Landforms and Life

A. Landforms and Life CHAPTER3 Free from the burden of human beings, may the Earth with many heights, slopes and great plains, bearing plants endowed with varied powers, spread out for us and show us her riches!...

D. The Big Questions India and the World: Land and the People Introduction Humans, like most mammals, live on land.

C. Land, as you may have noticed, has many forms and features; its appearance changes a lot from one region to another.

B. Suppose that you are travelling by road from the region known as Chhota Nagpur in Jharkhand, reach Prayagraj in Uttar Pradesh, and go on to Almora in Uttarakhand.

A. On the way, you will see very different landscapes.

D. In fact, you will encounter three major landforms, which we will now explore.

C. Compare with other groups. Æ In the same groups, discuss a journey that any of you has made through aregion of India.

B. List the different landscapes seen on the way.

A. A landform is a physical feature on the surface of our planet Earth.

D. Landforms take shape over millions of years and have a significant connection with the environment and life.

C. These landforms have different climates and are home to a variety of flora and fauna.

B. Humans have adapted to all landforms, but the number of people living on different kinds of landforms varies throughout the world.

A. Mountains Mountains are landforms that are much higher than the surrounding landscape.

D. They can be recognised by a broad base, steep slopes and a narrow summit.

C. Depending on their height, some mountains are covered with snow.

B. At lower altitudes, the snow melts every summer and turns Altitude: The height of an object above sea level.

A. Examples: the altitude of a mountain, the altitude of a bird or plane in flight, the altitude of a satellite.

D. This drawing illustrates three landforms — mountains in the background (two of them snow-capped), a plateau on the left and a plain in the foreground, with a river emerging from the mountains. into water that feeds rivers.

C. At high altitudes, the snow may never melt, leaving the mountain permanently snow- capped.

B. Other highlands with a lower height, less steep slopes and rounded tops are called hills.

A. Unless you live in a Himalayan region (such as Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh), you may never have seen snow!

D. In the rest of India, most precipitation is in the form of rain and hail.

C. But at higher altitudes, if it is cold enough, snow will fall, covering the landscape in a soft and beautiful white blanket.

B. Snow and hailstones are nothing but precipitation of water in a solid state.

A. Precipitation: Water from the atmosphere reaching the ground in any form — rain, snow and hail are the most common forms of precipitation.

D. Pictures of six mountains of the world Mount Aconcagua Mount Anamudi Mount Everest Mount Kanchenjunga Mont BlancMount Kilimanjaro Most of the world’s mountains are grouped in mountain ranges, such as the Himalayas in Asia, the Alps in Europe and the Andes in South America.

C. Some of these ranges stretch for thousands of kilometres.

B. 3.2 shows pictures of six mountains of the world.

A. Mount Everest (between Tibet (China) and Nepal) and Kanchenjunga (between Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim) are the two highest peaks of the Himalayan range.

D. Mount Aconcagua (in South America) is the highest peak of the Andes.

C. Mount Kilimanjaro in eastern Africa is an isolated mountain that is not part of any range.

B. Mont Blanc in Western Europe is the highest mountain of the Alps.

A. Anamudi (in Kerala, also known as ‘Anai Peak’) is the highest mountain in south India.

D. India and the World: Land and the People Mountains with tall and sharp peaks, like the Himalayas, are relatively ‘young’, which means that they were formed recently in the Earth’s history — but that is still millions of years ago!

C. Shorter and more rounded mountains and hills, like the Aravalli Range, are much older and have been rounded by erosion.

B. These conifer trees grow tall and cone-shaped, with thin, pointed leaves.

A. At higher altitudes, the trees give way to grasses, mosses and lichen.

D. Montane forest: A type of forests that grows in mountainous regions.

C. Moss: A small green plant without flowers or true roots, often spreading in a cushion-like cover.

B. Lichen: A plant-like organism that generally clings to rocks, walls or tree.

A. Here are two verses from a long poem by Kālidāsa, who lived at least ancient India.

D. The poem, Kumārasambhava, begins with an invocation to the Himalayas. (This is a simplified translation from the Sanskrit.) In the north rises Himālaya, the Lord of mountains, like a living god, who measures the Earth and stretches from the western to the eastern oceans....

C. From it the wind comes down, carrying spray from descending Gangā, shaking the deodar trees, opening the peacocks’ tail feathers and cooling the mountain people after they hunt deer.

B. Nearly 2,500 km long, this river has numerous tributaries (that is, other rivers joining it).

A. Some of them, like the Yamuna and the Ghagara, also originate in the Himalayas.

D. Others, like the Son or Sone, originate from the Vindhya Range to the south of the Ganga plain.

C. Terrain: A piece or stretch of land, from the point of view of its physical features.

B. Terrace farming in north India Life in the mountains The mountain terrain is usually rugged or rough, and has steep slopes.

A. This means that regular farming can only be practised in some valleys.

D. In many mountainous regions of the world, herding is the preferred occupation over agriculture.

Tourism is often an important source of income for the people living in the mountains. The crisp mountain air and scenic beauty attract many tourists.

The crisp mountain air and scenic beauty attract many tourists. Some tourists also go to the mountains for sports such as skiing, hiking, mountaineering and paragliding.

Some tourists also go to the mountains for sports such as skiing, hiking, mountaineering and paragliding. For many centuries, people have also travelled to these uplands for pilgrimages to holy sites.

For many centuries, people have also travelled to these uplands for pilgrimages to holy sites. But an excessive inflow of visitors can also put the fragile mountain environment under pressure; it is often difficult tofind the right balance.

But an excessive inflow of visitors can also put the fragile mountain environment under pressure; it is often difficult tofind the right balance. She was the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest in Padma Bhushan in 2019). “ Arunima Sinha lost a leg in an accident when she was 22.

She was the first Indian woman to climb Mount Everest in Padma Bhushan in 2019). “ Arunima Sinha lost a leg in an accident when she was 22. With Bachendri Pal’s encouragement and training, she managed to climb Mount Everest in 2013, and went on to climb the highest peak of every continent, including Mount Vinson in Antarctica!

With Bachendri Pal’s encouragement and training, she managed to climb Mount Everest in 2013, and went on to climb the highest peak of every continent, including Mount Vinson in Antarctica! She was awarded Padma Shri in 2015.

She was awarded Padma Shri in 2015. 3.6 on page 50) depict a few challenges that people living in the mountains may face.

3.6 on page 50) depict a few challenges that people living in the mountains may face. Discuss them in groups in the class and write one paragraph on each.

Discuss them in groups in the class and write one paragraph on each. Also discuss why, despite many such challenges, people still choose to live in the mountains.

Also discuss why, despite many such challenges, people still choose to live in the mountains. India and the World: Land and the People Avalanche: The sudden fall of snow, ice or rocks from a mountainside; often occurs when the snow starts melting.

India and the World: Land and the People Avalanche: The sudden fall of snow, ice or rocks from a mountainside; often occurs when the snow starts melting. Landslide: The sudden collapse of a mass of earth or rock from a mountainside.

Landslide: The sudden collapse of a mass of earth or rock from a mountainside. Flash flood: A sudden local flood, often caused by a cloudburst.

Flash flood: A sudden local flood, often caused by a cloudburst. Cloudburst: A sudden violent rainstorm.

Cloudburst: A sudden violent rainstorm. Life in the mountains has definite positives, from pure air to the beautiful scenery.

Life in the mountains has definite positives, from pure air to the beautiful scenery. It also involves potential challenges, both natural and human-made, some of which are depicted in these pictures. Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 8,848 m, has many names.

Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world at 8,848 m, has many names. Tibetans call it ‘Chomolungma’, which means ‘Mother Goddess of the World’ and worship the mountain as such. Nepalis call it ‘Sagarmatha’, meaning ‘Goddess of the Sky’.

Nepalis call it ‘Sagarmatha’, meaning ‘Goddess of the Sky’. Similarly, Mount Kailash in Tibet is held sacred by followers of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Bon (an ancient Tibetan religion). Such reverence for mountain summits is alsofound elsewhere in India, as well as in other parts of the world.

Such reverence for mountain summits is alsofound elsewhere in India, as well as in other parts of the world. Plateaus A plateau is a landform that rises up from the surrounding land and has a more or less flat surface; some of its sides are often steep slopes. Like mountains, plateaus can be young or old in terms of the Earth’s history.

Like mountains, plateaus can be young or old in terms of the Earth’s history. Two examples of plateaus are the Tibetan Plateau, the largest and highest plateau in the world, and the Deccan Plateau. The height of plateaus can vary from a few hundred metres to several thousand metres.

The height of plateaus can vary from a few hundred metres to several thousand metres. From east to west, it is nearly 2,500 km long — the distance from Chandigarh to Kanyakumari. “ The Deccan Plateau of centr al and south India is one of the oldest plateaus in the world, formed through volcanic activity millions of years ago. Like mountains, plateaus are rich in mineral deposits; they have been called ‘storehouses of minerals’.

Like mountains, plateaus are rich in mineral deposits; they have been called ‘storehouses of minerals’. As aresult, mining is a major activity on plateaus, where many of the world’s largest mines are found. For example, the East India and the World: Land and the People African Plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining.

For example, the East India and the World: Land and the People African Plateau is famous for gold and diamond mining. In India, huge reserves of iron, coal and manganese are found in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau. The plateau environment is very diverse across the world.

The plateau environment is very diverse across the world. Many plateaus have a rocky soil, which makes them less fertile than plains (see next section) and therefore less favourable tofarming. An exception is that of lava plateaus (that is, formed through volcanic activity), as they often have a rich black soil.

An exception is that of lava plateaus (that is, formed through volcanic activity), as they often have a rich black soil. Plateaus are also home to many spectacular waterfalls. The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, the Hundru Falls on the Subarnarekha River in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau and the Jog Falls on the Sharavati River in the Western Ghats are a few such waterfalls.

The Victoria Falls on the Zambezi River in southern Africa, the Hundru Falls on the Subarnarekha River in the Chhota Nagpur Plateau and the Jog Falls on the Sharavati River in the Western Ghats are a few such waterfalls. 3.7) drop down 340 metres from the Cherrapunji Plateau (in Meghalaya). The Nohkalikai Falls emerging from the Cherrapunji Plateau Sea level: The average level of the surface of the oceans, also called ‘mean sea level’. This world map shows a few major mountain ranges, plateaus and plains. Mongolian Yangtze Ganga & Brahmaputra East African Patagonian Amazon Andes Ural Indus Tibetan Himalaya Alaska Rocky Mississippi Nile Atlas Plateau River Plain Mountain Range Plains Plains are landforms that have an extensive flat or gently undulating surface.

Mongolian Yangtze Ganga & Brahmaputra East African Patagonian Amazon Andes Ural Indus Tibetan Himalaya Alaska Rocky Mississippi Nile Atlas Plateau River Plain Mountain Range Plains Plains are landforms that have an extensive flat or gently undulating surface. They do not have any large hills or deep valleys. They are generally not more than 300 metres above sea level. Floodplains are one type of plains formed by rivers originating in mountain ranges, where they collect particles of rock, sand and silt called ‘sediments’. These sediments are carried all the way to the plains, where the rivers deposit them, making the soil very fertile.

These sediments are carried all the way to the plains, where the rivers deposit them, making the soil very fertile. As aresult, these plains are ideal for growing crops of all kinds, and agriculture is a major economic occupation in this landform. Plains also support a variety of flora and fauna. 3.8 to add a landform to each name. 3.9 has been taken from a satellite.

3.9 has been taken from a satellite. It captures a portion of north India from a high altitude. Life in the plains Thousands of years ago, the first civilisations developed around rivers in fertile plains. In our times too, a large part of the world’s population lives in plains. About 40 crore people, more than one-fourth of the total Indian population, live in India’s Ganga plain (often called the ‘Gangetic plain’).

About 40 crore people, more than one-fourth of the total Indian population, live in India’s Ganga plain (often called the ‘Gangetic plain’). As with many other plains of the world, the major occupations of people in this region include river fishing and agriculture. Food crops such as rice, wheat, maize, barley and millets are grown. Fibre crops such as cotton, jute and hemp are also grown in the Ganga plain. Traditional agriculture has been mostly rainfed (that is, watered through rainfall).

Traditional agriculture has been mostly rainfed (that is, watered through rainfall). In recent decades, however, agriculture has turned to irrigation, with water brought to the fields through networks of canals or pumped from groundwater. While irrigation has increased agricultural production, it has also contributed to the depletion (or decrease) of groundwater. This presents a challenge for the future of agriculture in the region. Some of the other problems affecting the Ganga plains include high population and pollution.

Some of the other problems affecting the Ganga plains include high population and pollution. Whether in mountain ranges or plains, rivers around the world have carried immense cultural value. In particular, many communities have considered a river’s source and its confluence with one or two other rivers to be sacred. In India, numerous festivals, ceremonies and rituals are conducted at such locations. Because plains have a gentle slope, river navigation is easy and supports a lot of economic activities.