is reserved forest.
2. Protected Forest: Protected forests are protected from further destruction. Grazing and cultivation are allowed in such forests. About 1/3 of the total forest is protected forests.
3. Unclassed forests: That forest which does not fall under reserved or protected forests is grouped as un-classed forests. They consist of inaccessible forests or unoccupied wastelands. 

Q. Which state in India has the largest forest cover?

ANS. The state of Madhya Pradesh with 75% forest has the largest cover in India.

Q. Discuss the role of local communities in the conservation of forests with the help of examples.

ANS. People since time immemorial have always been involved in the protection of forests which can be substantiated by the fact that they respected and preserved the integrity of the forest by declaring it a sacred grove. 

In many places, local people have taken initiative to declare certain patches of land as protected and undisturbed forest areas. Such initiative was usually taken as a step to protect the water catchment areas and also to conserve the wildlife. For example, in the Alwar district of Rajasthan, the residents of five villages collectively declared 1,200 hectares of land as the Bhairodev Dakav Sonchuri and set their own rules and regulations not allow hunting, and poaching and any encroachment of outsiders into the forest. 

The forest of Manas Biosphere Reserve and the Reserved Forest of Ripu and Chirang are threatened by illegal logging and deforestation. It was only after the government adopted local participation through the Joint Forest Management that the conservation and protection of the said forest have become successful.

Q. What are sacred groves? How has 'sacredness' ascribed to the plants and animals helped in protecting them?

ANS. Check answer here

Q. Write a short note on Beej Bachao Andolan.

ANS. Beej Bachao  Andolan or the 'Save the Seed' movement is a social movement by the people in the Tehri region of Uttarakhand. 

The movement  was started in the late 1980s with the objectives to stop using the modern high yielding crops which are chemical-dependent and to search for the long-forgotten and indigenous crop varieties that the people had for generations cultivated. The movement sought to revive the traditional methods of cultivation and the free exchange of seeds within the community.

Q. What do you understand about Joint Forest Management? Which state had first adopted joint forest management in the country?

ANS. Joint Forest Management is a forest management programme to develop a partnership between the Forest Department and the people living in the fringe areas of the forest who are depending for livelihood on the forest produce. The JFM is based on mutual trust, and jointly dependent roles and responsibilities between the local people who are the primary users and the forest department. The role of the local people is to help restore degraded forests, in return, they get a share of timber collected and non-timber forest products.

Odisha was the first state in India to successfully adopted the Joint Forest Management (JFM) in the country.

Q. What is the Chipko movement?

ANS. Chipko movement is a non-violent protest by the people of Uttarakhand in the 1970s against the decision of the government to destroy the forests in their locality.