Regeneration and Conservation of Forest

Question 1 How do trees grow in a natural forest?

Question 2 What are the various effects of deforestation?

Question 3 Why is it necessary to conserve forest?

Question 4 State few ways to conserve forest?

Question 5 How do animals living in the forest help it to grow and regenerate?

Question 6 State the reasons for deforestation?

Regeneration of Forest

The trees and plants can grow in the forest on their own and regenerate (or reproduce) the forest.

(1) The dead parts of trees and plants (such as fallen leaves), dead animals, and animal wastes (like animal dung or droppings) keep on collecting on the forest floor.

 

(2) The decomposer organisms act on all the dead plant and animal matter, and animal wastes and convert them into humus.

(3) The humus contains plant nutrients. This humus mixes with the forest soil and makes it fertile (by providing the nutrients).

(4)The animals and birds of forest, wind and water disperse the seeds of trees and plants on the forest soil.

5) These seeds obtain nutrients and water from the forest soil and germinate to form seedlings. The seedlings grow to form saplings and ultimately develop into trees (or other plants).

The animals help the forests to grow and regenerate in two ways:

(1) The dead animals and animal wastes decay (by the action of decomposers) and provide nutrients to the forest soil and make it fertile.

(2) The animals carry out pollination in flowers, and also disperse the seeds of plants and trees throughout the forest.

The natural forests contain trees and plants which have grown on their own.

Deforestation

The large scale cutting down of forest trees is called deforestation. 

Important reasons for Deforestation

(1) Forests are cut down to obtain firewood (wood used as fuel).

(2)Forests are cut down to obtain timber (wood for building houses and furniture).

(3) Forests are cut down to obtain wood for making paper.

(4) Forests are cut down to clear land for cultivation of crops in agriculture.

(5) Forests are cut down to clear land for the construction of roads, houses, industries and dams.

 

Effect of Deforestation

(1) Destruction of forests will lead to a shortage of wood and other forest products.

(2) Destruction of forests will disturb the balance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in the atmosphere. Due to cutting down of forest trees, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will increase leading to an increase in earth’s temperature.

(3) Destruction of forests will cause soil erosion making the soil infertile to support crops.

(4) Destruction of forests will cause frequent flooding of rivers, leading to loss of life and property.

(5) Destruction of forests affects the water cycle leading to reduction in rainfall.

(6) Destruction of forests leads to the extinction of many wild animals and plants.

(7) Destruction of forests can change the earth’s climate.

Conservation of Forests

Ways to conserve forests are :

(1) Excessive cutting down of forest trees should not be allowed by the Government to conserve forests.

(2) More  trees should be planted in the forest in place of cut down trees to conserve forests.

(3) Paper products (such as old newspapers, magazines, books and notebooks, etc.) should be recycled to conserve forests.