Daily Quiz: UPSC Prelims Marathon (Geography) – October 9th,2020

: Forest area in the country is far lower than the desired 33 per cent of geographical area, as it was outlined in the National Forest Policy (1952).
It was considered essential for maintenance of the ecological balance.
Source: NCERT

Black soils are black in colour and are also known as regur soils.
•Black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil.
•It is believed that climatic conditions along with the parent rock material are the important factors for the formation of black soil.
•This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and extend in the south east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.
•The black soils are made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture.
•In addition, they are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime. These soils are generally poor in phosphoric contents.
•They develop deep cracks during hot weather, which helps in the proper aeration of the soil.
•These soils are sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless tilled immediately after the first shower or during the pre-monsoon period.
Source: NCERT

The Himalayan Yew (Taxus wallachiana) is a medicinal plant found in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
•A chemical compound called ‘taxol’ is extracted from the bark, needles, twigs and roots of this tree, and it has been successfully used to treat some cancers – the drug is now the biggest selling anti-cancer drug in the world.
•The species is under great threat due to over-exploitation. In the last one decade, thousands of yew trees have dried up in various parts of Himachal Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh.
Source: NCERT

Wheat is the second most important cereal crop. It is the main food crop, in north and north-western part of the country.
•This rabi crop requires a cool growing season and a bright sunshine at the time of ripening.
•It requires 50 to 75 cm of annual rainfall evenly distributed over the growing season.
•There are two important wheat-growing zones in the country – the Ganga-Satluj plains in the northwest and black soil region of the Deccan.
•The major wheat-producing states are Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and parts of Madhya Pradesh.
Source: ICSE

Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘later’ which means brick.
•The laterite soil develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rainfall. This is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain.
•Humus content of the soil is low because most of the micro organisms, particularly the decomposers, like bacteria, get destroyed due to high temperature.
•Laterite soils are suitable for cultivation with adequate doses of manures and fertilizers.
•These soils are mainly found in Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and the hilly areas of Orissa and Assam.
•After adopting appropriate soil conservation techniques particularly in the hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, this soil is very useful for growing tea and coffee.
•Red laterite soils in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are more suitable for crops like cashew nut.
Source: NCERT

The climate is known for warm to hot, dry summers and mild to cool, wet winters. Winter temperatures are usually between 30 and 65 degrees.
•Summer months all average above 50 degrees. The warmest month averages about 72 degrees.
•The cause of this climate is directly related to large bodies of water such as the Mediterranean Sea and ocean currents.
•During the summer, cold currents keep the climate mild and dry. Ocean currents shift as the seasons change.
•During the winter the water that was warmed up all summer moves in and keeps the land warm and often brings rain.
•Plants in Mediterranean climate must be able to survive long dry summers. Evergreens such as Pine and Cypress trees are mixed with deciduous trees such as some Oaks.
•Fruit trees and vines such as grapes, figs, olives, and citrus fruits grow well here. Other plants include what are called “scrub”, which include small shrubs, grasses, and herbs.
Source: National Geographic Channel

Tropical thorn forests occur in the areas which receive rainfall less than 50 cm.
•These consist of a variety of grasses and shrubs. It includes semi-arid areas of south west Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
•In these forests, plants remain leafless for most part of the year and give an expression of scrub vegetation.
•Important species found are babool, ber, and wild date palm, khair, neem, khejri, palas, etc. Tussocky grass grows upto a height of 2 m as the under growth.
Source: ICSE

Dry deciduous forest covers vast areas of the country, where rainfall ranges between 70 -100 cm.
•On the wetter margins, it has a transition to the moist deciduous, while on the drier margins to thorn forests.
•These forests are found in rainier areas of the Peninsula and the plains of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
•In the higher rainfall regions of the Peninsular plateau and the northern Indian plain, these forests have a parkland landscape with open stretches in which teak and other trees interspersed with patches of grass are common.
•As the dry season begins, the trees shed their leaves completely and the forest appears like vast grassland with naked trees all around.
•Tendu, palas, amaltas, bel, khair, axlewood, etc. are the common trees of these forests.
•In the western and southern part of Rajasthan, vegetation cover is very scanty due to low rainfall and overgrazing.
Source: NCERT

The Indian desest lies towards the western margins of the Aravali Hills.
•It is an undulating sandy plain covered with sand dunes.
•This region receives very low rainfall below 150 mm per year. It has arid climate with low vegetation cover.
•Streams appear during the rainy season.
•Soon after they disappear into the sand as they do not have enough water to reach the sea.
•Luni is the only large river in this region.
Source: NCERT

Earthquakes produce three types of seismic waves: primary waves, secondary waves, and surface waves.
Each type moves through materials differently. In addition, the waves can reflect, or bounce, off boundaries between different layers.
The waves can also bend as they pass from one layer into another. Scientists learn about Earth’s layers by studying the paths and speeds of seismic waves traveling through Earth.
•Primary Waves: The fastest seismic waves are called primary waves, or P waves. These waves are the first to reach any particular location after an earthquake occurs.
•Secondary Waves: Secondary waves are the second seismic waves to arrive at any particular location after an earthquake, though they start at the same time as primary waves. Secondary waves travel through Earth’s interior at about half the speed of primary waves. Secondary waves are also called S waves. As they pass through a material, the material’s particles are shaken up and down or from side to side. Secondary waves rock small buildings back and forth as they pass.
•Surface Waves: Surface waves are seismic waves that move along Earth’s surface, not through its interior. They make the ground roll up and down or shake from side to side. Surface waves cause the largest ground movements and the most damage. Surface waves travel more slowly than the other types of seismic waves.
Source: NCERT