Ch 2 Life On Earth Notes Class 9

“Ch 2 Life On Earth Notes Class 9 “ is strictly based on:
Understanding Society: India And Beyond
Social Science Textbook
Grade 9| Part 2

Geography: Scope

⁘ Geography studies:

●●● Climate
●●● Landforms
●●● Water
●●●●●●●●●●●●●⦿ To know
●●●●●●●⁍ How these shape life on Earth
●●●●●●●⁍ How humans adapt to them
●●●●●●●⁍ How humans influence natural system

Biomes

⁘ Biome = large natural region

●● Similar climatic conditions
●● Certain types of plants and animals
●● Biomes support diverse plant and animal life

⁘ Examples Of Biome:

●● Icy tundra [Cold]
●● Hot desert [Hot]
●● Forest [Green]
●● Grassland [Open]
●●●
●●●●●✔ Each biome is unique
●●●●●✔ Together they form the living world

⁘ Ecosystem is a smaller unit inside a biome

●●● Ecosystem members:
●●●●●⇾ Plants
●●●●●⇾ Animals
●●●●●⇾ Non-living things

Types of Biomes

1. [Terrestrial] Land-based biomes

2. [Aquatic] Water-based biomes

⁘ Factors that determine which Plants and Animals survive and thrive:

●● Temperature
●● Precipitation patterns
●● Dominant plant species
●● Growth forms of vegetation

Terrestrial Biomes

●⁘ Classified by climate into four types:
●●●● Forests
●●●● Grasslands
●●●● Deserts
●●●● Tundra

Forest Biome = Nature’s Giant Green Umbrella

●⁘ Characteristics:
●●●● Warm
●●●● Wet
●●●● Life at every level: tallest trees → damp forest floor

1. Tropical Rainforest

●● Near the Equator
●● Between Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn
●● 23.5° N to 23.5° S

➽➽ Feature:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Hot and wet all year
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Supports dense forests

➽➽ Significance:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ World’s richest storehouse of biodiversity
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Rich genetic resources

Major Locations of Tropical Rainforest

●⁘ Largest:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Amazon Basin → South America
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Congo Basin → Africa
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Parts of Southeast Asia → Indonesia, Malaysia

●⁘ Smaller:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Central America
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ India:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⇾ Andaman & Nicobar Islands
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⇾ Northeastern states

Gene Bank

●● Preserve unique genetic material
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Supports conservation
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Supports scientific research
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⇾ Hence called ‘gene bank’

●● Other Roles:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Maintain oxygen levels
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Balance Earth’s climate

Grassland Biome

●● Found in regions with moderate rainfall

➽➽ Feature:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Large open areas
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Mainly grass
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Very few trees

➽➽ Significance:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Supports grazing animals
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Important for agriculture
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Important for livestock rearing

Types Of Grassland

Desert Biome

●● Driest biome
●● Very little rainfall
●● Soil: sandy
●● Vegetation: sparse

Types of desert biome

●⁘ Rann of Kutch
●●● Gujarat, India

➽➽➽ Feature:
●●●●● One of world’s largest salt deserts
●●●●● Monsoon → marshy wetland
●●●●● Dry season → vast white salt desert

➽➽➽ Significance:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Shows one region can shift
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍between wetland and desert

Life in Deserts

⦿ Extreme conditions ➜ survival difficult

●●∴ Adapted life:

●●●●●● Plants → cacti
●●●●●● Animals → camels, lizards, snakes

●●⁘ Adaptations:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Store water
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Withstand heat
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Withstand dryness

⁘ Home to unique ecosystems

Resources in desert

●●● Minerals
●●● Oil

Little rainfall → Sandy soil + sparse vegetation → Adapted species ➜ Unique ecosystem

Tundra Biome | frozen ground with moss and a polar bear

●● Coldest of all biomes
●● Near Arctic and Antarctic regions

➽➽➽ Feature:
●●●●●●●The Climate is :

●●●●●●● Very long, harsh winters
●●●●●●● Short summers

●● Fragile ecosystem:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Small temperature change affect it.

Permafrost

●● Soil frozen year-round = Permafrost
●● Effect: trees struggle to grow

Extreme cold → Permafrost → No trees → Limited vegetation

Vegetation

Only:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Mosses
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Lichens
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Small shrubs

Animals

●● Adapted to freezing temperatures

⁘ Examples:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Reindeer
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Arctic foxes
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Polar bears

Aquatic Biomes

●● 3/4^th of Earth’s surface
●● Two types:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Freshwater
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Marine

Biome Pyramid

⦿ Graphical representation
●● Shows relationship between organisms in a biome
⁍⁍⁍⁍ Measured in terms of:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⇾ Energy
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⇾ Number
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⇾ Biomass

Levels of biome pyramid {Base → Top}

⁘ [Level 1] Producers
●●● Examples: plants, algae
●●● Capture solar energy through photosynthesis
●●● Form the base

⁘ [Level 2] Herbivores
●●● Primary consumers

⁘ [Level 3] Carnivores
●●● Secondary consumers

⁘ [Level 4] Top predators
●●● Tertiary consumers

Trend Upward

⦿ Moving up the pyramid, these decrease
●●● Number of organisms
●●● Biomass
●●● Available energy
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Reason:
●●●●⇾ Energy lost at each trophic level
●●●●●⇾ Lost as heat through metabolic processes

Uses of biome pyramid

To Understand:

●●● Structure of ecosystems
●●● Flow of energy
●●● Balance between living organisms

Interconnectedness between Biomes
and Living Beings

Two-Way Link:

1️⃣ Biomes ➜ natural environment for

●● Plants
●● Animals
●● Humans

2️⃣ Living beings ➜ influence biomes

●● Animals → pollination, seed dispersal
●● Humans → modify landscapes for farming or cities
●● Microorganisms → recycle nutrients

Biome → Shelters life → Life shapes biome → Ecological balance + Biodiversity

Maintaining Ecological Balance and Biodiversity

Biodiversity:

⦿ Biodiversity = variety of life on Earth OR richness of life forms + natural beauty

●●● Plants
●●● Animals
●●● Microorganisms
●●● Ecosystems they inhabit

⁘ Biodiversity also Includes :

●●● Genetic differences within species
●●● Variety of habitats
●●● Ecological processes that sustain life

⁘ Essential for:

●●● Healthy ecosystems
●●● Human survival

Geography of Biodiversity Conservation

Focus:
How geography influence protection and management of organisms

●●● Location
●●● Climate
●●● Landforms
●●● Ecosystems

Biodiversity is unevenly distributed

∴ Need geography for conservation

Ways of geographical conservations:

1. Hotspots of Biodiversity

Regions:

●●● Himalaya
●●● Western Ghats
●●● North-East India
●●● Andaman & Nicobar Islands

Identifying and protecting the above is conservation priority

➽➽➽ Feature:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Unique species

2. Ecosystem-Based Conservation

⦿ Ecosystem types:

●●● Forests
●●● Wetlands
●●● Deserts
●●● Coasts
●●● Mountains

⁘ Each supports distinct life forms
⁘ Examples
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Mangrove protection → coasts
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Afforestation → mountains

3. Protected Areas

⦿ Types:

●●● National parks
●●● Wildlife sanctuaries
●●● Biosphere reserves
●●● World Heritage Sites
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Preserve critical habitats
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Prevent habitat fragmentation

4. Geographical Barriers and Corridor

⦿ Natural features:

●●● Rivers
●●● Mountains
●●● Valleys
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ They act as barriers or corridors
●●●●●●⇾Influence animal movement
●●●●●●⇾Influence gene flow

➽➽➽ Significance:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Planning wildlife corridors

5. Human–Environment Interaction

How local communities use:

●●● Land
●●● Water
●●● Forests

⁘ Examples:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Terrace farming → hills
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Agroforestry → plains

Uneven biodiversity → Geography-based strategy → Hotspots + Protected areas + Corridors → Species survive

Forest Ecotourism

●●● Responsible travel to forested areas
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Tourists:
●●●●●●●⇾ Enjoy nature
●●●●●●●⇾ Contribute to conservation

Attractions

●●● Plants
●●● Animals
●●● Rivers
●●● Waterfalls
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Draw people seeking
●●●●●●●⇾ Natural beauty
●●●●●●●⇾ Wildlife

Ecotourism vs Mass Tourism

●● Ecotourism emphasizes
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Minimal environmental impact
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Respect for local communities
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Learning about ecosystems

Examples

●● Visiting
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ National parks
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Wildlife sanctuaries

●● Trekking through rainforests

●● Benefits:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Observe biodiversity
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Support conservation programmes
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Generate income for local people

Forests and Livelihoods

Who Depends on Forests

●● Rural communities
●● Tribal communities
●● Reliance: heavy

Non-Timber Forest Products

Gonds and Bhils

●● Forest communities
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Gonds
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Bhils
●●●●●●●⇾ Perform rituals to honour forest deities
●●●●●●●⇾ Before collecting resources

⦿ This Reflects:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Sustainable cultural practices
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Deep respect for nature

Other Forest Support

●● Livestock grazing
●● Small forest-based industries
●● Ecotourism
●● Employment

Forest resources → Daily needs + Income → Livelihood → Culture and survival

Forest Dwellers

Connection to Forests

●● Rely on forests for:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Household needs
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Cultural practices
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Livelihood activities

●● Roles + Responsibilities

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Caring for and Using forest resources

Role of Women

●● Collecting + Managing forest resources
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ For household needs

➽➽➽ Significance:
⦿ Women:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Sustain traditional knowledge and practices
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Contribute to livelihoods

Geographical Indication (GI)

●● GI tag = intellectual property right
●● Identifies from a specific place
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Quality, reputation,etc
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Uniqueness of that place

Benefits of GI Tag

●● Protects region-specific products
●● Promotes cultural heritage
●● Generates economic benefits
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ By exclusive market recognition

GI-tagged Forest Products in India

Challenges Faced by People Living in Forests

1. Access and Health

●● Healthcare
●● Education
●● Clean water
●● Women affected by:
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Fuelwood fumes
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Health issues

2. Resource Access and Conflict

●● Heavy dependence on forest produce
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Firewood, Honey, etc.

●● Access limited by:

⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Restrictions on forest use
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Deforestation
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Commercial exploitation of forest resources

●● Result: conflict between conservation laws and survival needs
●●●●●●●⇾ Leads to economic insecurity

3. Natural Hazards

●● Forested hilly regions prone to
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Floods
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Landslides
⁍⁍⁍⁍⁍ Forest fires
●●●●●●●⇾ Human care and preventive measures can stop many fires

4. Human- Wildlife Conflict

● Animals:
⁍⁍⁍ Damage crop damage by
⁍⁍⁍ Direct attacks on people

● Effects
⁍⁍⁍ Economic losses
⁍⁍⁍ Fear and insecurity

5. Neglect and Low Income

● Face discrimination and neglect
● Sell forest products at low prices
● Need: processing and marketing opportunities
⁍⁍⁍ To raise income

6. What Communities Need

● Help accessing government schemes and programmes
● Awarenes : legal rights

Government Efforts to Support Forest Dwellers

1. Forest Rights Act (FRA)

● Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006
● Also called FRA

➽➽ Features:

● Recognizes rights over :
⁍⁍⁍ Forest land
⁍⁍⁍ Forest resources
⁍⁍⁍ Minor forest produce:
●●●●●●●⇾ Bamboo
●●●●●●●⇾ Honey
●●●●●●●⇾ Medicinal plants
● Ownership of land they cultivate

2. Tribal Welfare Schemes

● Types:
⁍⁍⁍ Education scholarships
⁍⁍⁍ Healthcare programmes
⁍⁍⁍ Skill development initiatives

3. Joint Forest Management (JFM)

● Communities:
⁍⁍⁍ Participate in protecting forests
⁍⁍⁍ Benefit from forest produce
●●●●●●●⇾ Links forest protection with community benefit

4. Other Initiatives

● To promote welfare of such communities:

● PESA
● DAJGUA
● PM JANMAN

FAQs : Ch 2 Life On Earth Notes Class 9