Soil degradation can be defined as the decline in soil fertility due to erosion and misuse. Natural processes such as land clearing, erosion, and desertification can lead to a loss of rich nutrients from the soil, resulting in lower levels of organic matter, microbial activity and biological processes. Degraded soils have been shown to have
Soils are naturally occurring soft matters forming the chief part of the superficial crust of the earth. They act as substratum or medium for growth of vegetation and constitute one of the most important natural resources for sustaining life on earth. The classification of soils help in describing, interpreting and understanding what they are, their
The Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve is located at the nexus of where Indian subcontinent, the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot and the tropical marine ecosystems meet. One of the world’s richest regions from a marine biodiversity perspective. The biosphere reserve comprises 21 islands with estuaries, beaches, forests of the nearshore environment, sea grasses, coral reefs, salt
Sunderban is the largest delta and mangrove forest in the world. The Indian Sunderban is bound on the west by river Muriganga and on the east by rivers Harinbhahga and Raimangal. Other major rivers flowing through this eco-system are Saptamukhi, Thakuran, Matla and Goasaba. Sunderban has extremely rich diversity of aquatic and terrestrial flora and
Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve, located in the Himalayan Mountains in the northern part of the country, includes as core areas the Nanda Devi and Valley of Flowers National Parks, which are one World Heritage site. Nanda Devi National Park has remained more or less intact because of its inaccessibility. The Valley of Flowers National Park
The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve boasts of many endemic species, rare and endangered flora and fauna, landscapes of outstanding scenic beauty with its expanses of grass-covered rolling hills, valleys, rivers, waterfalls and small forests. The Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve was the first biosphere reserve in India established in the year 1986. It is located in the Western
Biosphere reserves are ‘learning places for sustainable development’. They are sites for testing interdisciplinary approaches to understanding and managing changes and interactions between social and ecological systems, including conflict prevention and management of biodiversity. Biosphere reserves bring together life in all its diversity in a unique model in which people develop a sense of responsibility
Wildlife Conservation in India, like wild animals everywhere, now faces the threat of human pressure. And for India, the ready exploitation of her natural resources by humans is a long standing challenge. From time immemorial until very recently, wild life faced the threat of hunting and poaching because of wanton insensibility to all creatures other
Farm forestry is a term applied to the process under which farmers grow trees on their farm lands for commercial and non-commercial purposes. The main objective of growing trees commercially on farms is to provide an additional revenue stream to farmers, while at the same time protecting the environment. Forest departments of various states distribute
Social Forestry is the combination of conservation of natural resources and production oriented social forestry for addressing livelihood problems of rural people. Social forestry means the management and protection of forests and afforestation on barren lands with the purpose of helping in the environmental, social and rural development. The National Commission on Agriculture (1976) has
