Chapter 2 — Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation &
Wildlife Resources
Class 8 Geography (NCERT) — Answer Key
Set A — Land and Soil Resources
Q1. Differentiate between private land and community land.
Private Land Community Land
Owned by individuals. Owned by the community / government, used by all.
Owner decides its use. Used for common purposes like grazing grounds, cremation grounds, play
Not freely accessible to others. Freely accessible to all members of the community.
Example: a farmer's own field, a house plot. Example: village common land, public parks, forests.
Community land is also called common property resources, and it especially benefits the poor as it
provides fodder for livestock and fuel for the household.
Q2. Explain landslide.
A landslide is the sudden downward movement/sliding of rocks and soil down a slope, usually on hilly or
mountainous terrain.
• Caused by heavy rainfall, earthquakes, deforestation and steep slopes.
• Loosens and washes away the topsoil, destroying land and vegetation.
• Can block roads, rivers and damage houses and human life in hilly areas.
Q3. Explain the factors responsible for change in land use.
• Population growth — more land is needed for housing and farming.
• Technological development — better tools/methods change how land is used.
• Government policies/economic activities — land converted for industry, roads, dams etc.
• Natural factors — climate, soil fertility and terrain also decide the type of land use.
Q4. Explain conservation of land.
Conservation of land means protecting land from degradation and using it carefully so that it remains fit
for future use.
• Afforestation — planting trees to bind soil and prevent erosion.
• Checking overgrazing by controlling the number of grazing animals.
• Terrace farming on hill slopes to reduce soil erosion.
• Proper management of wastelands and mining areas by reclaiming them after use.
Q5. Explain the factors of formation of soil.
• Relief — nature of land, i.e. flat or sloppy land.
• Parent rock/material — determines the mineral content of the soil.
• Climate — temperature and rainfall cause rocks to break down (weathering).
• Natural vegetation — decayed plants and organisms add humus to soil.
• Time — soil formation is a slow process that takes hundreds of years.
Q6. Explain the layers of soil.
Layer Features
Horizon A (Topsoil) Dark, loose, rich in humus and minerals; supports plant growth.
Horizon B Transition zone; harder, more compact, less humus, mainly clay.
Horizon C Made of small pieces of weathered rock (parent material).
Bed rock Hard, solid rock beneath the soil layers.
Q7. Explain the types of soil.
• Alluvial soil — found in river plains, very fertile, good for wheat, rice, sugarcane.
• Black soil — found in Deccan plateau (lava region), good for cotton, retains moisture well.
• Red soil — found in low rainfall areas, reddish due to iron content, less fertile.
• Laterite soil — found in high rainfall areas, formed by leaching, used for tea/coffee.
• Desert/Arid soil — sandy, saline, low humus, found in dry regions like Rajasthan.
• Mountain/Forest soil — found on hill slopes, rich in humus, supports forests.
Set B — Water and Natural Vegetation Resources
Q1. Explain degradation of soil. Give any three methods to conserve it.
Soil degradation is the decline in soil fertility and quality caused by erosion, deforestation, overgrazing,
over-irrigation, chemical fertilisers/pesticides and mining.
Methods of conservation:
• Afforestation — planting trees and shrubs to hold the soil with roots.
• Crop rotation — growing different crops alternately to maintain soil fertility.
• Contour ploughing / terrace farming — ploughing along the slope contours or making terraces
on hills to check soil erosion.
Q2. Explain the water cycle with a diagram.
The water cycle is the continuous circulation of water between the oceans, atmosphere and land
through evaporation, condensation and precipitation.
Evaporation Condensation Precipitation
Collection (rivers, seas, groundwater) → back to Evaporation
• The sun heats water bodies, causing evaporation — water turns into vapour and rises.
• Water vapour cools in the atmosphere and condenses into tiny droplets, forming clouds.
• These droplets fall back to earth as precipitation (rain, snow, hail).
• The water then flows into rivers, seas and groundwater, and the cycle repeats.
Q3. Explain the following terms.
• (a) Evaporation — the process by which water changes from liquid to vapour due to heat from the
sun.
• (b) Condensation — the process by which water vapour cools and changes into tiny water
droplets, forming clouds.
• (c) Precipitation — the falling of condensed water droplets to the earth's surface as rain, snow or
hail.
Q4. Write the factors responsible for water shortage.
• Rapid growth of population increasing demand for water.
• Unequal distribution and seasonal variation of rainfall.
• Growing needs of agriculture and industries.
• Pollution of existing water bodies making water unfit for use.
• Wastage and over-use of water, and falling groundwater levels.
Q5. Explain any three ways for conservation of water resources.
• Rainwater harvesting — collecting and storing rainwater for later use.
• Drip irrigation — supplying water directly to plant roots to reduce wastage in farming.
• Recycling and treatment of waste water for reuse, and checking leakage in pipelines.
Q6. Describe rainwater harvesting with a diagram.
Rainwater harvesting is the collection and storage of rainwater, instead of allowing it to run off, for later
use or to recharge groundwater.
Roof (catchment)
Pipe
Filter
Storage Tank / Recharge Pit (underground)
• Rain falling on rooftops is collected through pipes.
• It passes through a filter to remove dirt and debris.
• The filtered water is stored in tanks or directed into an underground recharge pit to raise the
groundwater level.
• Common methods include rooftop harvesting and check dams in villages.
Q7. Differentiate between different types of forest.
Type Features
Evergreen (Tropical rainforest) Found in heavy rainfall areas near the equator; dense, trees remain green all year; e.g. maho
Deciduous forest Found in moderate rainfall regions; trees shed leaves in a particular season; e.g. teak, sal.
Coniferous forest Found in cold, high-altitude/high-latitude regions; tall, cone-shaped, needle-leaved trees; e.g
Q8. Illustrate the distribution of natural vegetation.
Natural vegetation is distributed according to variations in temperature and rainfall across the world:
• Equatorial regions (heavy rainfall, high temperature) — dense evergreen rainforests.
• Tropical/temperate regions with moderate rainfall — deciduous forests.
• Temperate grasslands (moderate rainfall) — prairies, steppes, pampas.
• Polar/high-altitude cold regions — coniferous forests (taiga).
• Dry desert regions (very low rainfall) — cactus and thorny scrub vegetation.
Q9. Explain conservation of natural vegetation.
• Afforestation — planting new trees to replace those cut down.
• Creating protected areas — national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves.
• Controlling deforestation — restricting illegal cutting of trees and forest fires.
• Awareness programmes like social forestry and Van Mahotsav to encourage tree planting.
• Legal protection through forest conservation laws and government regulation.