Environmental Science

Deforestation and Its Causes

Deforestation is the clearing or permanent removal of forest areas so that it is available for other uses. Deforestation is the root cause for land degradation, soil erosion and desertification. According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, the annual rate of deforestation is estimated to be about 1.3 million square km per decade….

What is Desertification?

Desertification is an extreme case of land degradation in which semidry regions, becomes increasingly arid resulting in loss of water bodies, vegetation and wildlife. It is caused by a variety of factors, which includes both anthropogenic activities as well as climate change. Desertification is one of the most significant global ecological and environmental problem that…

Land Degradation and Its Causes

Land degradation is defined as the deterioration of the productive capacity of land due to overexploitation by humans. Land degradation affects soil chemistry and soil biodiversity and alters the natural ecological processes and ecosystem of the affected area. Land degradation has put the world’s ecosystems under intense pressure as their capacity to provide vital resources…

Important Resources and Services Provided by Land to Humankind

From a human point of view, land resource includes all those aspects and functions of the land, which can be used to fulfil human needs. Some of the important resources and services provided by land to humankind are: Minerals Mineral is a pure inorganic substance that occurs naturally in the earth’s crust. Almost all minerals…

Ecosystem Preservation and Conservation Strategies

Ecological Restoration It is a process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been partially or completely degraded. In simple words ecological restoration means restoring the ecosystem, to a former state or to an perfect condition. Ecological restoration focuses on the recovery of many aspects of ecosystem which are as following. Integrity of…

Ecosystem Services and Its Types

What are Ecosystem Services? Ecosystem services are direct and indirect benefits humans get from nature. These are essential for the maintenance of the basic functioning of earth and consequently supports life on this planet. Changes in ecosystem services can significantly affect the quality of human life on earth. Types of Ecosystem Services Ecosystem services can…

Examples of Grasslands in India

The examples of grasslands in India include the Himalayan pasture belt that extends till the snowline. They are also found in patches along the coniferous forests or broad-leaved forests. The Himalayan animals need both grasslands and forests as their habitat. Another example is the Terai which has patches of tall grasses interspersed with Sal forest….

Types of Ecosystems

Ecosystems can range from small water bodies to an ocean, similarly on land from a patch of woods to a forest. Ecosystems can be natural or anthropogenic (human-created like farmlands). Broadly Ecosystem is classified into terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, which are further classified into several kinds. Types of Ecosystems Terrestrial Ecosystems Diverse kinds of terrestrial…