This document discusses land and soil resources in India. It notes that the total land area of India is 330 million hectares, of which 46% is net sown area and 22.5% is forested. Land use depends on factors like soil fertility, relief, water availability, and population needs. A proper land use plan can help conserve soils and forests by checking desert spread, adopting scientific techniques, providing irrigation, and increasing fertilizer use. The document also outlines the major soil types in India and techniques for soil conservation like afforestation, controlled grazing, and adjusted agricultural practices.

1. NATURAL RESOURCES- LAND & SOIL
Class 8
NCERT
Chapter- 2

2. LAND RESOURCES
• Factors influencing land use patterns-
1. Physical factors- relief features, soil, climatic
conditions
2. Human factors- density of population, land
tenure, technical level of people
3. Location and accessibility of the region

3. LAND UTILIZATION IN INDIA
• Total geographical area of India is 330 million
hectares
• Net sown area- 46%
• Area sown more than once- 31% of net sown area
• Forested area- 22.5%
• Permanent pastures- 4%
• Tree crops and fallow land- 7%
• Cultivable wasteland- 6.5%
• Not available for cultivation- 14%

4. LAND CULTIVATION
• It depends on –
1. Fertility of soil
2. Relief of land
3. Availability of water
4. Need of the people

5. PREPARING LAND USE PLAN
Proper land use plan can be prepared by-
Checking the further spread of deserts
Adopting scientific techniques
Conserving soils and forests
Providing irrigation facilities
Increasing the use of manures and chemical
fertilizers

6. SOIL RESOURCES
• Soil is the thin surface layer of the earth formed
by breaking of rocks, decayed organic matter,
living organisms, water and air
• Organic elements- humus,
• Inorganic elements- nitrogen, potassium, sulphur,
phosphorus, calcium, iron etc.

7. LAYERS OF THE SOIL

8. MAJOR SOILS OF INDIA
1. Alluvial soils
2. Black-Lava soils
3. Red soils
4. Laterite soils
5. Mountain soils
6. Desert soils

9. SOIL CONSERVATION
• Afforestation
• Check overgrazing
• Construction of dams
• Changing agricultural practices-
Crop rotation
Strip cropping
Terracing & contour bunding
Contour ploughing
Use of early maturing varieties