8th CBSE Notes On Land and Soil

Short answer questions 

Que 1: List the Naural resources whose availability affects the lifestyles of the people living in a region.

Land, soil, water and natural vegetation are the natural resources whose availability affects the 

lifestyles of the people living in a region.

Que 2: Mention the factors that affect the land use of an area.

Topography, soil, climatic conditions, presence of mineral reserves and availability of drinking 

water affects the land use of an area.

Que 3: What is the difference between private land and community land?

Land owned by an individual is called private land, while land owned collectively by a community 

is called community land.

Que 4: How is soil formed?

Soil is formed by the weathering of rocks.

Long answer questions

Que 1: How do characteristics of land affect the distribution of population and the lifestyle of the people living there?

1. Population distribution is dependent largely on the characteristics of land in a region.
2. In some areas like Thar Desert, Ladakh etc the surface of the land is uneven, irregular and non-conducive for crop growth.
3. In other places like Delta, Plains, the land is very fertile, with plenty of water thus supporting a large population. 
4. If we examine the distribution of the world’s population, we will observe that 
5. countries like India and China are densely populated as they characterised by river valleys
6. while countries like Canada and Iceland are sparsely populated because of extreme climatic conditions and insufficient arable land 
7. Therefore, we can say that areas that offer suitable land for agriculture, along with moderate climatic conditions, are the most sought after by people to live in.

Que: What are the factors that cause landslides? What measures can be adopted to curb them?

1. Landslides often occur together with earthquakes, floods and volcanoes. 
2. A landslide caused by prolonged heavy rainfall can block the path of a river. 
3. Human activities like deforestation, overgrazing can also cause landslides.
4. In order to curb landslides, forest cover should be protected in hilly regions. 

Some measures to control damage posed by landslides are as follows:

• Landslide-prone areas should be identified through hazard mapping, and building houses in such regions should be avoided.
• Retention walls should be built to stop the land from sliding.
• Vegetation cover should be increased to curb landslides.
• Control systems for surface water drainage should be built to regulate the movement of 
• landslides, along with rainwater and spring flows.

Que: Describe the factors that affect the physical and chemical characteristics of soil.

There are a number of factors that affect the physical and chemical properties of the soil in a landform.

• Parent rock: The parent rock, or the rock from which the soil is formed, influences the colour, texture, chemical properties, mineral content and permeability of the soil. 

• Climate: Climatic conditions like temperature and rainfall determine the rate of weathering and the formation of humus. 

• Relief: Steep slopes are more prone to soil erosion, and so have a thin layer of soil. On the other hand, low-lying, flat areas retain layers of sediments for longer periods and thus have a thick layer of soil. 

• Flora, fauna and micro-organisms: Living or organic matter, including plants, animals and microorganisms influence the rate of humus formation. 

• Time: The thickness of the soil profile is affected by the time taken in the formation of the soil. Older soil has a thicker soil profile due to the deposition and formation of several layers of soil over time. 

Que: Which measures can be adopted to prevent soil degradation and improve soil quality?

• Mulching: 

This process involves covering the bare ground between plants with a layer of organic material like straw. 

Mulching also helps reduce weed growth and increases the water-holding capacity of the soil. 

• Contour barriers: 

Contour barriers refer to barriers of stone, grass and soil built along the contour lines of a slope. Trenches are built in front of barriers to collect water and prevent it from flowing down the contours and washing away the soil. 

• Rock dams: 

These dams are created from piles of rocks that are stacked up to slow down the flow of water and prevent the formation of gullies. 

• Terrace farming: 

Terraces are created to provide broad flat surfaces on steep slopes for farming. 

• Intercropping: 

In this method, different crops are grown in alternate rows and are sown at different seasons. 

• Contour ploughing: 

In this method, the land is ploughed parallel to the contours of a slope. 

• Shelterbelts: 

In coastal and dry areas, rows of trees are planted to control the movement of 

wind, thus, protecting the soil from being blown away.