Q6
2 marksShort AnswerSection A

Why must we conserve our forests ? List two factors responsible for causing deforestation.

Our Environment
Forest Conservation and Deforestation
Official Answer

We must conserve our forests for the following reasons:

  1. Ecological Balance and Biodiversity: Forests are biodiversity hotspots that house a vast variety of flora and fauna. They maintain the carbon dioxide-oxygen balance, regulate local climate, and sustain the water cycle.
  2. Soil and Water Protection: Forest cover prevents soil erosion by binding the soil with plant roots and helps in recharging groundwater by increasing water percolation.

Two factors responsible for causing deforestation are:

  1. Industrialization and Urbanization: Clearing vast forest areas to build roads, dams, housing complexes, and industries.
  2. Agricultural Expansion: Converting forest land into agricultural fields to grow crops for the rapidly increasing human population.
biodiversity hotspotsecological balancesoil erosiongroundwater rechargeindustrializationagricultural expansion

Marking Scheme

  • 11 mark
  • 21 mark

Hint

Think about how forests help in maintaining rainfall and oxygen levels, and why humans cut down trees on a large scale.

Quick Oral Answer

We must conserve forests because they maintain ecological balance, prevent soil erosion, and preserve biodiversity. Two major causes of deforestation are agricultural expansion and urbanization.

Analysis & Explanation

Forests act as natural ecosystems that provide both biotic and abiotic stability. Conserving them is crucial to prevent habitat loss, climate change, and soil degradation. Deforestation is primarily driven by anthropogenic activities like expanding agriculture and infrastructure development to meet the demands of a growing population.

Common Mistakes

  1. 1Writing generic answers like 'forests give us wood' without highlighting ecological reasons like biodiversity, soil conservation, or climate regulation.
  2. 2Listing natural forest fires as a primary factor for deforestation instead of major human-driven factors like urbanization and agriculture.

Interesting Facts

Forests cover about 31%31\% of the global land area, but they are home to more than 80%80\% of all terrestrial species of animals, plants, and insects.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How many marks does this question carry in CBSE Class 10 Science 2017?

This question carries 2 marks in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2017 examination.

Which chapter does this question come from in Science?

This question is from the chapter "Our Environment" in the CBSE Class 10 Science syllabus.

What topic does this question cover in Science?

This question covers the topic "Forest Conservation and Deforestation" from CBSE Class 10 Science.

What type of question is this in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2017 paper?

This is a Short Answer question from Section A in the CBSE Class 10 Science 2017 paper.