Class- 9 Sub - EVS Module 2

Chapter:- Our Environment .

Q1. Write about the natural resources which are being depleted.

Ans. Resource depletion is the consumption of a resource faster than it can be replenished .Earth’s
total resources are sufficient for two billion people at the current demand .But we are already using
two to three times more of the natural resources .The natural resources being depleted are –

i)Water:- The depletion of water resource is more serious and nothing can replace our drinking
water .only 2.5 % of world's total water volume is freshwater. Of that ,70% is frozen .70% of the
available freshwater that remains is used in agriculture, 20% in industry and only 10% is being used
for the human consumption. The causes of depletion of water are arising temperature, increased
use in agriculture and wastage.

ii) Oil :- Oil account for 40% of all energy we use. Oil reserves are non renewable resource. Nothing
can be moved, manufactured, transported, built, planted, mined or harvested without the oil .The
causes of depletion of oil are industrial Boom, increased population ,wastage etc .

iii)Forest:- Trees absorb greenhouse gases and produce the oxygen we breath. An estimated 18
million acres of forest are destroyed each year .Deforestation contributes 12 to 17% of global
Greenhouse gas emission annually .The causes of depletion of forest are urbanization ,illegal logging,
agriculture ,farming ,industrialisation and mining . India alone is losing more than 1.5 million hectare
of forest every year .

iv) Land:- For Proper economic development Lands for cropping ,forest, recreation , transportation
and wildlife are needed . Man has deteriorated agricultural land and caused the loss of national
economic . In India nearly 50% of land is used for agriculture and development of more farmland is
done by removing forest natural grassland, channelizing streams for irrigation . No effort has been
made to save the existing farmland from degradation, is a threat to the entire socio economic
system.

.v) Fossil fuels & Minerals:- human population and per capita energy demand ,coupled with
industrialisation at a rapid rate are factors responsible for depletion of fossil fuel . The earth's
original stock of coal and petroleum have already been exhausted. If the exploitation and
consumption of these resources continue at the present rate the days is not very far when there is
supply may come to an end forever.

Q2. What are the natural and manmade causes of extinction of species ?

Ans . Natural causes of extinction

• climatic heating and cooling : Climate change is caused by a number of things. with the changing
climate and landscape certain species are losing their ability to fend off disease. They are becoming
more susceptible to disease and epidemics, which can lead to their extinction.

• Changes in Sea Levels: changes in sea level affect marine life as well as life on land . A small rise in
ocean floor can dis place a lots of water onto land .
• Acid rain :- Acid rain can be caused due to the combustion of fossil fuel or erupting volcanoes etc.
which release Sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the atmosphere. acid rain increase the acidity
of the water which affect the plant life.

Human Cause of Extinction :-

•Habitat destruction:- Habitat destruction is an important cause of extinction the various causes of
Habitat destruction and degradation worldwide are agriculture urbanisation login mining is 17 in
1950 about 15% of Earth's land surface was covered by rainforest Tropical rainforest is being
destroyed at the rate of 40 thousand square miles per year this is mainly due to slash and Burn
agriculture in the area of high population growth deforestation becomes a cause of mass extinction
caused by human activities other happy tips are also being destroyed like desert wetland and coral
reef at alarming rate either for profit or to make room for housing agriculture force and other
human activities.

• Growth of human population : the fundamental reason for degradation and loss of Habitat is
explosive growth of human population. As a growing population need a place to live, work and play,
it contributes to Habitat loss and global pollution .A 1996 survey by the world conservation Union
found that 25% of mammal and Amphibians species ,11% of birds, 20% of reptiles, and 34% of a fish
species are threatened with extinction .about 10% of world’s tree species are in the danger of
extinction .

Q3. Write a note on Population crisis .

Ans. Population Crisis: When the human population grows too rapidly for the environment to
support it, the environment suffers and is depleted, this lead to a population crisis .O

Our current Global population is 7.2 Billion approx.. At present, the world population is increasing by
2% every year .The industrialized countries have annual growth rate of 0.5 to 1% and on the other
hand the developing country have the growth rate of 2 to 3 % . Most of the countries are
overpopulated. Overpopulation does not simply means the number of people per land mass but it
refer to the number of people in an area exceeding the resources and carrying capacity of the
environment.

Rapid population growth increases the demand of the natural resources and result in decreases
decrease of all type of natural resources and environmental pollution . Increasing demand for more
food for growing population ,fodder for the livestock, firewood and industrial raw material has led
to the decrease in the per capita availability of land.

The Migration of people from rural area to urban area in search of job and better living condition
results in concentration of population in the Limited space forming big cities. It increases the stress
on land , by increasing number of squatter settlements and slum dwellers , causing air and water
pollution .