Why should we conserve forests and wildlife?
Conservation means the management of human resources or natural resources of the biosphere for the maximum benefit from the present generation to meet the requirements of the future generation. Conservation of wildlife and forest has mainly three aspects- to maintain ecological process, air, water and soil systems; to preserve the diversity of species, to maintain the long ranging use of species. The conservation of natural resources, living or non- living resources, plants and animals, biotic or abiotic factors which support our environment should be maintained or used in the proper way. Many conservation strategies have been given for the use of living resources like World Conservation Strategy.
Forest conservation and wildlife conservation is the important act for growing trees as a regular crop, also fulfils the requirement of the wood for making wooden houses, villa or for making food etc. forest preserves the soil erosion. Forest provides us various medicines known as jadi- buti in hindi for the various diseases for their cure. Forests are also known as biodiversity hotspots which means that are rich in biodiversity (variety of species) includes bacteria, fungi, birds, animals, lichens, short plants, long trees etc. they are very important factors or species to maintain or for the conservation of forest. Loss of the biodiversity lowers the genetic variability, ecological stability or increase the risk of exploitation of resources, that’s why we should conserve forest where human interference is prohibited. Forest conservation act is given in 1980, to preserve forests. A special function is celebrated each year for the tree plantation during February and July since 1950, i.e, Van Mahotsava. Many international agencies are given for promoting the afforestation programs (afforestation should be done only when the areas are unfit for the agriculture) like World Bank, USAID (US Agency for International Development), Swedish International Development Authority (SIDA) etc.
Find out about the traditional systems of water harvesting/management in your region.
Suggest some approaches towards the conservation of forests.
We saw in this chapter that there are four main stakeholders when it comes to forests and wildlife. Which among these should have the authority to decide the management of forest produce? Why do you think so?
List five things you have done over the last one week to —
(a) conserve our natural resources.
(b) increase the pressure on our natural resources.
Find out the source of water in your region/locality. Is water from this source available to all people living in that area?
How can you as an individual contribute or make a difference to the management of (a) forests and wildlife, (b) water resources and (c) coal and petroleum?
Compare the above system with the probable systems in hilly/mountainous areas or plains or plateau regions.
What changes can you make in your habits to become more environment-friendly?
What can you as an individual do to reduce your consumption of the various natural resources?
Why do you think that there should be equitable distribution of resources? What forces would be working against an equitable distribution of our resources?
Did Döbereiner’s triads also exist in the columns of Newlands’ Octaves? Compare and find out.
What is a good source of energy?
Why is diffusion insufficient to meet the oxygen requirements of multi-cellular organisms like humans?
What are trophic levels? Give an example of a food chain and state the different trophic levels in it.
What is the difference between a reflex action and walking?
What is the importance of DNA copying in reproduction?
If a trait A exists in 10% of a population of an asexually reproducing species and a trait B exists in 60% of the same population, which trait is likely to have arisen earlier?
Why should a magnesium ribbon be cleared before burning in air?
Define the principal focus of a concave mirror.
You have been provided with three test tubes. One of them contains distilled water and the other two contain an acidic solution and a basic solution, respectively. If you are given only red litmus paper, how will you identify the contents of each test tube?
Which of the following pairs will give displacement reactions?
(a) NaCl solution and copper metal
(b) MgCl2 solution and aluminium metal
(c) FeSO4 solution and silver metal
(d) AgNO3 solution and copper metal.
On what factors does the resistance of a conductor depend?
How can three resistors of resistances 2 Ω, 3 Ω, and 6 Ω be connected to give a total resistance of (a) 4 Ω, (b) 1 Ω?
Compare and contrast bio-mass and hydro electricity as sources of energy.
Which gas is produced when dilute hydrochloric acid is added to a reactive metal? Write the chemical reaction when iron reacts with dilute H2SO4.
State Fleming’s left-hand rule.
Identify the substances that are oxidised and the substance that are reduced in the following reactions.
(i) 4Na(s) + O2(g) → 2Na2O(s)
(ii) CuO(s) + H2(g) → Cu(s) + H2O(l)
What is the function of digestive enzymes?
Why are the small numbers of surviving tigers a cause of worry from the point of view of genetics?
Compute the heat generated while transferring 96000 coulomb of charge in one hour through a potential difference of 50 V.