Page 82 - Science Class 08
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Floods regenerate the forests. In many parts of our
Deforesta on also causes a sharp decrease in country, trees like teak, sal, etc. are being grown
the water holding capacity of the soil. The on a large scale. Selec ve cu ng of trees in
movement of water from the soil surface into these planta on inserts the wood requirement
the ground (in filtera on rate) is reduced. This and keeps the forest cover in fact as well.
leads to floods. Protec on from Fire
Forest fire is an important factor of defor-
esta on. The main causes of forest fire are
1. What do you mean by fauna? careless a tude of people and natural
ac vi es. People generally, throw the butts of
2. What is biodiversity?
cigare e in the forests or leans bonfire burning,
3. What are the causes of soil erosion?
which some me leads to forest fire. Lightning
4. Name any five raw materials that we get
or fric on between stems and branches of
from the forests.
trees are some natural causes of forest fire.
5. What are the causes of deforesta on?
6. What does happen when animals lose Forest fire can be controlled by spraying fire
their habitat? ex nguishing solu on from aircra or by
7. How do forests control floods? changing the direc on of the wind by using
strong blowers.
CONSERVATION OF FORESTS Protec on from Overgrazing
You have studied about the importance of Overgrazing by ca le, horses, sheep, etc. is
forest, causes of deforesta on and conseq- another important factor responsible for
uences of deforesta on. Now, you will study deforesta on. These animals eat up small
about the ways through which forests can be plants and some new plants are killed by
conserved. trampling. Besides, animals also eat up lower
Planned Harves ng leaves of the trees and harm the roots and
We should not cut all the trees from a certain trunks of the trees. It is, therefore, overgrazing
should be stopped to save forests.
area of the forests because this will result in
the erosion of fer le soil. Thus, the trees from Protec on from Insects and Pests
that part will be lost forever. The best way to Forest trees are also a ached by disease
meet the wood requirement is to cut a few spreading insects and pests. Infected plants can
trees in an area. The uncut trees will prevent also spread diseases to other plants. Therefore,
erosion and produce seeds so that new trees insec cides should be sprayed on infected trees
can grow. to save them. Highly infected trees can also be
Afforesta on removed from the forest.
Growing plants on the deforested land or WILDLIFE
renewing a forest by growing plants is referred Wildlife is a term that refers to animals that are
to as afforesta on. A er facing the consequ- not normally domes cated. They are a living
ences of deforesta on our government as well resource that will die and be replaced by others
as private organisa ons have come forward to of their kind. Wildlife plays an important role in
82 Science-8