Soil Resources, Erosion, and Conservation in India

These flashcards cover the formation, classification, and characteristics of various Indian soil types, causes and types of soil erosion, and both physical and agronomic methods for soil conservation.

What is soil?

Soil is the thin layer of loose mixture of small rock particles and rotting organic matter that covers the surface of the earth.

What forces of nature contribute to the evolution of soil?

Changing temperature, running water, and wind, along with chemical and organic changes, contribute to soil evolution.

What are the key constituents of soil derived from parent rock material?

Key constituents include humus (decomposed vegetal and animal remains), silica, and clay.

What are the characteristics of fertile soil?

Fertile soil has adequate moisture, sufficient depth for roots, is rich in nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, and contains organic matter.

How is soil classified according to its location?

Soil is classified as Residual or Sedimentary (formed in situ) and Transported (ex situ).

What is Transported Soil?

Transported soils are carried and deposited by agents of erosion like rivers and winds, and they lack a well-defined soil profile.

What is the composition of Alluvial Soil?

Alluvial soil is a mixture of sand, clay, and silt called loam, and it is rich in chemical ingredients brought down by rivers.

What are the two types of Alluvial Soil based on age?

The two types are Bhangar (older alluvium containing lime nodules, kanker, and clay) and Khadar (newer deposits of fine silt and clay).

What are the three types of Alluvial Soil based on distribution in India?

The three types are Inland Alluvium (Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra plains), Deltaic Alluvium (river deltas), and Coastal Alluvium (tidal origin).

What are the mineral characteristics of Alluvial Soil?

It is rich in minerals like potash and lime but poor in phosphorus and nitrogen.

What is Black Soil also known as, and how is it formed?

It is also known as Black Cotton Soil or Regur soil, and it is a residual soil formed from weathered lava rocks.

What physical behavior does Black Soil exhibit in response to moisture?

It is retentive of water and expands when wet, but it shrinks in the dry season and develops cracks.

Why is Red Soil red in colour?

Red Soil is red due to the presence of iron oxide.

How is Laterite Soil formed?

It is formed by atmospheric weathering under high rainfall and temperature with alternate wet and dry periods, resulting from leaching due to tropical rains.

What is leaching in the context of soil erosion?

Leaching is the process where nutrients percolate down due to heavy rainfall, removing lime, silica, and humus and leaving the topsoil infertile.

What are the three types of soil erosion by water?

The types are Sheet Erosion (slow removal on gentle slopes), Rill Erosion (finger-shaped rills), and Gully Erosion (deep gullies).

What is Stream Bank Erosion?

It occurs when rivers cut one bank and deposit silt on the other, a process often accelerated by flash floods.

Name the physical/mechanical methods of Soil Conservation.

Physical methods include Terrace Farming, Contour Ploughing, Plugging Gullies, Shelter Belts, Planting Trees, and Construction of Dams.

Name the agronomic/biological methods of Soil Conservation.

Agronomic methods include Cover cropping, Crop rotation, Strip cropping, Mulching, and Zero tillage.

What is Terrace Farming?

Terrace Farming involves creating terraces on hilly slopes to act as bunds, preventing soil from being washed away by running water.

What is the purpose of Shelter Belts?

Shelter Belts (or wind breaks) are rows of trees planted to check wind erosion.

What is the Soil Health Card Scheme (2015)?

A government initiative that provides soil testing and nutrient recommendations to farmers to encourage balanced fertilizer use.

What is the Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP)?

Part of PMKSY, it promotes a ridge-to-valley approach to conserve soil and water through community-led management.

What does the Compensatory Afforestation Fund Management and Planning Authority (CAMPA) do?

CAMPA supports forest regeneration and the restoration of degraded lands.