Q 1 – What are the Temperate Grasslands of North America Called ?
Ans. The Temperate Grasslands of North America are called Prairies.
Q 2 – What are the cattle farms in the North American Grasslands known as?
Ans. The cattle farms in the North American grasslands are known as Ranches.
Q 3 – Name the rivers that drain the velds.
Ans. The names of the rivers which drain the velds are:
- River Orange
- River Limpopo
- Their tributaries.
Q 4 – When is the rainy Season in the Velds
Ans. The rainy season in the velds is from November to February.
Q 5 – What is the major occupation of the people of the South African grasslands?
Ans. The major occupation of the people of the South African grasslands is Sheep Rearing.
Q 6 – The Prairies are known as the ‘Granaries of the world’.
Ans.
- Prairies grasslands have been cleared and wheat is grown extensively on these plains.
- The use of tractors, harvesters, etc. and modem technologies have made the wheat production surplus:
- Prairies supply wheat all over the world.
- They satisfy the hunger of millions of people spread all over the world.
Q 7 – Rise of the wool industry in the Velds. The reasons responsible for this rise are the following
Ans.
- Sheep rearing is the most important occupation of the people of the Velds grasslands.
- Sheep are bred mainly for wool. Hence wool availability is in ample quantity.
- The Merino wool is of the best quality.
- Further merino wool is very warm.
- Merino wool and woolen garments are in great demand all over the world
Q 8 – Enumerate the major features of the prairies.
Ans. The major features of the prairies are:
- These are the temperate grasslands of North America.
- It is a region of flat, gently sloping or hilly land.
- Prairies are almost treeless for the most part, but near the low lying plains, flanking river valleys, woodlands can be found.
- The landscape is dominated by tall grass, upto two metres high. It looks like a ‘sea of grass’.
Q 9 – Write a brief note on the climate of the prairies.
Ans. Prairies are located in the middle of the continent (North America). It is therefore, we find there a continental type of climate, characterised by extreme temperatures. The summers are warm with temperatures of around 20°C, while in winter-20°C has been recorded in Winnipeg and Canada, the important cities of the American prairies. In winters a think blanket of snow covers this region. The annual rainfall is moderate. A local wind called Chinook blows here.
Q 10 – Write some effects of Chinook?
Ans. Chinook is a hot wind that blows in winter. Being hot it raises the temperature within a short time. This increase in temperature results in the melting of snow, making the pasturelands available for grazing of animals.
Q 11 – Describe the climate of the velds.
Ans. The velds are under the influence of the Indian Ocean. Therefore they have a mild climate. Winters are cold and dry. Temperatures vary between 5°C and 10°C and July is the coldest month. Summers are short and warm Rainfall occurs in the summer months from November to February. Drought may occur if the rainfall is poor in the winter months from June to August.
Q 12 – Describe the flora and fauna of the prairies.
Ans. Flora. Prairies don’t have many trees. A few trees such as willows, alders and poplars grow where water is available. Fertile soil is found in the places that receive rainfall of over 50 cm. The crops grown here are maize, potatoes, soyabean, cotton and alfa-alfa. In the areas receiving poor rainfall, short grasses can be found.
Fauna. Cattle rearing is suitable in these areas. Large cattle farms called ranches are found here. Bison or the American buffalo is the important animal of this region. Other animals are rabbits, coyotes, gophers and Prairie dog.
Q 13 – Describe the flora and fauna of the velds.
Ans. Flora. Velds are not rich in vegetation. Grasses dominate the landscape. Red grass grows in bush velds. High velds are characterised by grasses like acacia and maroola.
Fauna. The animals found in the velds are lions, leopards, Cheetah, and Kudu.
Q 14 – What are the major occupations of the people in the prairies? What factors contributed to the industrialisation of this region.
Ans. The people living in the praries are hardworking. Their main occupations are cultivations and dairy fanning. People use scientific methods in cultivation. They use tractors, harvesters and combines and produce surplus food. The prairies are known as the ‘Granaries of the world’ due to the huge surplus of wheat production.
Another main occupation of the people of the prairies is dairy farming. The daily belt extends from the Great Lakes to the Atlantic coast in the east. Daily farming and extensive agriculture both promote setting up of food processing industries. The factors that led to the industrialisation of this region are:
- Large mineral deposits such as coal and iron.
- A good network of roads, railways and canals.
Q 15 – What various activities are performed by the people living in the velds?
Ans. Cattle rearing and mining are the two major activities of the people living in the velds. However, some people have engaged in agriculture also, though it is not the main occupation of this region. The soils are not very fertile in the velds. Where the land is fertile enough to grow crops, maize, wheat, barley, oats, and potato are cultivated. Cash crops like tobacco, sugercane, and cotton are also grown.
People of the velds are mostly engaged in sheep rearing. Sheep is bred mainly for wool and has given rise to the wool industry in the velds. Dairy farming is the next important occupation. Cattle are reared in warmer and wetter regions and dairy products such as butter, cheese is produced for both domestic supply and also for export.
As velds are very rich in mineral reserves, gold and diamond mining are also the chief occupations of the people of this region. Johannesburg is known for being the gold capital of the world. Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines.
Q 16 – Define the forest.
Ans. Forest can be defined as the place where trees Eire the main type of vegetation.
Q 17 – What do you understand about grassland?
Ans. Where grasses form the dominant type of plant life is called grassland.
Q 18 – How much part of the land is grassland?
Ans. Grasslands make up almost a quarter of the total land surface.
Q 19 – What are the factors which affect the plants or grasses and determine its types?
Ans. The types of plants or grasses are dependent on the climate and soil.
Q 20 – Name the two categories of world’s grasslands.
Ans. The world’s grasslands can be divided into two broad categories—temperate and tropical regions grasslands.
Q 21 – In which part are the Prairies Mountains found?
Ans. The prairies are bound by the Rocky Mountains in the West.
Q 22 – What is found in the eastern part of prairies?
Ans. In the eastern part of prairies great lakes are found.
Q 23 – Where is river Mississippi?
Ans. Mississippi river is in USA.
Q 24 – How is the annual rainfall in the Prairies?
Ans. The annual rainfall is moderate and is ideal for the growth of grass.
Q 25 – Which trees are grown in the Prairies?
Ans. Trees such as willows, alders and poplars are grown in the region.
Q 26 – What is‘ranches’?
Ans. Large cattle farms are called ‘ranches’.
Q 27 – Name the animal which is most important in America.
Ans. Bison or the American buffalo is the most important protected animal of this region.
Q 28 – Which animal of America is protected?
Ans. Bison or the American buffalo is protected animal of this region
Q 29 – Why are the prairies known as “Granaries of the world” ?
Ans. The Prairies are known as the “Granaries of the world,” because of the huge surplus of wheat production.
Q 30 – Name the mineral deposits found in the prairies region.
Ans. Large mineral deposits particularly coal and iron are found in this region.
Q 31 – Mention name of rivers which drain the region.
Ans. The tributaries of rivers Orange and Limpopo drain the region.
Q 32 – Which types of vegetation is found in the velds?
Ans. The vegetation cover is sparse. Grasses dominate the landscape. Red grass grows in bush velds. In the high velds acacia and maroola are seen to be growing.
Q 33 – Name the animals found in the velds region.
Ans. The animals of the velds are primarily lions, leopards, cheetah and kudu.
Q 34 – Which crops are grown in the region of velds?
Ans. In the velds region the main crops are maize, wheat, barley, oats and potato. Cash crops like tobacco, sugar cane and cotton are also grown.
Q 35 – Why is merino sheep popular?
Ans. Merino sheep is a popular species because its wool is very warm and has a great demand in the world.
Q 36 – Name the city which is famous for diamond mines.
Ans. Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines.
Q 37 – Which city is called Gold Capital of the world?
Ans. Johannesburg is known as the golden capital of the world
Q 38 – What is Chinook?
Ans. A hot wind that blows in winter is called Chinook.
Q 39 – What are the main crops grown in the velds?
Ans. Maize, wheat, barley, oats and potato.
Q 40 – Why does local wind ‘Chinook’ blow in the prairies?
Ans. Due to the absence of the north-south barrier, a local wind ‘Chinook’ blows in the regions of prairies.
Q 41 – Name the trees grown in the prairies.
Ans. Wilders, Alders and Poplars
Q 42 – Which tributaries drain the areas in the prairies?
Ans. In the USA, the area is drained by the tributaries of Mississippi and the Canadian prairies are drained by the tributaries of Saskatchewan Rivers.
Q 43 – Why are the soils not fertile in the velds?
Ans. The soils are not fertile in the velds due to the presence of discontinuous grasses exposing barren surface.
Q 44 – Describe climate of the prairies.
Ans. The climate is of continental type with extreme temperatures. The summers are warm with temperatures of around 20°C, while in winter -20°C has been recorded in Winnipeg, Canada. In winters a thick blanket of snow covers this region.
Q 45 – Which are the suitable places for farming and name the major crops which are grown in that region.
Ans. Places that receive rainfall of over 50 cm, are suitable for farming as the soil is fertile. The major crop of this area is maize, other crops including potatoes, soybean, cotton and alfa-alfa are also grown.
Q 46 – What do you understand about the velds? Describe briefly.
Ans. The temperate grasslands of South Africa are called the velds. Velds are rolling plateaus with varying heights ranging from 600 m to 1100 m. It is bound by the Drakensburg Mountains on the east. To its west lies the Kalahari Desert. On the northeastern part, ‘high velds’ are located that attain a height of more than 1600 m, in some places.
Q 47 – Why do the velds have rich reserve of minerals? Describe.
Ans. The velds have rich reserve of minerals. Iron and steel industry has developed where coal and iron are present. Gold and diamond mining are major occupations of people of this region. Johannesburg is known for being the gold capital of the world. Kimberley is famous for its diamond mines. The mineral rich area has a well-developed network of transport.
Q 48 – What is the most important occupation of the people in the velds region?
Ans. In the velds regions, sheep rearing is the most important occupation of the people. Sheep has given rise to the wool industry in the velds. Merino sheep is a popular species and its wool is very warm.
Q 49 – Describe the major features of the prairies.
Ans. The major features of the prairies are:
- These are the grasslands (temperate) of North America.
- These regions having flat, gently sloping or hilly land.
- These regions are almost treeless, but woodlands can be found near the low lying plains, flanking river valleys.
- Areas with 50cm rainfall with fertile soil grow maize, potatoes, soybeans, cotton and alfa-alfa.
- American buffalo is the most important animal of this region.
Q 50 – What do understand about Prairies? Describe briefly.
Ans. The temperate grasslands of North America are known as the Prairies. It is a region of flat, gently sloping or hilly land. Tall grass, up to two metres high dominates the landscape. Most part of prairies is treeless. The prairies are bound by the Rocky Mountains in the West and the great lakes in the East.
Prairies cover parts of the United States of America and parts of Canada. In the USA, the area is drained by the tributaries of Mississippi and the Canadian prairies are drained by the tributaries of Saskatchewan Rivers.
The climate is of continental type with extreme temperatures. The summers are warm with temperatures of around 20°C, while in winter -20°C has been recorded in Winnipeg, Canada. In winters a thick blanket of snow covers this region. The annual rainfall is moderate and is ideal for the growth of grass. A local wind “Chinook” blows here. Prairies are practically tree-less.
Where water is available, trees such as willows, alders and poplars grow. Places that receive rainfall of over 50 cm, are suitable for farming as the soil is fertile. The major crop of this area is maize, other crops including potatoes, soybean, cotton and alfa-alfa are also grown.
Q 52 – Write a brief note on the climate of velds.
Ans. The velds have a mild climate due to the influence of the Indian Ocean. Winters are cold and dry. Temperatures vary between 5°C and 10°C and July is the coldest month. Summers are short and warm. The velds receive rainfall mainly in the summer months from November to February. In the velds region the main crops are maize, wheat, barley, oats and potato. Cash crops like tobacco, sugar cane and cotton are also grown.
Q 53 – On an outline map of Africa, show the location of Velds.
Ans.‘
