Geography Write short note

• Before the development of agriculture hunting was the important activity of man to obtain food.
• Many animal species were becoming extinct because of large scale hunting.
• Therefore, to protect the ecosystem, in many countries commercial hunting is banned.
• Presently, many laws are being passed to conserve and protect the animals and ecosystem.
• Yet, many tribal people such as Eskimos in Tundra region, Pygmies of Equatorial Selvas, Bushmen of Kalahari, Sentinels in Andaman etc., are still doing hunting.

The important factors responsible for the development of commercial lumbering in the above areas are as follows.

• In coniferous forest one species of trees are found over an extensive area.
• Coniferous trees are tall and away from each other so lumbering is easy.
• Wood is soft and durable. Coniferous forests provide good raw material for paper and pulp industry and furniture making industry.
• Due to good quality of wood (softwood) it has great demand in the world market.
• Cool and pleasant climate is favourable for labour to work throughout the year.

The following are the important physical factors, which can be responsible for the development of fishing.

• Broad continental shelf, with shallow water is favourable. For example, continental shelf along the eastern coastline of Japan is broad and water is shallow.
• Warm and cold ocean currents should meet near the coastline, so that plankton (favourite fish food) is available in plenty.
• Broken coast line which provides natural ports and harbours.
• Cold climate is favourable for natural preservation of fish.
• Since above all physical factors are present on the north-east coast of USA, north western coastline of Europe as well as in Japan, commercial fishing is well developed.

• Plantation agriculture is an extensive type of agriculture having large farm size on which one crop is cultivated. This is known as monoculture.
• Care has been taken to maintain the quality of the crop using scientific methods. This type of agriculture is modern as well as capital intensive agriculture.
• Since most of the work is done by human labour this type of agriculture is also referred to as labour intensive agriculture.
• The plantation crops once grown provides production for 10 to 15 years.
• Tea, coffee, rubber, cocoa, cashew nut, spices, etc., are the most important crops. For example, Rubber plantations in Kerala or tea plantations in Assam.
• Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Vietnam, Caribbean islands are the important countries where plantation agriculture is practiced.