Chapter 11 — Life on Earth

The chapter explains how biomes, climate, and physical geography shape life on Earth. It covers types of terrestrial and aquatic biomes, biodiversity and its conservation, forest-based livelihoods of tribal communities, ecological commons, and government policies like the Forest Rights Act, 2006.

A biome is a large natural region of the world where certain types of plants and animals live under similar climatic conditions. Examples include tropical rainforests, grasslands, deserts, and tundra. The word 'biome' comes from the Greek word 'bios', meaning life.

A biome is a broad environmental region (like a tropical rainforest), while an ecosystem is like a neighbourhood within it where plants, animals, and non-living things interact closely with each other.

Terrestrial biomes are classified into forest, grassland, desert, and tundra biomes, based on their climate, temperature, and precipitation patterns.

Permafrost is the condition in the tundra where the soil is frozen almost year-round. This makes it difficult for trees to grow, so vegetation is limited to mosses, lichens, and small shrubs.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, and the ecosystems they inhabit. It refers not only to the number of different species but also to genetic differences within species and the variety of habitats that sustain life.

Regions rich in unique species found nowhere else are called biodiversity hotspots. In India, these include the Himalaya, the Western Ghats, North-East India, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is an intellectual property right that identifies a product as originating from a specific place where its quality is linked to its geographic origin. Forest products like Ramban Sulai Honey (J&K), Kandhamal Haldi (Odisha), and Nilgiri Tea have received GI tags because they are unique to their regions and depend on local forest ecosystems.

The Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006 recognises the rights of eligible communities over forest land and resources they have traditionally depended upon. It allows them to collect minor forest produce such as bamboo, honey, and medicinal plants.

Ecological commons are natural resources like forests, rivers, lakes, grazing lands, air, and biodiversity that are shared by a community and used collectively for its survival and well-being. Unlike private property, they belong to the community as a whole and are often managed through traditional rules.

Mendha Lekha is a tribal village in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, inhabited mainly by the Gond tribe. It was the first village in India to gain rights over its forest resources under the Forest Rights Act. The community collectively manages 1,800 hectares of forest through the Gram Sabha, following the principle 'Mawa Nate Mawa Raj' (our village, our rule).

Ecotourism refers to responsible travel to nature areas with minimal environmental impact, supporting local communities and conservation. Thenmala in Kollam district, Kerala, is India's first planned ecotourism destination, developed within the Western Ghats — a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Yes, the NCERT textbook PDF for this chapter is freely available on the official NCERT website with no sign-up required. You can also read it on cbseprepmaster.com.