CBSE Class 10 Science 2017 · Paper 31/1 · Question 5

(i) Forests: (1) Forests are biodiversity hot spots, so conserving them preserves the great variety of plants, animals and micro-organisms they hold, and with it the ecological stability of the area. (2) Conserved forests go on supplying firewood, timber, fodder, fruits and medicines to the people who live near them, and raw material to industry, now and for future generations. (Their roots also bind the soil and check soil erosion and floods.) (ii) Wildlife: (1) It preserves the variety of species, and the variety within each species, for future generations: a species that becomes extinct is lost for ever. (2) It keeps the balance of nature, because wild species are links in food chains and food webs; predators, for example, keep the numbers of plant-eaters in check. (Wildlife also brings income from tourism.)