CBSE Class 7 Science Notes Chapter 17 Forests: Our

Lifeline
In ancient times, we used to live in forests. It met all our requirements for leading a normal life at that time.
Now-a-days, we live in cities and towns far off from forests, so we really do not know the importance of
forests in our life. It is a natural renewable resource a habitat (home) to many forms of wildlife like bear,
bison, jackal, deer, porcupine, elephant, etc.

Many trees like sal, teak, semal, Sheesham, neem, Palash, fig, khair, amla, bamboo, kachnar and many
others are also found in the forests. The forest also contains insects, butterflies, honeybees and birds which
help in palliation in the flowering plants of the forest in pollination.

Structure of a Forest

The plants (trees, shrubs and herbs) make different layers in the forest which are described below:

1. Canopy

The uppermost branches and leaves of tall trees which act as a roof over the forest ground is called
canopy. It is the highest layer of vegetation in the forest. The branch part of a tree above the stem is known
as the crown of the tree.

2. Understorey

The different horizontal layers formed due to different types of crowns in the forest is called understorey.
The constituents of understorey can be described as
follows:

(i) Top layer It constitutes the gaint and tall trees

followed by shrubs and tall grasses.

(ii) Shrub layer It has many shrubs and bushes of

approximately 1-2 metres of height from the forest
floor. It makes dense layer at some places of forest
where enough sunlight is present.

(iii) Herb layer Just below the shrub layer occurs the
herb layer of plants. It is the lowest layer of vegetation in the forest (having leafy plants). Most of the plants
in herb layer have short lifespan.

(iv) Forest floor Plants found here are as small as mosses, liverworts, lichens. It has many kinds of insects,
worms, toad stool, etc. Most of the forest floor is covered with dead and decaying plant matter, and animal
waste.

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Components of the Forest

The living organisms found in the forest are plants, animals, decomposers and scavengers. The non-living
environment of the forest provides nutrients, water and carbon dioxide for the growth of the plants.

1. Plants Green plants are living organisms also called autotrophs as they produce food by
photosynthesis (by absorbing nutrients water from soil, CO2 from air and sunlight as energy source). They
provide food to all living organisms which live in the forest. They are called producers (of food).

2. Animals Forests have many animals and they are called consumers (of food). The animals which eat
only plants/their parts are called herbivores (herb eating) whereas flesh-eating animals are called
carnivores. All animals are called heterotrophs because they depend on other organisms for food.

3. Decomposers Mostly these organisms are microorganisms like bacteria and fungi. They feed on
dead plants and animals and thus are called saprotrophs. These organisms are also called decomposers
as they breakdown dead parts of plants and dead bodies of animals into simple substances. They play a
very important role in sustaining the forests.

4. Scavengers Those animals which eat dead animals are called scavengers, e.g. vultures, crows, jackals,
hyena, some insects (ants, beetles, termites, woodlice, maggots, millipedes and earthworms), etc.
Scavengers are the cleaning agents of our environment. But these are not decomposers as they do not
breakdown complex dead organic matter into simple ones.

Importance of Forests

The forests provide us with a large number of products. They also purify air and water quality and maintain
soil moisture and climate. So, they are called lifeline.

1. Forests Provide Many Useful Products

The various things which are obtained from the forests are called forest products. Forests give us a large
number of useful products. Some of the important products which we get from the forests are wood, honey,
gum, sealing wax (or lac), catechu (kattha), fruits, oils, spices, natural rubber, cork, dyes, medicinal plants
and fodder for cattle. Perhaps the most important product obtained from forests is the wood (which is
obtained by cutting down the forest trees). The wood obtained from forests is used for a large number of
purposes in our day-to-day life.

2. Forests Maintain Balance between Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide

Plants in the forest release oxygen during photosynthesis. This provides all animals including us with
oxygen to breathe and helps to maintain the ratio of oxygen to carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. That is
why, forests are called green lungs.

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If the amount of carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, it would result in an increase in earth’s
temperature. Plants in the forest intake carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthesis. Hence,
they help to maintain the right amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

3. Forests Maintain Water Cycle The forest trees suck water from the soil through their roots and
release water vapour into the air through transpiration. This water vapour helps in the formation of clouds
and bring rain on the earth. Thus, forests bring sufficient rainfall on the earth. In fact, about half the rain
which falls in forest areas comes from the transpiration of forest trees themselves. In this way, forests help
in maintaining a perfect water cycle in nature and meet our freshwater requirements.

4. Forests Prevent Occurrence of Flood

The forest acts as a natural absorber of rainwater and allows it to seep. It helps to maintain the water table
throughout the year. Forests not only help in controlling floods but also help to maintain the flow of water in
the streams so that we get a steady supply of water.

On the other hand, if trees are not present, rain hits the ground directly and may flood the area around it.
Heavy rain may also damage the soil. Roots of trees normally bind the soil together, but in their absence,
the soil is washed away or eroded.

The different kinds of plants grow together in the forest making different levels of layers and habitat for wild
animals. In the absence of plants/trees, the soil will not hold water which will cause flood and erosion.

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5. Forests Provide Habitat for Wildlife

The different types of vegetation present in a forest provide food and shelter to animals, birds and insects
which live in the forest. This makes a food chain.

Food chain Food chain can be defined as a sequence of living organisms in which one organism feeds
on another.

A typical chain in grassland is: grass → deer → lion

A typical food chain in a pond is: algae → small fish → large fish

Flow of Energy in a Food Chain

The sun is the ultimate source of energy for everything on the planet. Green plants or producers are able to
harness the energy of the sun to make food. In a food Flow ener0y in food chain chain, energy from plants
(producers) is passed on from one organism to another. From the producers, the energy goes to primary
consumers (herbivores) and is then passed on to secondary consumers (carnivores). Thus, producers are
always at the beginning of the food chain.

Dynamic Living Entity

By harbouring greater variety of plants, the forest provides great opportunities of food and habitat for the
herbivores. Larger number of herbivores means increased availability of food for a variety of carnivores.
The wide variety of animals helps the forest to regenerate and grow. Decomposers help in maintaining the
supply of nutrients to the growing plants in the forest. Therefore, the forest is a dynamic living entity. There
is a continuous interaction between soil, water, air, plants and animals in a forest.

6. Forests can Regenerate on their Own

The dead parts of trees and plants, dead animals and animal wastes (like animal dung or droppings) keep
on collecting on the forest floor. Decomposers (fungi and bacteria) degrade them into simple organic
substances which are usable by plants in the form of humus. The hummus makes the forest soil fertile by
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providing the nutrients. The animals, birds of forests, wind and water disperse the seeds of trees and plants
on the forest soil. These seeds obtain nutrients from the soil and germinate to form seedlings and ultimately
grow to form the forest vegetation.

Forest Conservation

Paper is made from wood pulp that is produced from the wood of forest trees. So, to make paper, many
trees have to be cut down from the forests. If all of us keep on collecting old newspapers, magazines,
books, notebooks, etc., and send them to paper mills for recycling through a junk dealer (kabaddi wala), we
will be able to save many forest trees from being cut down.

Some of the other ways to conserve forests are also given below:

● Excessive cutting down of forest trees should not be allowed by the government to conserve
forests.
● More trees should be planted in the forest in place of cut down trees to conserve forests.
● Paper products such as old newspapers, magazines, books, notebooks, etc., should be
recycled to conserve forests.

A large number of forest trees are being cut down every day to meet the various demands of the increasing
population. This is called deforestation. Following are the consequence if forests disappear:

● Increase of the earth’s temperature If there are no trees and plants, their will be no
photosynthesis. So, no C02 of the atmosphere will be used. This will increase the level of
C02, resulting in the increase of earth’s temperature.
● No food and shelter to wildlife In the absence of trees, plants and animals will not get food
and shelter. So, this will disrupt the whole cycle of life and gradually life might disappear from
the land area of the earth.
● There will be more floods The trees plant roots help in holding the soil during rains and also
soil is able to hold water. In the absence of trees, the soil will not hold water which will cause
floods.
● Deforestation endanger the environment The continuous deforestation is threatening the
different form of life including human beings. So, there is necessity to think and set to
conserve forests. Natural calamities like floods, cyclones, hail forms are more in the absence
of trees and forest. People become homeless when such disaster occurs.

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Water: A Precious Resource Class 7 Notes Science
Chapter 16

Water is one of the most common and useful substances around us. Water is essential for the existence of
all forms of life.

After knowing the importance of water, awareness is being created by different organisations of the world.
22nd March is celebrated as World Water Day to attract the attention of everybody towards the importance
of conserving water. The year 2003 was recognised as ‘International year of freshwater’.

By doing such activities, we spread the message of conservation of natural resources of water and make
people understand that there will be no life without water on the earth. We also believe that “if you have
water, you can think of the future”. Before we discuss why water is getting scarce, we must know how much
water is available for use on our planet.

Water Available for Use

If we take a picture of earth from outer space, it appears blue because of presence of water in the form of
sea and ocean. About 71% of surface of the earth is covered with water. Of the total water present on earth,
97.4% is in the seas and oceans but it is not fit for human consumption. Freshwater in a usable form is
present in just a small fraction of all water present on the earth.

Most of us assume that there is plenty of water all over the earth. But infact this all water is not suitable for
human consumption, not even fit for plants and other forms of life.

Different Forms of Water

Water exists in three forms. These three forms of water are as follows:

● Snow or ice (solid) exists on the earth in the form of ice caps at the poles of the earth,
glaciers and snow covered mountains. These are the main sources of water on earth.
● Water (liquid) is present in oceans, lakes, rivers and even
underground water in the earth’s upper layers.
● Clouds (gas) are found in the form of water vapour present in the atmosphere. On
condensation, it turns into droplets and precipitates on earth’s surface in the form of rain.

The continuous recycling of these forms of water takes place and the amount of water on the earth is
maintained of constant. Most of the urban areas have a system of water supply whereas
underdeveloped/undeveloped areas depend on resources like rivers, lakes, ponds, handpumps, etc.

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Groundwater as an Important Source of Water

The wells, tubewells and handpumps are the main sources of water for many people. The water in these
sources is the groundwater. It is the upper level of underground water which occupies all the spaces in the
soil and rocks and form a water table as shown in the figure below:

The upper limit of groundwater is called water table. It represents the depth of water filled area at a given
place. The water table rises and falls depending upon the amount of rainwater that seeps into the
groundwater and how much groundwater is drawn out for irrigation and industry. The seeping down of
rainwater into the groundwater is called infiltration. The groundwater thus gets recharged by this process.

At some places, the groundwater is stored between layers of hard rock below the water table. This is
aquifer which contains the groundwater usable by tubewells and handpumps. These sources however,
have limited sources of water and may get exhausted if used excessively.

Depletion of Water Table

Water drawn from underground water gets replenished by seepage of rainwater. The water table does not
get affected as long as we draw the same amount of water as is replenished by natural resources like rain.

However, there is a number of factors which cause depletion of water table at a very fast rate which is really
a matter of concern for every one of us. Increase in population, industrial and agricultural activities are
some common factors affecting water table. Scanty rainfall, deforestation and decrease in the effective area
for seepage of water may also deplete the water table.

Increasing Population

As our population increases, we need more water for drinking, washing, cooking and cleaning. We also
need more number of houses, offices, shops and roads. This means more construction work and
construction itself uses lots of water itself. Most of the time, it is the groundwater. Besides this, there is less
open area which can seep in the rain water into the ground.

So, rise in population also increases use of water. This results in depletion of groundwater level to
alarmingly low levels (in many cities).

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Increased Industrialisation

Water is used by all industries. Almost everything that we use needs water somewhere in its production
process. The number of industries is increasing continuously. Most of the water used in the industries is
drawn from groundwater. This results in depletion of water.

Agricultural Activities

More food is needed to meet the requirement as there is an increase in population. This puts more
pressure to the agriculture practices. In our country, farmers depend on rain, canal water or groundwater for
irrigation. Canals are found only at a few places. Since rain is often erratic, canals also suffer frequently
from lack of water. Therefore, farmers have to use groundwater for irrigation. This results in depletion of
groundwater.

Deforestation

Large scale deforestation has occurred to accommodate the growing population to grow food for them and
to provide space for industries. Overgrazing by our animals has also destroyed large amount of vegetation.
The green coverage of vegetation slows down the flow of water on land and increases the absorption of
water by the soil. Cutting down of trees and vegetation, therefore interferes with the natural processes by
which seepage takes place and the groundwater is recharged and causes depletion of water.

Distribution of Water

The distribution of water over the globe is quite uneven due to the number of factors. Some places have a
good amount of rain. On the other hand, these are deserts which have scanty rainfall. Some regions have
excessive rains which cause floods while some others have very little rainfall which causes drought. India is
a vast country and the rainfall is not the same everywhere. Therefore, some regions in our country may
have floods while others may suffer from droughts at the same time.

Water Resources in India

India receives a lot of precipitation (rain and snow) in comparison to the rest of the world. The average
annual precipitation in India is 1170 mm as compared to the world’s average of 700 mm. The rain map of
India showing average rainfall in the different parts of our country.

Note:

1. Government of India, Copyright 2007.

2. Based upon Survey of India map with the permission of the Surveyor General of India.

3. The territorial waters of India extend into the sea to a distance of twelve nautical miles measured from
the appropriate baseline.

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4. The external boundaries and coastlines of India agree with the Record/Master Copy certified by Survey
of India.

Water Management

It is the activity of planning, developing, distribution and managing the optimum use of water resources. It is
a subset of water cycle management. Water supply pipes leaking and a lot of water gushing out of the
pipes are the wastage of water. It is the responsibility of the civic authorities to prevent such wastage of
precious water. Mismanagement or wastage may also take place at the level of individuals also. All of us
knowingly or unknowingly waste water, we should also take care for it. Some of the steps which can be
taken for the proper management of water are given below:

1. Rainwater harvesting
2. Bawris
3. Drip irrigation

1. Rainwater Harvesting

Most of the rainwater just flows away. This can be skillfully used to
recharge the groundwater. The modern buildings of schools,
offices, homes can install a rainwater harvesting system, so as to
store rainwater in their own premises for future use.

A Case Study

Bhujpur in the Kutch area of Gujarat has a very erratic rainfall. The
only source of freshwater lies underground because rivers in this
area do not have water throughout the year. Over the years,
demand for water has grown. As a result, the water table has gone down alarmingly.

In 1989, the villagers along with a non-governmental organisation, decided to harvest rainwater.

Eighteen chech-dams were built on Ruhmavati river and its tributaries where water percolates through the
soil and recharge the aquifers. ^ According to farmers, the wells have water now and the water that flowed
into the sea and was wasted has become available for irrigation.

2. Bawris

The bawris is age old method of collecting water. These structures are still
found in old buildings, palaces and forts. With time, the bawris fell into
disuse and garbage started piling in these reservoirs. However, because of
the acute shortage of water, the bawris are being revived. Today the
situation is that inspite of scanty rains those places are managing their
water needs well.

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3. Drip Irrigation

It is a method of watering plants by

use of narrow tubings which deliver
water directly to the base of a plant.
This minimises wastage of water.
The mechanism of drip irrigation is
shown in the figure given below:

Role for Saving Water

You can be a leader to show

people about water management skills. If any pipeline and tap water is leaking there, immediately report to
authorities like ‘JAL BOARD’ (in Delhi) to prevent water loss. Educate people about water wise habits which
can be developed gradually and will last life long once developed.

Water-wise Habits

● Turn off the tap while brushing, shaving and washing hand. Open when need. This will check
the excess flow of water into drains.
● Use mug and water in the bucket for bathing instead of using showers.
● Mop the floor instead of washing.
● Irrigate potted plants with used water for washing rice and dal in the kitchen while cooking.
● Check no tap or pipe is leaking.

Effect of Water Scarcity on Plants

We grow many plants in pots in our homes. These are called potted plants. The potted plants are watered
regularly. If the potted plants are not watered even for a few days, the plants will ‘wilt’ (become limp) and
ultimately ‘dry up’. If potted plants are not given water for a considerable time, they will die. Thus, sufficient
water is essential for maintaining the life of plants. Plants need water to obtain nutrients from the soil and to
make food by the process of photosynthesis.

The various effects of water scarcity on plants are

● Water scarcity will affect nutrient uptake from soil by the plants.
● The rate of photosynthesis will decline, so oxygen evolved will be less.
● Rate of transpiration will also decline, so water vapours released in the atmosphere by
transpiration will be less, it will disturb the water cycle.
■ So, in brief, we can say the shortage of water will lead to a shortage of
food, shortage of oxygen and shortage of rain also.

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