⛰️ PART 1: Land Resources

Land is among the most important natural resources. It covers only about 30% of the total area of the earth’s surface, and all parts of this small percentage are not habitable.

• Uneven Population: The uneven distribution of population globally is mainly due to varied characteristics of land and climate. Rugged topography, steep slopes of mountains, waterlogging in low-lying areas, thick forests, and deserts are normally sparsely populated.
• Plains and River Valleys: These offer suitable land for agriculture. Hence, these are the densely populated areas of the world (e.g., Ganga plains in India).

Land Use

Land is used for different purposes such as agriculture, forestry, mining, building houses, roads, and setting up industries. This is commonly termed as Land use.

• The use of land is determined by physical factors (topography, soil, climate, minerals, water) and human factors (population and technology).
• Land can be classified structurally as Private land (owned by individuals) and Community land (owned by the community for common uses like collecting fodder, fruits, nuts). Community lands are also called common property resources.

Conservation of Land Resources

• Growing population and their ever-growing demands have led to large-scale destruction of forest cover and arable land.
• Methods to conserve land: Afforestation, land reclamation, regulated use of chemical pesticides and fertilisers, and checking on overgrazing are some common methods used to conserve land resources.

🌱 PART 2: Soil

It takes hundreds of years to make just one centimetre of soil.

Factors of Soil Formation

• Parent Rock: Determines colour, texture, chemical properties, mineral content.
• Climate: Temperature and rainfall influence the rate of weathering and humus formation.
• Relief: Altitude and slope determine the accumulation of soil.
• Flora, Fauna, and Micro-organisms: Affect the rate of humus formation.
• Time: Determines the thickness of the soil profile.

Degradation of Soil and Conservation Measures

Causes of soil degradation include deforestation, overgrazing, overuse of chemical fertilisers, rain wash, landslides, and floods. Methods of soil conservation:

• Mulching: The bare ground between plants is covered with a layer of organic matter like straw to retain moisture.
• Contour barriers: Stones, grass, and soil are used to build barriers along contours.
• Terrace farming: Broad flat steps or terraces are made on steep slopes so that flat surfaces are available to grow crops, reducing surface runoff and soil erosion.
• Intercropping: Different crops are grown in alternate rows and sown at different times to protect the soil from rain wash.
• Contour ploughing: Ploughing parallel to the contours of a hill slope to form a natural barrier for water.
• Shelter belts: In coastal and dry regions, rows of trees are planted to check the wind movement to protect soil cover.

💧 PART 3: Water

Water is a vital renewable natural resource. About 3/4ths of the earth's surface is covered with water. However, ocean water is saline. Freshwater accounts for only about 2.7%.

• Nearly 70% of this freshwater occurs as ice sheets and glaciers (Antarctica, Greenland).
• Only 1% of freshwater is available and fit for human use (as groundwater, surface water in rivers/lakes, and water vapour in the atmosphere).

Conservation of Water Resources

• Treating industrial effluents before releasing them into water bodies.
• Forest and other vegetation cover slow the surface runoff and replenish underground water.
• Water harvesting is a method used to save surface runoff.
• Canals shouldn't leak; sprinklers effectively irrigate the area by checking water losses through seepage and evaporation. Drip/trickle irrigation is used in dry regions.

🐅 PART 4: Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Natural vegetation and wildlife exist only in the narrow zone of contact between the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere that we call biosphere.

Distribution and Conservation

• The growth of vegetation depends primarily on temperature and moisture. Major types are: forests, grasslands, scrubs, and tundra.
• Because of deforestation, soil erosion, construction activities, and poaching, many species have become vulnerable or endangered. (Animals poached include tigers, lions, elephants, rhinos, etc.)
• Conservation steps: National parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves are made to protect our natural vegetation and wildlife. CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) has established lists of animal and bird species whose trade is prohibited.