question_answer

Enumerate some major effects of air pollution on plants as well as on animals and humans.

Or

Explain any two ways of 'improper resource utilisation' that can cause degradation of natural resources.

Answer:

Effects of air pollutants on plants are as follows

Cause fruit damage, leaf damage, chlorosis, necrosis and mottled spots on leaves.

Affect the yield of crops and cause premature death of plants.

Weaken the plants and increase the infestation by pests.

Acid rain damages the aerial parts of plants and also acidifies the soil. It leads to the production of free radicals and decrease in rate of photosynthesis and productivity.

Effects of air pollutants on animals and humans are as follow

About 40% of human deaths occur due to air pollution.

It increases susceptibility to many diseases.

Air pollution causes cancer and genetic mutations.

It causes respiratory ailments and asthma, hay fever and allergic diseases.

It causes cardiovascular diseases and damages central nervous system.

It causes immediate effects like nausea, headache, irritation to the eyes and nose.

Or

Natural resources get degraded not only by pollutants, but also by improper practices of their utilisation and maintenance.

Two ways of improper resource utilisation that can cause degradation of natural resources are as follows

(a) Soil erosion is caused by human activities like over - cultivation, unrestricted grazing, deforestation and poor irrigation.

All these practices lead to the removal of top soil and result in arid patches of land. Desertification is also a major problem these days, that occurs mainly due to urbanisation.

(b) Irrigation without proper drainage of water leads to waterlogging in the soil. It draws salts to the surface of the soil. Deposited salts start collecting around the roots of the plants and affect the plant growth and productivity. It is extremely damaging to the agriculture.

Waterlogging and soil salinity are some of the problems that have come in the wake of the Green Revolution.