Class X Geography

Lesson – Resources and Development

Classification of soils
Name of Area Characteristics
soil
Alluvial soil The depositions brought down by  The Alluvial soil consists of various
the Indus, the Ganga and the proportions of sand, silt and clay.
Brahmaputra covering the Entire  They are very fertile
northern plains of India, extended  These contain adequate proportion of
up to Rajasthan & Gujarat., also potash, phosphoric acid and lime.
found in eastern coastal plain in  Due to high fertility it is ideal for growing
the deltas of the Mahanadi, the sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other
Godavari, the Krishna and the cereals.
Kaveri rivers.
Black soil/ Deccan trap region spread over  The black soil is made up of extremely
Regur soil north-west Deccan plateau. fine clayey material.
Plateaus of Maharashtra,  They are well known for their capacity to
Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya hold moisture.
Pradesh, Chhattishgarh and  They are rich in soil nutrients such as
extent in the south-east direction calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash
along Godavari and Krishna and lime.
valley.  They develop deep cracks during hot
weather, which helps in aeration of soil.
 The soils are sticky when wet and
difficult to work on unless tilled
immediately after the first shower.
Red and Parts of Odisha, Chhattishgarh,  These soils develop reddish colour due
Yellow soil- southern part of middle Ganga to diffusion of iron in crystalline and
These soils plain and along the piedmont metamorphic rocks.
develop in zone of Western Ghats  It looks yellow when occurs in hydrated
crystalline form.
igneous
rocks in
areas of low
rainfall
Laterite soil Western Ghats region of  Laterite soil are deep to very deep
Maharashtra , Odisha, some acidic (ph<6.0)
parts of West Bengal and North-  These are generally deficient in plant
east regions nutrient.
 Rich in humus only in regions where
they support deciduous and evergreen
forests .
 They are prone to erosion and
degradation
 With appropriate soil conservation
techniques it is useful to grow many
cash crops such as tea, coffee and
cashew nut.
 Arid soil/ Western parts of Rajasthan,  Arid soils range from red to brown in
Desert soil Haryana, parts of Punjab and colour
extends up to Rann Of Kutch in  Generally sandy in texture and saline in
Gujarat nature.
 Salt content is very high in some areas,
and common salt is obtained by
evaporating the water.
 Due to high temperature and dry climate
the soil lacks humus.
 The lower layers of the soil are
occupied by Kankar because of
increasing calcium content downwards,
this restricts infiltration of water.
Forest soil/ Mountain areas of North Indian  The soil texture varies according to the
mountain (Himalayan region) mountain environment.
soil  They are loamy and silty in valley sides.
 These are coarse grained in the upper
slopes.
 In the upper Himalayan region these
soils experience denudation and are
acidic with low humus content.
 The soils in the river terraces and
alluvial fans are fertile

Important Terms
Denudation: The process of breaking and removing of rocks from the surface of the earth is
called denudation.

River Terrace: Old flood Plains which have a flat top with sedimentary deposits

Alluvial Fan: An alluvial fan is a triangle shaped deposit of gravel, sand and silt. These are
created when flowing water comes down a steep mountain or hill slope

Questions related to the given table.

Q1 Describe the features of Black soil.

Q2. Where in India do we find Laterite soil also give its features?

Q3. How are red and yellow soils formed and why do they look red?

Q4. Which characteristics of alluvial soil make it the most fertile soil?

Q5. Describe any three characteristic features of desert soil. Where in India do we find it?
 Soil Erosion & Conservation of Soil
Main causes of soil erosion
 Some human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, construction and mining.
 Natural forces like wind, glacier and water lead to soil erosion.
 The running water cuts through the clayey soil and makes deep channels as gullies. The
land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land. In the Chambal basin such
lands are called Ravines
 Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope and as a result the top
soil is washed away. This is known as sheet erosion
 Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion
 Soil erosion is also caused due to defective methods of farming, ploughing in a wrong way
which leads to quick flow of water and erosion of soil.

Conservation Of soil
1. Contour Ploughing: Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water
down the slopes. This is called contour ploughing.
2. Terrace Farming: Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation
restricts erosion. It is practiced in Western and Central Himalayan region.
3. Strip Cropping: Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow
between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind. This method is known as strip
cropping
4. Shelter Belts: Planting lines of trees to create shelter also helps to check soil erosion. Rows
of such trees are called shelter belts. These shelter belts have contributed significantly to
the stabilizing the desert in western Rajasthan.

Questions:

Q1. What are the main causes of soil erosion? Or

Explain any three methods of soil erosion.

Q2. What are the various methods of soil conservation? Or

Explain the various methods of soil conservation.