GSEB Class 8 Science Solutions Chapter 7 Conservation of Plants and Animals

Question 1. Fill in the blanks:
(a) A place where animals are protected in their natural habitat is called ________.
(b) Species found only in a particular area is known as ________.
(c) Migratory birds fly to far away places because of ________ changes.
Answer:
(a) Wildlife sanctuary
(b) Endemic species
(c) Climate.
In simple words: Animals are kept safe in wildlife sanctuaries in their natural homes. Species found only in one special place are called endemic. Birds that fly long distances go because the weather changes.

Exam Tip: Remember the specific terms for protected areas and species — wildlife sanctuaries for animals in natural habitats, and endemic for species found only in one region.

Question 2. Differentiate between the following:
(a) Wildlife sanctuary and biosphere reserve
(b) Zoo and wildlife sanctuary
(c) Endangered and extinct species
(d) Flora and fauna.
Answer:
(a) A wildlife sanctuary is a special place where wild animals are kept safe in their natural home. Here, hunting or capturing animals is not allowed. Biosphere reserves are vast areas used to protect many different types of life, including plants, animals, and tiny organisms. They often include many wildlife sanctuaries and national parks within them.
(b) Zoos are places where some animals are kept in artificial homes for people to view. Wildlife sanctuaries are used to keep wild animals safe and preserve them in their actual natural environments.
(c) Endangered species are those that are close to disappearing and need protection and conservation efforts. Extinct species are those that no longer exist on Earth.
(d) The word 'flora' refers to various types of plants, while 'fauna' refers to all types of animals.
In simple words: Sanctuaries protect animals naturally, while biosphere reserves are larger areas for all living things. Zoos display animals in artificial settings, but sanctuaries save them in their own homes. Endangered animals are close to vanishing, while extinct ones are already gone. Flora means plants, and fauna means animals.

Exam Tip: When differentiating, always focus on 2-3 key distinguishing characteristics for each pair to provide a clear comparison.

Question 3. Discuss the effects of deforestation on the following:
(a) Wild animals
(b) Environment
(c) Villages (Rural areas)
(d) Cities (Urban areas)
(e) Earth
(f) The next generation.
Answer:
(a) Wild animals: Cutting down forests ruins the homes of many wild animals. They are left without their natural shelter and might die.
(b) Environment: Deforestation negatively affects the environment by disturbing the ecological balance. The amount of carbon dioxide in the air increases, causing global warming and pollution.
(c) Villages (Rural areas): Villagers rely on forests very much. When forests are cut down, many wild animals run into nearby villages, which creates danger for people. Villagers will also not get fruits, fuel, and wood, and rainfall will decrease.
(d) Cities (Urban areas): Deforestation does not directly affect city life, but climate changes impact cities. Disasters like floods and droughts also affect cities.
(e) Earth: Cutting down forests harms the Earth. Fertile land gets converted into deserts, and the Earth's temperature rises. The groundwater level also decreases. This changes the climate and overall environment.
(f) The next generation: Many beautiful plants and animals are destroyed because of deforestation. So, future generations will not be able to see them. They will not get a clean and cool environment, and they will not have a healthy world.
In simple words: Deforestation removes animal homes, causes pollution and global warming, harms villagers' resources, brings natural disasters to cities, turns Earth into desert, and leaves a damaged environment for future kids.

Exam Tip: For discussion questions, present effects systematically for each category, using clear cause-and-effect language.

Question 4. What will happen if:
(a) we go on cutting trees.
(b) the habitat of an animal is disturbed.
(c) the top layer of soil is exposed.
Answer:
(a) If we keep cutting trees then:
• The ecological balance will be disturbed.
• Earth will lose its top fertile layer and will transform into a desert.
• Floods and droughts will happen more often.
• Many animals will lose their homes.
• There will be a shortage of things like fruits and paper that we get from forests.
(b) An animal becomes unprotected and unsafe when its home is disturbed. It will become endangered.
(c) The top layers of soil are fertile. If they are exposed, they will lose their richness and humus. This leads to desertification.
In simple words: Cutting trees upsets nature, turns land into desert, causes more floods, makes animals homeless, and creates shortages. Disturbing an animal's home makes it vulnerable. Exposing topsoil makes it lose fertility, causing land to become desert.

Exam Tip: When predicting consequences, consider both immediate and long-term impacts, and try to list at least three distinct outcomes for each scenario.

Question 5. Answer in brief:
(a) Why should we conserve biodiversity?
(b) Protected forests are also not completely safe for wild animals. Why?
(c) Some tribals depend on the jungle. How?
(d) What are the causes and consequences of deforestation?
(e) What is Red Data Book?
(f) What do you understand by the term migration?
Answer:
(a) We should protect biodiversity to save various species from disappearing forever.
(b) Protected forests are also not entirely safe for wild animals because widespread poaching happens in these areas. Poachers kill wild animals even in these protected zones.
(c) Some tribal groups rely on the forest for their food, clothing, shelter, and other necessary items.
(d) Deforestation occurs due to urban development and industrial growth. It causes land to become desert-like and leads to natural disasters. Many kinds of plants and animals are destroyed because of deforestation.
(e) The Red Data Book is a record book and information source for all endangered animals and plants.
(f) Migration is the regular movement of a type of bird from their home to other places due to changes in weather. The goal of migration is for breeding and to enjoy long summer days.
In simple words: We save biodiversity to stop species from vanishing. Protected forests are not totally safe because poachers still kill animals there. Tribals depend on jungles for daily needs like food and shelter. Deforestation happens because of city growth and factories, causing deserts, disasters, and destroying life. The Red Data Book lists endangered species. Migration is when birds move to different places because of climate, often to breed or find better weather.

Exam Tip: For 'answer in brief' questions, provide concise, direct answers, ensuring all parts of the question are addressed without unnecessary detail.

Question 6. In order to meet the ever-increasing demand in factories and for shelter, trees are being continually cut. Is it justified to cut trees for such projects? Discuss and prepare a brief report.
Answer: The constant cutting of trees is not fair for any project. When we cut down trees, we not only take away the homes of many animals, birds, and other living things but also disturb the ecological balance. This also causes many natural disasters.
In simple words: Cutting trees for factories and homes is wrong. It destroys animal homes, upsets nature's balance, and causes many natural problems.

Exam Tip: For opinion-based questions, clearly state your stance (justified/not justified) and support it with multiple relevant environmental and ecological reasons.

Question 7. How can you contribute to the maintenance of green wealth of your locality? Make a list of actions to be taken by you.
Answer:
• We can plant more and more trees in our area.
• We can protect them and give them water.
• All the people living nearby should be taught about the benefits of trees.
• They should also be informed about the harms of cutting trees.
In simple words: We can help by planting trees, caring for them, and teaching everyone about the importance of trees and the dangers of cutting them down.

Exam Tip: When listing ways to contribute, aim for a mix of direct actions (planting) and awareness/education initiatives.

Question 8. Explain how deforestation leads to reduced rainfall.
Answer: Plants are the main factor in keeping the water cycle going in the environment. So, cutting down trees lowers the rainfall in that region. If plants do not take in water from the soil, they will not release water into the air to form clouds. If clouds do not form, then no rain will fall. This is how deforestation reduces rainfall.
In simple words: Trees are crucial for the water cycle. Fewer trees mean less water absorbed from soil, less water vapor released into the air, fewer clouds forming, and ultimately, less rain.

Exam Tip: Explain the process step-by-step, linking deforestation to reduced transpiration, cloud formation, and finally rainfall.

Question 9. Find out about National Parks in your state. Identify and show their location on the outline map of India.
Answer: Do it yourself.
In simple words: This is a task for you to complete on your own, involving research and map work.

Exam Tip: For such activity-based questions, remember to research reputable sources for accurate information and use a clear, labelled map for locations.

Question 10. Why should paper be saved? Prepare a list of ways by which you can save paper.
Answer: The wood pulp and bark from trees are used to make paper. If paper is not saved, it means more and more trees are cut down. So, we should save paper to protect our trees.
Ways to Save Paper:
• Paper should be reused.
• We should not throw paper here and there.
• Waste paper should be collected and sent for reuse.
In simple words: Saving paper helps protect trees because paper is made from them. We can save paper by recycling it, not wasting it, and collecting used paper for reuse.

Exam Tip: When listing methods, focus on the '3 Rs' of waste management: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and explain how each helps save resources.

Question 11. Complete the word puzzle
Answer:
Down:
1. Species on the verge of extinction. - ENDANGERED
2. A book carrying information about endangered species. - REDDATA
5. Consequence of deforestation. - DESERTIFICATION

Across:
1. Species which have vanished. - EXTINCT
3. Species found only in a particular habitat. - ENDEMIC
4. Variety of plants, animals and microorganisms found in an area. - BIODIVERSITY

Here is the completed puzzle grid:

In simple words: A word puzzle needs you to find words that fit the clues, both across and down, and then place them into a grid so they cross each other correctly. The numbers show where each word begins.

Exam Tip: When solving word puzzles, always read all clues first, then fill in the words you are most confident about to create starting points for interlocking words.