Class 8th Geography Chapter 2

🌍 Chapter: Land, Soil, Water, Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Resources

🟫 1. LAND

📌 Definition

Land is one of the most important natural resources. It covers about 30% of the Earth’s surface.

⭐ Important 1–2 Line Notes

  • Nearly 90% of the world’s population lives on only 30% of land area.

  • Plains and river valleys are densely populated.

  • Mountains, deserts and thick forests are sparsely populated.

📍 Land Use

Land is used for:

  • Agriculture

  • Forestry

  • Mining

  • Building houses and roads

  • Setting up industries

This is called Land Use.

🧠 Keywords

Land use

Private land

Community land

Common property resources

Land Degradation

Desertification

Afforestation


⚠ Causes of Land Degradation

  1. Deforestation

  2. Overgrazing

  3. Construction activities

  4. Soil erosion


✅ Conservation of Land

  • Afforestation

  • Land reclamation (भूमि पुनर्ग्रहण)

  • Regulated use of chemical fertilizers

  • Checking overgrazing

🟤 2. SOIL

📌 Definition

Soil is the thin layer of grainy substance covering the Earth’s surface.

⭐ Important 1–2 Line Notes

  • Soil formation takes hundreds of years.

  • Soil is formed by the process of weathering.

🧠 Factors of Soil Formation

  1. Parent rock

  2. Climate (Temperature & Rainfall)

  3. Relief (Altitude & slope)

  4. Time

  5. Organic matter (Natural Matters)

🧠 Keywords

Weathering

Humus

Soil profile

Soil erosion

Mulching (घास-पात से ढकना)

Terrace farming

Contour(रूप-रेखा) ploughing


📊 Soil Profile Layers

  1. Topsoil (rich in humus)

  2. Subsoil

  3. Weathered rock

  4. Parent rock

⚠ Causes of Soil Degradation

  • Deforestation

  • Overuse of fertilizers

  • Floods

  • Landslides

✅ Soil Conservation Methods

  • Mulching (घास-पात से ढकना)

  • Terrace farming

  • Contour ploughing

  • Shelter belts

  • Rock dams

💧 3. WATER

📌 Definition

Water is a vital renewable natural resource.

🌊 Important Facts

  • Three-fourths of the Earth is covered with water.

  • Only 2.7% is fresh water.

  • Only 1% of fresh water is available for human use.

🔄 Water Cycle

Evaporation → Condensation → Precipitation → Runoff

⚠ Water Scarcity(कमी) Regions (Map Work Important)

  • Africa

  • West Asia

  • South Asia

  • Australia

  • Western USA

🧠 Keywords

Water harvesting, Drip irrigation, Sprinkler irrigation, Sewage treatment, Effluents(प्रवाह)


✅ Water Conservation Methods

  • Rainwater harvesting

  • Drip irrigation

  • Proper treatment of sewage

  • Lining canals

  • Avoid wastage

🌳 4. NATURAL VEGETATION

📌 Definition

Natural vegetation refers to plants that grow naturally without human interference.


🌍 Major Types of Vegetation

  1. Forests

  2. Grasslands

  3. Scrubs

  4. Tundra


⭐ Growth Depends On

  • Temperature

  • Moisture

🧠 Keywords

Ecosystem, Biosphere, Deforestation, Poaching (अवैध शिकार), Extinction (विलुप्त)

🐅 5. WILDLIFE

📌 Definition

Wildlife includes animals, birds, insects and aquatic life forms.

⚠ Endangered Animals (Examples)

  • Tiger

  • Lion

  • Elephant

  • Snow Leopard

  • Rhinoceros


🌍 Important International Organization

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species)
It protects about 5000 animal species and 28,000 plant species.

🏞 Protected Areas

  • National Parks

  • Wildlife Sanctuaries

  • Biosphere Reserves

Example:
Kaziranga National Park
(Famous for one-horned rhinoceros)

📅 Important Case Study

📍 Landslide in Pangi Village
Location: Himachal Pradesh
Cause: Blasting during road construction

🗺 Map Work (Very Important)

On World Map:

  • Sahara Desert

  • Amazon Basin

  • Antarctica

  • Australia (water scarcity region)

On India Map:

  • Ganga–Brahmaputra Plain

  • Kaziranga National Park

  • Thar Desert

📝 Repeated Board Questions with Answers

Q1. Which are the two main climatic factors responsible for soil formation?

✅ Temperature and Rainfall

Q2. Why is land considered an important resource?

✅ Because it supports agriculture, industries, settlements and forests.

Q3. Suggest three ways to conserve water.

✅ Rainwater harvesting
✅ Drip irrigation
✅ Treating industrial waste

Q4. Which method is most suitable to control soil erosion on steep slopes?

✅ Terrace farming

Q5. What is biosphere?

✅ It is the narrow zone where land, water and air interact and life exists.

📊 Important Numbers (Very Important for Exams)

  • 30% – Land area of Earth

  • 90% Population living on 30% land

  • 2.7% – Fresh water

  • 1% – Usable fresh water

  • 3.5 billion years ago – Life began in oceans





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