Get summaries, questions, answers, solutions, notes, extras, PDF and guide of Chapter 5 Conservation of Ecosystem, NBSE Class 9 Environmental Education textbook, which is part of the syllabus of students studying under Nagaland Board. These solutions, however, should only be treated as references and can be modified/changed.
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Summary
The chapter discusses the importance of conserving ecosystems to protect Earth’s limited resources. It explains that humans must balance development with sustainability to ensure resources last for future generations. People often harm the environment without realizing the consequences, so raising awareness is key. Everyone—regardless of age, education, or wealth—must participate in conservation efforts.
Environmental education helps people understand how their actions affect nature. It teaches students about ecosystems, problem-solving, and sustainable habits like reducing waste. Schools play a role by promoting practices such as recycling and using renewable energy.
Local communities are vital in conservation. In the past, protected areas like national parks displaced people, but newer approaches involve communities in decision-making. For example, “community-based conservation” focuses on protecting biodiversity while supporting local livelihoods. Tribes like the Bishnois in Rajasthan and the Jarawas in the Andaman Islands have long practiced sustainable living. The Bishnois protect trees and animals, while the Jarawas avoid overhunting and respect forests.
Traditional methods include water-saving techniques like ponds, rainwater harvesting, and using dung cakes for fuel. Indigenous farming practices, such as crop rotation and natural pest control, maintain soil health. Modern conservation involves creating national parks, conserving water through watershed management, and using renewable energy like solar or wind power.
Soil conservation techniques like terracing and contour farming prevent erosion. Energy conservation reduces reliance on fossil fuels, and proper waste segregation helps manage biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. Recycling paper, plastic, and glass minimizes pollution.
Land use planning ensures forests, farms, and cities coexist sustainably. Clearing forests for agriculture or urban growth harms ecosystems, so balancing development with green spaces is critical. Protecting forests prevents soil erosion and desertification.
The chapter stresses that small actions, like saving water or planting trees, add up. It highlights how traditional knowledge and modern science together can address environmental challenges. Everyone’s effort matters in keeping the planet healthy for future generations.
Textbook solutions
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
1. Amrita Devi clung the
(a) Trees
(b) Axe
(c) Blackbug
(d) Chinkara
Answer: A. Trees
2. Concept of ‘Community Based Conservation’ was brought by the World National Parks Congress in:
(a) 1980
(b) 1970
(c) 1982
(d) 1992
Answer: C. 1982
3. Modern windmills are used for:
(a) Fetch the groundwater
(b) Generate energy
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of these
Answer: A. Fetch the groundwater
4. ______ is another method of water conservation specially in the arid regions.
(a) Rainwater harvesting
(b) Groundwater
(c) Reservoirs
(d) Watershed
Answer: A. Rainwater harvesting
Very Short Answer Questions
1. Which organization started the ‘Community Based Conservation’?
Answer : The World National Parks Congress started the ‘Community Based Conservation’ in 1982.
2. What are sacred groves?
Answer : Sacred groves are features of mythological landscapes, specifically forests, where tribals worship many trees, birds, and animals. These groves hold spiritual significance and are protected by local communities.
3. Who was ‘Jambhoji’?
Answer : Jambhoji was a resident of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan who realized that the drought in the fifteenth century was the result of man’s interference with nature. Thereafter, he turned into a ‘sanyasi’ and came to be known as Swami Jambeshwar Maharaj, and that marked the beginning of the Bishnoi sect.
4. Where is the heartland of the Bishnois?
Answer : The heartland of the Bishnois is near Jodhpur, which is greener than other areas.
Short Answer Questions
1. What do you understand by ‘community-based conservation’?
Answer : Community-based conservation is a concept brought by the World National Parks Congress in 1982. It aims at conserving biodiversity, managing natural resources, meeting social needs like maintaining local culture, increasing opportunities for income generation, improving health and well-being, lowering management costs, and achieving sustainable outcomes.
2. Give examples of conservation techniques followed by the rural people.
Answer : Examples of conservation techniques followed by rural people include:
(i) Using animal dung to make dung cakes as fuel.
(ii) Utilizing water wheels run by the running water of small streams to grind wheat in hilly areas.
(iii) Employing windmills to fetch groundwater. (iv) Implementing innovative irrigation techniques such as Kuhls in hilly areas and Eris in Tamil Nadu.
(v) Using water conservation techniques like Johads and tankas in the arid areas of Rajasthan and Gujarat.
(vi) Devising small channels of water called Zings from glaciers in Ladakh to bring water to villages.
3. What are the advantages of water conservation?
Answer : The advantages of water conservation include:
(i) Effective watershed management ensures a sufficient supply of freshwater.
(ii) Restoring natural vegetation filters water and increases the storage capacity of water reservoirs.
(iii) Protecting and restoring wetlands stabilizes groundwater supply by holding rainwater and slowly discharging it, acting as flood control reservoirs.
(iv) Rainwater harvesting stores rainwater for later use, preventing it from being wasted as runoff, especially in arid regions.
4. List any two techniques of soil conservation.
Answer : Two techniques of soil conservation are:
(i) Strip cropping, which involves planting alternate strips of crop and uncultivated land to minimize erosion and runoff.
(ii) Contour farming, where crops are planted along the contours of a slope to minimize soil erosion and runoff.
5. List any four alternate sources of energy.
Answer :
(i) Hydropower
(ii) Solar power
(iii) Wind energy
(iv) Tidal energy
6. Differentiate between the biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes.
Answer : Biodegradable waste includes items like fruit and vegetable peels, leaves, grass, and wood, which decompose naturally over time. Non-biodegradable waste, on the other hand, includes materials like plastic, metals, and pesticides, which do not break down easily and persist in the environment for long periods.
7. List any four recyclable waste things.
Answer :
(i) Paper
(ii) Plastic goods
(iii) Metals
(iv) Glass
8. Which ecosystem should dominate the landuse?
Answer : The forest ecosystem should dominate the landuse to conserve the environment effectively.
Long Answer Questions
1. What is community based conservation? Describe its aims.
Answer : Community based conservation is a concept brought by the World National Parks Congress in 1982. It aims at conserving biodiversity, managing natural resources, meeting social needs like maintaining local culture, increasing opportunities for income generation, and improving health and well-being. It also focuses on lowering management costs and achieving sustainable outcomes.
2. Give four examples of conservation that are prevalent in rural India?
Answer : Four examples of conservation that are prevalent in rural India are:
(i) Animal dung is used to make dung cakes as a fuel.
(ii) Water wheels are a common tool in hilly areas, run with the running water of small streams to grind wheat.
(iii) Windmills are used to fetch groundwater.
(iv) Kuhls and Eris are innovative irrigation techniques used in hilly areas and Tamil Nadu, respectively.
3. Give a detailed note on the sacred groves.
Answer : Sacred groves are features of mythological landscapes, specifically forests. Tribals worship many trees, birds, and animals as part of their cultural and spiritual practices. These sacred groves hold deep emotional and spiritual significance for tribals, who believe that mountains, often worshiped by them, are close to the sky or heavens and are considered the abode of gods. Due to this reverence for nature, tribals do not cut down entire trees but only branches, which regrow over time. This practice meets their requirements while also protecting the environment.
4. Give a description on the conservation by Bishnois?
Answer : The Bishnois are a Vaishnav sect living at the fringe of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan who are famous naturalists and conserve the flora and fauna to the extent of sacrificing their lives. Protecting the environment is a part of their sacred traditions, and they believe in the philosophy that every living being has the right to live and share the resources. In the fifteenth century, a resident of the Thar Desert in Rajasthan named Jambhoji realized that the drought was the result of man’s interference with nature. He turned into a sanyasi and came to be known as Swami Jambeshwar Maharaj, marking the beginning of the Bishnoi sect. He laid down 29 tenets for his followers, which include a ban on killing animals, a ban on felling trees especially the khejri tree, and using material other than wood for cremations. Bishnois do not allow hunters and poachers. Sacrifices made by Amrita Devi and many others are heart-rending, as Amrita Devi clung to the tree to stop loggers. The heartland of the Bishnois near Jodhpur is greener compared to other areas, and blackbuck and chinkara are main animals that are not afraid of humans. Such love for the environment makes Bishnois different from other sects in India, and their lifestyle is environment-friendly.
5. What is the role of water conservation in protecting the ecosystem?
Answer : Water conservation plays a crucial role in protecting the ecosystem by ensuring the sustainable management and availability of water resources. Its role includes:
(i) Effective watershed management ensures sufficient supply of freshwater.
(ii) Restoring natural vegetation helps filter water and increases the storage capacity of water reservoirs.
(iii) Protecting and restoring wetlands stabilizes groundwater supply by holding rainwater and slowly discharging it, thus acting as flood control reservoirs.
(iv) Rainwater harvesting is another method of water conservation, especially in arid regions, which stores rainwater for later use that would otherwise be lost as runoff.
In urban areas, rainwater harvesting has become a part of state policy, with newly constructed buildings installing systems to conserve water. Traditional techniques like kunds and tankas in Gujarat and Rajasthan also contribute to water conservation efforts.
6. Discuss the various techniques of soil conservation.
Answer : Various techniques of soil conservation are as follows:
(i) Strip cropping is a method in which alternate strips of crop and uncultivated land minimize erosion and runoff.
(ii) Contour farming is another method in which crops are planted along the contours of a slope to minimize soil erosion and runoff.
(iii) Terracing is another method to save soil from erosion.
Soil is essential for the growth of plants, and all agriculture depends upon it. It takes thousands of years for soil to form, making its conservation critical.
7. Write short notes on the following:
(i) Biodegradable waste
Answer : Biodegradable waste refers to waste materials that can decompose naturally through biological processes. Examples of biodegradable waste include fruit and vegetable peels, leaves, grass, wood, and other organic matter. Proper segregation of biodegradable waste is important for ecosystem conservation as it aids in waste disposal and ensures that such waste can be effectively composted or reused.
(ii) Proper landuse
Answer : Proper landuse refers to the judicious allocation of land for various purposes such as forests, farming, construction, pastures, and wastelands. It is essential for protecting the environment and conserving ecosystems. Maximum land should ideally be kept under forest cover, as forests not only clean the air but also prevent soil erosion and provide numerous resources. Proper landuse planning involves classifying land use, conducting surveys at the national level, reviewing existing rules and regulations, preparing management plans for land improvement, and utilizing remote sensing technology to gather accurate data. In urban areas, proper zoning and allocation of land for buildings, parks, roads, and industries help conserve the urban environment and reduce pressure on land resources.
Extras
Additional questions and answers
1. What is environmental awareness?
Answer : Environmental awareness is having an understanding of the environment, the impacts of human behaviors on it, and the importance of its protection. It involves understanding and appreciating the natural world and the challenges faced in protecting it.
44. Describe the methods used for the conservation of ponds and their ecological importance.
Answer : The methods used for the conservation of ponds include the construction of ponds, which are structures dug into the ground in different sizes to store water. This practice has been an ancient tradition in India.
The ecological importance of ponds is as follows:
(i) Ponds help in the proper operation of water cycles on a local level.
(ii) They control the local micro-climate and keep the air cool.
(iii) Water from ponds is used for domestic purposes and irrigation.
(iv) Ponds serve as habitats for a vast variety of organisms, birds, and fish.
(v) They play a role in the operation of the local food chain.
(vi) Ponds recharge the underground water table.
Additional MCQs
1. Conservation of the ecosystem is necessary because our earth has ______.
A. Unused lands
B. Limited resources
C. Abundant water
D. Unstable climate
Answer: B. Limited resources
27. Which is NOT a function of ponds?
A. Storing water
B. Recharging groundwater
C. Generating electricity
D. Supporting organisms
Answer: C. Generating electricity
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