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NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 12 Forests Our Lifeline
Edited By Irshad Anwar | Updated on Apr 21, 2025 03:09 PM IST
This chapter explains that forests have an important role to play in maintaining the balance of nature by being supportive of biodiversity, climate regulation, and sustaining the water cycle. Forests provide shelter to all organisms and supply basic requirements like oxygen, food, and raw materials. The chapter discusses how all the various parts of a forest, such as trees, shrubs, herbs, and decomposers, work together to create a dynamic ecosystem. NCERT Solutions for Class 7 also show how forests are important for our survival and society.
This Story also Contains
- Key Topics in Chapter 12 Biology Class 7
- How to solve NCERT Class 7 Chapter 12 questions effectively?
- NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter-Wise
- Practice Questions from Chapter 12
Students learn interesting facts, including the way forests contribute to preventing soil erosion, the way decomposers decompose dead material into nutrients and the way forests serve as natural water filters. NCERT Solutions for this chapter include textbook questions with easy-to-understand ,simple answers, allowing students to comprehend concepts like the significance of forests, their preservation, and the way they support ecological balance. These solutions are imperative for the preparation of exams and for gaining a sound conceptual idea of forests and why they are important.
Download PDF of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 12 Forests Our LifelineDownload PDF
NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 12 Exercise:
The answers are explained in detail by experienced subject experts.
1. Explain how animals dwelling in the forest help it grow and regenerate.
Answer:
Animals play a number of roles in helping the forests regenerate. The herbivores restrict the overgrowth of the grass and other plants by devouring them as food. The herbivores themselves support the survival of carnivores by being their food.
Their wastes help maintain the nutrition of the soil and once they die their carcasses are degenerated by microorganisms and this enriches the soil. The flora and fauna flourish by being mutually beneficial for each other.
2 . Explain how forests prevent floods.
Answer:
Forests prevent floods by the following way
1. Forests don't let the rainwater directly reach the ground and much of it remains on the canopy of the forest.
2. The roots of the trees and plants absorb large amounts of groundwater thus maintaining the level of water in the soil.
3. The roots also bind the soil without which rain will cause the soil to erode and wash away.
3. What are decomposers? Name any two of them. What do they do in the forest?
Answer:
Decomposers are microorganisms which decompose the dead bodies of plants and animals. They not only just clean the environment by decomposing the dead bodies but meanwhile also give back the nutrients to the soil thus maintaining the nutrition of the soil.
Examples of decomposers include bacteria and some fungi like the water fungus.
Answer:
Oxygen is essential for the survival of all animals. This oxygen required is released by plants and trees during the process of photosynthesis. Other animals inhale this oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide during respiration. This carbon dioxide serves as raw material to the plants for photosynthesis.
This cycle helps maintain the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and a high number of trees ensure that this cycle is run properly.
5. Explain why there is no waste in a forest.
Answer:
There is no waste in forests as all the body waste generated by the animals and the dead bodies of plants and animals are decomposed by microorganisms and thus no waste piles up in the forests.
6. List five products we get from forests?
Answer:
Five products which we get from the forest are:
(i) Medicines.
(ii) Firewood or wood for making furniture and paper.
(iii) Honey.
(iv) Gum and wax.
(v) Fruits
7. Fill in the blanks:
Answer:
(a) The insects, butterflies, honeybees and birds help flowering plants in pollination .
(b) A forest is a purifier of air and water .
(c) Herbs form the lowest layer in the forest.
(d) The decaying leaves and animal droppings in a forest enrich the soil .
8. Why should we worry about the conditions and issues related to forests far from us?
Answer:
We should be worried about the conditions and issues related to forests far from us because deforestation would lead to a decreased level of oxygen in the atmosphere which is essential for the survival of all living beings. Deforestation also would lead to increased amounts of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which causes the greenhouse effect and thus results in global warming.
Lack of forests would lead to floods, soil erosion and disturbance of the ecosystem and thus the destruction of the forests would certainly harm the humans directly or indirectly and this, therefore, must be a matter of concern for us all.
9. Explain why there is a need of a variety of animals and plants in a forest.
Answer:
All organisms residing at a different level of the food chain have some role or the other to play required for a balanced ecosystem. For example, plants and grass serve as food for the herbivores which serve as food for the carnivores and when these herbivores and carnivores die their dead bodies are devoured by microorganisms and insects living the soil and once these dead bodies are decomposed this enriches the soil which is essential for the plants.
Thus there is a need for a variety of animals and plants in a forest.
Answer:
The following is the labelled diagram:
11. Which of the following is not a forest product?
(i) Gum
(ii) Plywood
(iii) Sealing wax
(iv) Kerosene
Answer:
Kerosene is not a forest product.
(iv) is the correct answer.
12. Which of the following statements is not correct?
(i) Forests protect the soil from erosion.
(ii) Plants and animals in a forest are not dependent on one another.
(iii) Forests influence the climate and water cycle.
(iv) Soil helps forests to grow and regenerate.
Answer:
Plants and animals in a forest are dependent on one another.
(ii) is the correct answer.
13. Micro-organisms act upon the dead plants to produce
(i) sand (ii) mushrooms (iii) humus (iv) wood
Answer:
Micro-organisms act upon the dead plants to produce humus.
(iii) is the correct answer.
Also, check out the NCERT Books and NCERT Syllabus
NCERT Chapter 12 Forests Our Lifeline - Overview
This chapter describes how forests are very important in terms of ecological balance as they maintain biodiversity, climate regulation, and the water cycle. Trees, plants, animals, and microorganisms coexist in a forest ecosystem to perpetuate life. Trees fix carbon dioxide and give off oxygen, which is vital for all living organisms. Tree roots assist in soil stabilization, preventing erosion and supporting groundwater levels.
Nutrient cycling is most critical in forests decomposers decompose dead animals and plants to release nutrients back into the soil so that new plants can grow. Processes such as decomposition and evapotranspiration are efficient methods of recycling water and nutrients, maintaining the balance of the forest ecosystem and sustaining diverse forms of life.
Key Topics in Chapter 12 Biology Class 7
Some key topics of Forests Our Lifeline are:
| Key Topics | Description |
|---|---|
| Definition and Importance of Forests | Understanding forests as a habitat and their role in maintaining ecological balance. |
| Structure and Layers of Forests | Study of canopy, understory, forest floor, and their significance. |
| Interdependence in Forest Ecosystem | Interaction between plants, animals, microorganisms, and abiotic components. |
| Products Obtained from Forests | Resources like wood, medicinal plants, paper, gum, and oils are derived from forests. |
| Role of Forests in Photosynthesis and Water Cycle | Contribution of forests to oxygen-carbon dioxide balance and water regulation. |
| Prevention of Soil Erosion and Floods | How forests help in reducing soil erosion and managing floods. |
| Deforestation and Its Effects | Causes, consequences, and impact on biodiversity and climate. |
| Conservation of Forests | Methods like afforestation, reforestation, and sustainable practices. |
How to solve NCERT Class 7 Chapter 12 questions effectively?
To answer Forests Our Lifeline questions, simply apply the following steps:
- Discover the importance of forests, how they maintain ecological equilibrium and support life on our planet.
- Study different types of forests of India: Tropical Evergreen, Tropical Deciduous, Thorn Forests, and Montane Forests.
- Study major features such as climate, place, tree and animal type, and organizational structure of forest ecosystems.
- Try examples of every type of forest, i.e., Western Ghats for Tropical Evergreen or Himalayan forests for Montane Forests.
- Practice question-answering on causes and effects of deforestation, human activities, and environmental impacts.
- Underline definitions and features of the key terms such as biodiversity, deforestation, afforestation, reforestation, and conservation practices.
NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter-Wise
The chapterwise solutions are given below:
Practice Questions from Chapter 12
Some questions from Forests Our Lifeline are given below:
1. The branchy portion of a tree above the stem is referred to as:
a) Litter
b) Humus
c) Crown
d) None of the above
Answer: c) Crown
2. Which of the given trees yields medicine for malaria treatment?
a) Eucalyptus tree
b) Cinchona tree
c) Bamboo tree
d) None of the above
Answer: b) Cinchona tree
3. Forests are also referred to as:
a) Green kidney
b) Green lungs
c) Greenheart
d) None of the above
Answer: b) Green lungs
4. Microorganisms decompose dead plants to form:
a) Sand
b) Mushrooms
c) Humus
d) Wood
Answer: c) Humus
5. Which of the following aids in the preservation of forests?
a) Recycling of jute bags
b) Recycling of cotton bags
c) Recycling of paper bags
d) Recycling of plastic bags
Answer: c) Recycling of paper bags
We hope you will ace your examination with the help of NCERT Solutions for Class 7 Science Chapter 12 Forests Our Lifeline.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is a forest ecosystem?
A forest ecosystem is a dynamic system where trees, plants, animals, microorganisms, and non-living components like soil and water interact as a functional unit
2. How do forests help in maintaining the water cycle?
Forests absorb water from the soil and release it into the atmosphere through transpiration, forming clouds that lead to precipitation, completing the water cycle
3. Why are forests called the lungs of the Earth?
Forests absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen during photosynthesis, maintaining atmospheric oxygen levels essential for life
4. How do forests prevent soil erosion?
Tree roots bind soil particles together, reducing their susceptibility to erosion by wind or water
5. What are decomposers? Give examples.
Decomposers are organisms like fungi, bacteria, and earthworms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients into the soil
6. How do plants and animals depend on each other in a forest?
Plants provide food and oxygen for animals, while animals aid in pollination, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling through decomposition
7. What is the role of trees in maintaining the balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide?
Trees absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and release oxygen, helping to regulate atmospheric gases and mitigate climate change
8. How do forests help in controlling floods?
Forests act as natural barriers by absorbing rainfall and slowing water runoff, reducing flood risks
9. What are the different layers of a forest?
Forests have four layers:
Emergent layer: Tallest trees exposed to sunlight.
Canopy: Dense layer of closely spaced trees.
Understory: Shrubs and smaller plants beneath the canopy.
Forest floor: Dark layer with decomposing organic matter
10. What happens when forests are destroyed?
Deforestation leads to habitat loss, climate imbalance, increased carbon dioxide levels, soil erosion, and disruption of ecosystems
11. How does deforestation affect the environment?
Deforestation contributes to global warming, reduces biodiversity, disrupts water cycles, and increases natural disasters like floods and landslides
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