Resources and Development Class 10 Notes | Part - II | Soil as a resource | Classification of Soil | Soil Erosion |Methods of Soil Conservation |

 

Resources and Development  

 | Class 10 Notes | Part - II |

                                                  - Priyanka Chandratre 

              

👉 Soil as a Resource :

- The most important renewable natural resource.

- It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the Earth.

- It takes thousands of years to form.

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Importance of Soil :

a) Agriculture

b) Habitat for organisms

c) Water storage

d) Raw material

e) Supports vegetation

👉 Classification of Soil : 

On the basis of the factors responsible for soil formation, color, thickness, texture, age , chemical and physical properties, the soils are classified in different types : 

1] Alluvial Soil : 

Formation : 

- This soil is formed by the deposition of sediments brought by rivers.

- Rivers flowing from the Himalayas carry eroded material and deposit it in plains over thousands of years.

- Major rivers responsible for this soil are Ganga, Brahmaputra and Indus.

- It is most widely spread and important soil. It covers about 40% India's land area - the largest soil group.

Read More :  Resources and Development | Part - I | Class 10 |

Distribution in India : 

                                     

                                  

a) Northern Plains :

1) Indo-Gangetic plains

2) States : Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal , Assam

b) Coastal Plains : 

Eastern coastal plains ( deltas of rivers like Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, Kaveri )

c) River Valleys :

Found in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan

Composition : 

Alluvial soil consists of varying properties of :

- Sand ( coarse particles )

- Silt ( fine particles )

- Clay ( very fine particle )

Texture varies :

- Sandy near river banks

- Clayey in floodplains

- Loamy in most regions

Types of Alluvial soil :

I) Bhangar ( Old Alluvium )

- Found in upland areas away from rivers

- Older deposits 

- Contains kankar ( Calcium Carbonate )

- Not renewed annually

II) Khadar ( New Alluvium )

- Found in low-lying floodplains

- New deposits brought by floods

- Very fertile

- Renewed every year

- More fertile than Bhangar

Characteristics : 

Physical properties :

- Light to dark color

- Soft, porous and easily tillable

- Good water retention

Chemical properties :

- Rich in potash, lime and phosphoric acid ( in small amounts)

- Deficient in nitrogen and humus

Crops grown : 

Food crops : 

• Rice
• Wheat 
• Maize 
• Pulses

Cash crops :

• Sugarcane 
• Cotton 
• Jute 

Read More : Shal | Class 10 | Marathi | Summery |

2] Black Soil : 

Formation : 

- Black soil also called Regur soil  , is formed from the weathering of volcanic rocks, especially basalt

- It is mainly associated with the lava flows of the Deccan plateau formed millions of years ago.

Distribution in India : 

- Black soil is mainly found in the Deccan plateau region

- Major states : Maharashtra ( largest area ) , Madhya Pradesh , Gujrat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and parts of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

- River flowing through these regions : Godavari, Krishna, Narmada and Tapi.

Read More : Yogi Sarvakal Sukhdata | Class 10 | Marathi |

Composition : 

• Clay ( very high amount )
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Lime
• Potash  

Characteristics : 

• Color : Deep black to dark brown
• Texture :  Clayey and fine-grained
• Moisture retention : very high
• Cracking nature : develops cracks in dry seasons
• Rich in : Calcium carbonate, Magnesium, Iron and Potash 
• Poor in : Nitrogen and Phosphorous

Crops grown : 

• Cotton ( most important ) 
• Sugarcane 
• Wheat 
• Soybean
• Groundnut
• Pulses 
• Sunflower 

3] Red and Yellow Soil : 

Formation :

- Red and yellow soils are formed by the weathering of ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks, especially in areas with low rainfall

- Their color depends mainly on the presence and state of iron

• Red color   ➡️  due to iron oxide ( oxidation of iron )
• Yellow color ➡️ due to iron oxide ( presence of moisture ) 

Distribution in India : 

- These soils are widely spread across eastern and southern parts of India:

• Tamil Nadu
• Karnataka
• Andhra Pradesh
• Telangana
• Odisha
• Chhattisgarh
• Jharkhand
• Maharashtra ( eastern parts )
• Parts of Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal

Characteristics : 

• Color : Red to yellow
• Texture :  Sandy to loamy
• Water retention : Low ( drains quickly )
• Structure : Porous and friable 
• Rich in : Iron and Potash 
• Poor in : Nitrogen, humus and Phosphorous

Crops grown : 

• Rice
• Wheat
• Millets ( like jowar, ragi )
• Pulses
• Groundnut
• Potato
• Cotton

4] Laterite Soil : 

Formation : 

- Laterite soil forms in hot and wet tropical regions with high temperature and heavy rainfall over a long time.

• First, parent rocks (igneous or metamorphic) undergo intense chemical weathering.
• Then, due to heavy rain, leaching occurs — water washes away soluble minerals like silica, calcium, and potassium.
• What remains are insoluble oxides of iron and aluminum.
• These oxides accumulate and harden, giving the soil its reddish color.

Distribution in India : 

- Laterite soil is mainly found in areas with high rainfall and high temperature such as :

• Western Ghats
• Parts of : Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Odisha, Assam

Characteristics : 

• Color : Red to yellow ( due to iron content )
• Texture :  Coarse and porous
• Water retention : Poor
• Fertility : Low
• Rich in : Iron and Aluminum 
• Poor in : Nitrogen, Potassium and Phosphorous

Crops grown : 

• Tea
• Coffee
• Rubber
• Cashew nuts
• Coconut

5 ] Arid soil : 

Distribution in India : 

- Arid soil is mainly found in the north-western parts of India :

• Thar desert
• Major regions - Rajasthan ( largest area ) , Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana

Characteristics :

• Color : Red to brown
• Texture :  Sandy and loose
• Water retention : Very low
• Fertility : Low
• Salt content : High ( saline nature )
• Humus : Very low

Crops grown :

• Bajara
• Wheat
• Barley
• Mustard
• Cotton

6 ] Forest Soil :

Formation : 

- Forest soil is found in hilly and mountainous regions where forests grow naturally

- Its properties vary depending on altitude, climate and vegetation

- Formed by the decomposition of leaves and organic matter ( humus )

- It is influenced by temperature, rainfall and type of vegetation

Distribution in India : 

- Forest soil is mainly found in :

• Himalayas
• Western Ghats
• Eastern Ghats
• Hilly areas of : Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh , Uttarakhand, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh

Characteristics :

• Color : varies ( brown, dark brown, black )
• Texture :  Coarse on slopes, finer in valley
• Water retention : Good in lower areas
• Humus content : High in upper layers
• Rich in - Organic matter
• Poor in - Nutrients like Potassium, Phosphorous, Lime in some areas

Crops grown : 

• Tea
• Spices
• Maize
• Coffee
• Fruits ( apple and peach )

👉 Soil Erosion :