Which one of the following is a natural process of land degradation?
Which one of the following is a natural process of land degradation?
Options
The correct option is B — Gully erosion.
Why this is correct:
- Gully erosion is caused by the natural action of running water cutting deep channels into land, an entirely natural geomorphic process.
- It occurs independent of direct human activity, unlike the other options.
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark: correct identification of Gully erosion as the natural process of land degradation.
Hint
Ask whether the process needs a human actor to happen at all — mining, industrial waste and shifting cultivation all require human activity; erosion by water does not.
Quick Oral Answer
Gully erosion is the natural process listed, because it is caused by running water cutting channels into soil, unlike mining, industrial waste or shifting cultivation, which are all human-induced.
Analysis & Explanation
Land degradation in India results from both natural processes and human/anthropogenic activities, and NCERT distinguishes clearly between the two categories.
Why the distractors fail:
- Mining activities degrade land through human excavation, overburden dumping and subsidence — this is anthropogenic, not natural.
- Industrial waste disposal causing land and soil degradation is a direct consequence of human industrial activity.
- Shifting cultivation ('slash and burn' farming) is a human agricultural practice that leads to deforestation and soil erosion — again anthropogenic.
Why Gully erosion is correct:
- Gully erosion occurs when concentrated surface runoff cuts progressively deeper channels into unconsolidated soil, a purely geomorphic/hydrological process driven by rainfall and slope, requiring no human intervention to occur (though poor land management can accelerate it).
This makes Gully erosion the only naturally-occurring process among the four options.
Common Mistakes
- 1Treating all four listed processes as equally 'human-caused' since all are discussed together in the land degradation chapter.
- 2Not distinguishing between erosion (natural, though human land-use can worsen it) and mining/industrial waste/shifting cultivation (fundamentally human-driven).
Interesting Facts
According to NCERT and NRSA estimates, nearly 130 million hectares of India's land (about 45% of the total area) is affected by some form of degradation.
The Chambal ravines in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan are among the most severe examples of gully erosion in India, creating badland topography.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between natural and human-induced land degradation?
Natural land degradation, like gully or ravine erosion, occurs due to geomorphic and hydrological processes without direct human cause, whereas human-induced degradation results from activities like mining, industrial waste disposal, deforestation and shifting cultivation.
Where is gully erosion most severe in India?
Gully erosion is most severe in the Chambal ravines spanning Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh, as well as parts of the Chota Nagpur plateau.