Q1. List out the threats to Urban Landscape resources?

Explain causes and

remedial measures for the following resources: Land, Water, Forest, Air.

ANS:- The treats to urban landscape:-

1. Heavy population:-Population movements and putting in place service infrastructures
imply planned and unplanned measures on inter-related biological processes eliciting
adversities on forests and wildlife, water and soil resources conservation.
2. Physical development:- elicits pressures and adjustments which influence the people
with impacts on the environment and biological diversity that constitute a threat to
landscape.
3. Deforestation:- Arises from deforestation, habitat fragmentation and reconfiguration
of land resource base in the quest to meet human exigencies.
4. Urbanization:- The process of urbanization interferes with ecosystems because
people who are the principal players in the process introduce interventions that have
adverse implication on biological diversity.
5. Loss of valuable farmland:- Like the loss of valuable farmland, as urban areas
continue to grow and sprawl across the landscape, this development process often
leads to the development of previously pristine ecosystems.
6. Pollution:-Cities can be large sources of air pollution, water pollution, land
pollution, and soil pollution, waste that is littering the landscape, and are also often
associated with challenging issues of sanitation that can lead to the pollution of land
and water.
7. Urban runoff:-Large amounts of impervious surfaces that do not allow water to
infiltrate the ground. Much of the rainwater that does fall on the urban landscape
quickly runs off into rivers and streams, bringing all of the pollutants and chemicals
that were present on these surfaces with them into waterways.
8. Fragmentation of habitat and isolation of wildlife and plant populations:-As
urban development continues across the landscape, wildlife habitat is becoming
increasingly fragmented and wildlife and plant populations are becoming
increasingly isolated from one another. This habitat fragmentation impacts these
organisms’ capacity to reproduce, and reduces the genetic diversity that is present
within the remaining populations. It also reduces the suitable habitat that is needed
for their survival.
 Figure 1

Causes and remedies for resources threats.

A. Water Resource:-
Causes of resource scarcity

 Poor storage facility and careless attitude towards conservation: Due to poor storage
facility and careless attitude, a lot of rain water is carried to the seas and oceans.
 Overuse of Water: Water overuse is a huge issue that a lot of people are dealing with. It may
be overused on people, animals, land, or any other number of things. It may also be used for
recreational activities without any care about the effects that it may have on the world around
them.
 Bad water management: Due to bad water management and ignorance, a lot of water is lost.
 Pollution of Water: Water pollution is a huge problem, especially when you’re looking at
areas that don’t necessarily have a good sewage system. Pollution can be anything from oil, to
carcasses, to chemicals, and to fecal matter. No matter what it is; it makes a lot of issues for
the people who may need to use it.
 Drought: A drought is, in short, an area which is not getting enough rainfall to be able to
sustain the life that is residing there. Some areas are in perpetual drought, whereas other areas
may be dealing with a drought on occasion. Droughts are common all over the world, and there
is little that can be done to prevent such things from happening.

Remedial measures

 Rain water harvesting: Effective rain water harvesting in urban and rural areas.
 Education: There are plenty of opportunities out there that people can use in order to learn
more about the world around them.
  Improve Practices Related to Farming: Farming and irrigation are often a huge culprit
when it comes to water scarcity. Because of that, we need to improve practices so that we
don’t use as much water and those who are using water are using it to its fullest potential.
 Improve Sewage Systems: Clean drinking water starts with a good sewage system.
Without proper sanitation, the water in an area becomes ridden with disease and any
number of other problems.
 Constructing dam: Constructing small water reservoirs instead of big dams.
 Protection of wet lands: Protection of wet lands will improve the condition of water

 Preventing over exploitation of ground water.

 Deforestation: Checking overgrazing and preventing deforestation.

B. Land Resource:-
Causes of land degradation

 Urbanization: Increasing growth of population and demand for more residential areas and

commercial sectors is also one of the reasons for land degradation.

 Vehicle off-roading
 Agricultural practises: The modern agricultural practises, excessive use of fertilizers and

pesticides has adversely degraded the natural quality and fertility of the cultivation land.
 Overgrazing: Overgrazing refers to excessive eating of grasses and other green plants by
cattle. It results into reduced growth of vegetation, reduced diversity of plant species,
excessive growth of unwanted plant species, soil erosion, and degradation of land due to
cattle movement.

 Industrialization: Development of industries for the economic growth of the country leads
to excessive deforestation and utilization of land in such as way that it has lost its natural

up gradation quality.
 Monoculture
 Deforestation: Deforestation is taking place at a faster rate due to increasing demands of

timber, fuel and forest products which results into degradation of land resources.
Remedial Measures

 Contour Farming: This type of farming is usually practiced across the hill side and is

useful in collecting and diverting the run off to avoid erosion.

 The demand for timber should be drastically reduced. Substitutes for furniture material

and packing cases should be used.

 Strip farming: It is & practice in which cultivated crops are sown in alternative strips to

prevent water movement.

  Crop Rotation: It is one of the agricultural practice in which different crops are grown in

same area following a rotation system which helps in replenishment of the soil.

 Construction of Dams: This usually checks or reduces the velocity of run off so that soil

support vegetation.

 Catchment areas: or water-sheds must be thickly vegetated. This would hold rain water

and recharge springs, rivers, etc

 Ridge and Furrow Formation: Soil erosion is one of the factors responsible for lad

degradation. It can be prevented by formation of ridge and furrow during irrigation which

lessens run off.

C. Vegetation/ Forest Resource

Causes of deforestation

 Forest fire: The forest fire (natural or deliberate) can cause deforestation to a larger extent.
 Natural factors: Natural factors like flood, drought, fire, decline of water level, cyclonic
storm, lightening, snowfall, and diseases earth quake etc. cause massive deforestation.
 High demand for timber: High demand of developed and developing countries for hard
timber and plywood have ruined the world’s tropical forests.

 Shifting cultivation: Shifting cultivation is adopted mainly by the tribal peoples which
involves clearing of forest land for cultivation. It is estimated that nearly 5000 km 2 of forest
land is cleared for this purpose.
 Clearance for settlement: Sometimes, the people from over-crowded areas are settled by the
government by clearing forests.
 Encroachment of forest land to agriculture: Rapid growth of population, inequitable land
distribution and expansion of export agriculture has reduced the crop land to greater extent.
Therefore, the subsistence farmers are forced to grow food by clearing forests.
 Desertification of land: Some of the other factors that lead to deforestation are also part
natural and part anthropogenic like Desertification of land. It occurs due to land abuse making
it unfit for growth of trees. Many industries in petrochemicals release their waste into rivers
which results in soil erosion and make it unfit to grow plants and trees.

Remedial Measures

 Reforestation and Afforestation: Any forested land which has been destroyed by fire or
mining activities should be reforested. In rugged terrain aerial seeding is the method of
choice.
 Sustainable forest management: for the proper management of forest.
  Clear cutting of forests must be banned. This will curb total depletion of the forest cover.
It is a practical solution and is very feasible.

D. Air
Causes of Air pollution
 Mining operations: Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are extracted using
large equipments. During the process dust and chemicals are released in the air causing massive
air pollution. This is one of the reason which is responsible for the deteriorating health
conditions of workers and nearby residents.
 Carbon Monooxide caused by improper or incomplete combustion and generally emitted from
vehicles is another major pollutant along with Nitrogen Oxides, that is produced from both
natural and man-made processes.

 Agricultural activities: Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture related

activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of insecticides,
pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities has grown quite a lot. They emit harmful
chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.

 Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic chemicals in
the air and cause air pollution.

 Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries release large amount of
carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby
depleting the quality of air.

 Burning of Fossil Fuels: Sulphur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil fuels like coal,
petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air pollution. Pollution
emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains, airplanes cause immense amount of
pollution.
Remedial Measures
 Conserve energy: Switching off fans and lights when we are going out. Large amount of
fossil fuels are burnt to produce electricity. we can save the environment from degradation by
reducing the amount of fossil fuels to be burned.
 Creating virtual chimney.
 Walking and cycling
 Use of energy efficient devices: CFL lights consume less electricity as against their
counterparts. They live longer, consume less electricity, lower electricity bills and also help
us to reduce pollution by consuming less energy.
 Use public mode of transportation: Encouraging people to use more and more public
modes of transportation to reduce pollution.
 Use of Renewable or Green Energy Sources