NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Chapter 11 Life on Earth Solutions English Medium As Per New Syllabus. NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Chapter 11 Life on Earth Notes to each chapter is provided in the list so that you can easily browse throughout different chapter NCERT Class 9 Social Science Additional Question Answer Download PDF and select needs one. CBSE Class 9 Social Science Additional Solutions.
NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Chapter 11 Life on Earth
Also, you can read the CBSE book online in these sections Solutions by Expert Teachers as per (CBSE) Book guidelines. NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Solutions. These solutions are part of NCERT All Subject Solutions. Here we have given NCERT Class 9 Social Science Important Notes in English Medium Solutions for All Subject, You can practice these here.
Life on Earth
Chapter – 11
| Part – II: Understanding Society India and Beyond |
| Important Question Answer |
Answer the Following Question:
1. What is a biome?
Ans: A biome is a large natural region of the world where specific types of plants and animals live under similar climatic conditions.
2. How does a biome differ from an ecosystem?
Ans: A biome is a broad environmental region, whereas an ecosystem functions like a smaller neighborhood within that biome where plants, animals, and non-living elements interact closely.
3. What key climatic and environmental factors determine a biome’s flora and fauna?
Ans: The primary factors include temperature, precipitation patterns, dominant plant species, and vegetation growth forms.
4. Why are tropical rainforests often called a ‘gene bank’?
Ans: Tropical rainforests represent the world’s richest storehouse of biodiversity, preserving unique genetic material that supports scientific research and ecological conservation.
5. What is permafrost, and in which biome is it found?
Ans: Permafrost refers to ground/soil that remains frozen almost year-round; it is a defining characteristic of the cold tundra biome.
6. How are aquatic biomes categorized?
Ans: Aquatic biomes cover nearly three-fourths of Earth’s surface and are categorized into freshwater biomes and marine biomes.
7. What is a biome pyramid?
Ans: A biome pyramid is a graphical diagram depicting the relationship between organisms across trophic levels in an ecosystem in terms of energy, biomass, or population numbers.
8. What is biodiversity?
Ans: Biodiversity refers to the overall variety of life on Earth, encompassing species richness, genetic variations within species, and the diversity of habitats and ecological processes.
9. Name the four major biodiversity hotspots located in India.
Answer: India’s primary biodiversity hotspots are the Himalaya, the Western Ghats, North–East India, and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
10. What are sacred groves, and what local names are used for them in India?
Ans: Sacred groves are small forest patches preserved by local communities for religious and cultural reasons. They are known locally by names such as Devrai, Devarakadu, Kavu, and Sarna.
11. What are Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)?
Ans: NTFPs are non-wood products gathered from forests for household use or income, including tendu leaves, mahua flowers, wild honey, fruits, resins, gums, lac, and bamboo.
12. What is the significance of the Forest Rights Act of 2006?
Ans: The Forest Rights Act 2006 legally recognizes the rights of eligible tribal and traditional forest dwellers over forest land and resources, allowing them to gather minor forest produce and hold small cultivated land patches.
13. What governance principle is practiced by the tribal community of Mendha Lekha?
Ans: Mendha Lekha practices the principle of Mawa Nate Mawa Raj (“our village, our rule”), ensuring that decisions regarding forest usage and welfare are taken collectively by the Gram Sabha.
14. What are ecological commons?
Ans: Ecological commons are natural resources—such as forests, rivers, lakes, air, and grazing lands—that are shared collectively and managed by a community rather than owned individually.
15. According to the Forest Survey of India, how much of India’s forest cover is fire-prone?
Answer: Approximately 36% of India’s forest cover is estimated to be prone to forest fires, with nearly 4% classified as extremely prone.
Answer the Following Question:
1. Describe the key characteristics and global distribution of the four major terrestrial biomes.
Ans: Terrestrial biomes are classified primarily based on temperature and precipitation patterns into four major types:
Forest Biomes: Located mainly in hot and wet equatorial regions such as the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, and parts of India like the Western Ghats and Andaman & Nicobar Islands. They feature dense multi-layered canopies, harbor rich biodiversity, and serve as crucial carbon sinks and gene banks.
Grassland Biomes: Develop in regions receiving moderate rainfall insufficient for dense tree growth. They include temperate grasslands (like prairies in North America and steppes in Asia) with fertile soils for farming, and tropical Savannas (like in Africa) with scattered trees supporting large grazing herbivores and carnivores.
Desert Biomes: Characterized by dry conditions and minimal rainfall. Deserts can be hot (Sahara) or cold (Gobi), alongside specialized salt deserts like the Rann of Kutch. Flora and fauna (cacti, camels, reptiles) possess water-storage and drought-enduring adaptations.
Tundra Biomes: Found in polar regions, featuring long, harsh winters, short summers, and permafrost (permanently frozen subsoil) that inhibits tree growth. Vegetation consists of mosses, lichens, and small shrubs, supporting cold-adapted fauna such as polar bears and reindeer.
2. Explain the multifaceted relationship between forest dwellers and forest ecosystems, highlighting their economic, cultural, and conservation roles.
Ans: Forest dwellers share a deep, interconnected relationship with forest ecosystems across several dimensions:
Household and Daily Sustenance: Rural and tribal households collect essential goods directly from forests, including firewood, cattle fodder, medicinal herbs, tubers, wild roots, and fruits.
Livelihoods and Income Generation: Families collect and process Non-Timber Forest Products (NTFPs)—such as tendu leaves for wrapping, mahua flowers, wild honey, bamboo, and resins—to sell in local markets and supplement household income.
Cultural and Traditional Knowledge: Forest dwellers act as custodians of traditional botanical knowledge passed across generations. Many communities, such as the Gonds and Bhils, perform sacred rituals to honor forest deities prior to harvesting resources, promoting sustainable usage.
Community Forest Protection: Tribal communities have led historic tree-protection initiatives, such as the Bishnoi movement in Rajasthan led by Amrita Devi and the Chipko movement in Uttarakhand.
3. Examine the concept of ecological commons and community-based resource management, taking examples from Mendha Lekha and traditional water harvesting.
Ans: Ecological commons refer to natural resources—such as forests, water bodies, grazing lands, and air—that belong to the community collectively rather than to private individuals.
Mendha Lekha Case Study: Located in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, this Gond tribal village became the first in India to gain community forest rights under the Forest Rights Act 2006.
Following the slogan Mawa Nate Mawa Raj (“our village, our rule”), the village Gram Sabha collectively manages 1,800 hectares of forest, regulates tree felling, prevents forest fires, and harvests bamboo sustainably. Revenue is reinvested in village education and infrastructure.
Traditional Water Commons: Across India, communities historically built shared water storage reservoirs to tackle seasonal dry spells. Historical examples include over 8,000 tanks built by Chandella/Bundela kings in Bundelkhand, keres in Karnataka, eri in Tamil Nadu, chevuru in Andhra Pradesh/Odisha, ahar pynes in Bihar, and three-sided reservoirs (katas) constructed by Gond rulers.
4. How do geographical aspects influence biodiversity conservation, ecotourism, and GI-tagged forest products in India?
Ans: Geography determines climate, landforms, and habitat conditions, directly shaping conservation strategies and local rural economies:
Geographical Conservation: Priority is given to biodiversity hotspots Himalaya, Western Ghats, North–East India, Andaman Islands through protected areas National Parks, Sanctuaries, Biosphere Reserves and wildlife corridors that allow species movement.
Geographical Indication Forest Products: Certain traditional forest products carry GI tags because their unique quality relies on specific forest-influenced soils and ecosystems. Examples include Channapatna Toys made from the forest tree Wrightia tinctoria (‘Aale mara’) in Karnataka, Kandhamal Haldi from Odisha tribes, Ramban Sulai Honey from Jammu Kashmir, and Tezpur Litchi from Assam.
Responsible Forest Ecotourism: Ecotourism promotes low-impact travel that respects ecosystems and generates local livelihoods. A notable model is Thenmala Ecotourism in Kollam, Keralam—India’s first planned ecotourism project in the Western Ghats—where local inhabitants serve as eco-guards and guides.
5. Discuss the causes, impacts, and mitigation strategies for forest fires, as well as government initiatives supporting forest-dependent communities.
Ans: Causes and Prevalence: Forest fires are triggered by dry climatic conditions (high heat, drought) and human activities. According to the FSI, about 36% of India’s forest cover is fire-prone.
Losses and Climate Impact: Fires destroy valuable timber, NTFP crops, and wildlife habitats while releasing massive quantities of stored carbon into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming and threatening rural livelihoods.
Prevention and Mitigation Plan:
(i) Firebreaks/Fire Lines: Clearing strips of dry vegetation along forest borders to stop fire propagation.
(ii) Community Fire Patrols: Engaging local forest dwellers (via Joint Forest Management) to monitor dry areas during peak summer months.
(iii) Early Warning Satellites: Monitoring active hotspots using portals like the Forest Survey of India/School Bhuvan Geoportal.
Government Support Initiatives: To reduce community hardship, the government enforces the Forest Rights Act (FRA, 2006), Joint Forest Management (JFM), PESA, PM JANMAN, and clean energy schemes like Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY) to reduce fuelwood smoke exposure for women.
Fill in the-Blanks
1. The term ‘biome’ originates from the Greek word bios, which translates to ______________.
Ans: life.
2. Permanently frozen soil that remains frozen almost year-round in the tundra biome is called ___________________.
Ans: permafrost.
3. Traditional community-protected forest patches in India are known locally as Devrai, Devarakadu, Kavu, and ______________.
Ans: Sarna.
4. Under the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006, traditional forest dwellers are granted rights to collect minor forest produce such as honey, medicinal plants, and ______________.
Ans: bamboo.
5. Karnataka’s GI-tagged Channapatna Toys are crafted from the timber of Wrightia tinctoria, a tree locally known as _______________.
Ans: ‘Aale mara’.
True and False:
1. Tropical rainforests are referred to as a ‘gene bank’ because they preserve unique genetic material supporting scientific research and conservation.
Ans: True.
2. In a biome pyramid, the available energy and biomass increase as you move up from primary producers to top predators.
Ans: False.
3. According to the Forest Survey of India (FSI), about 36% of India’s forest cover is estimated to be prone to forest fires.
Ans: True.
4. The Gond tribal village of Mendha Lekha operates under the principle Mawa Nate Mawa Raj, which translates to “our state, central rule.”
Ans: False.
5. Thenmala, located in the Kollam district of Keralam, was developed as India’s first planned ecotourism destination.
Ans: True.
Subject Ka Complete Video Solution Dekhein
Step-by-step easy concept explanation aur full questions Answer ke liye watch karein ya app download karein:
Buy Now