Life on Earth Class 9: Notes and Questions

What Life on Earth is about

Weightage: CBSE has not yet published marks for Class 9 Social Science 2026-27: its syllabus says the course structure "will be provided shortly". Class 9 is a school examination (80 marks annual paper + 20 internal assessment), so your school sets the paper.Source: CBSE Social Science syllabus, Class IX 2026-27

Key concepts

Biomes and how they differ from ecosystems

NCERT section Types of Biomes

Picture the Earth as a patchwork quilt; each patch is a biome. The word comes from Greek bios ('life') plus -ome (a group of biological parts).

Biome = a large natural region where certain plants and animals live under similar climatic conditions (icy tundra, hot desert, green forest, grassland).

A biome is a broad environmental region; an ecosystem is a smaller neighbourhood inside it: a pond, a grove or a patch of grassland where living things and their non-living surroundings work on each other.

What decides a biome: temperature, precipitation patterns, dominant plant species and the growth forms of vegetation.

The world map also shows the taiga (coniferous forests of pine, spruce, larch) and temperate deciduous biome (broad-leaved trees that shed leaves seasonally).

Worked example

Distinguish between a biome and an ecosystem. (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Biome: large region with similar climate, plants and animals.
2. Ecosystem: smaller unit inside it where living and non-living things interact closely.

Answer: A biome is a large natural region of the world where certain plants and animals live under similar climatic conditions, such as a desert or tundra. An ecosystem is a smaller 'neighbourhood' within a biome where plants, animals and non-living things interact closely.

Terrestrial biomes

NCERT section Terrestrial Biomes

Forest (tropical rainforest):

• Near the Equator, between the Tropics (23.5° N to 23.5° S); hot and wet all year.
• Largest in the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin and South-East Asia (Indonesia, Malaysia); smaller in Central America and India's Andaman and Nicobar Islands and North-East.
• Richest store of biodiversity: a 'gene bank'; maintains oxygen and balances climate.
• Layers: emergent layer, upper canopy, understory/lower canopy, forest floor.

Grassland: open land of grass with few trees; moderate rainfall not enough for dense forest.

• Temperate: prairies (North America), steppes (Asia); fertile, often farmed.
• Tropical (savannas), e.g. Africa: scattered trees; lions, elephants, giraffes.

Desert: driest; hot (Sahara) or cold (Gobi). The Rann of Kutch is one of the world's largest salt deserts, marshy in the monsoon and white salt in the dry season. Cacti, camels, lizards and snakes store water and withstand heat. Deserts may hold minerals and oil. (The book compares the Rajasthan camel with the furrier Nubra Valley camel of cold Ladakh.)

Tundra: coldest, near the Arctic and Antarctic; long winters, short summers; permafrost (frozen soil) stops trees; mosses, lichens, small shrubs; reindeer, arctic foxes, polar bears; very fragile.

Worked example

Why are trees absent in the tundra but common in tropical rainforests? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Tundra: very cold, long winters, frozen soil (permafrost): roots cannot grow.
2. Rainforest: hot and wet all year: dense growth.
3. So climate decides vegetation.

Answer: In the tundra the soil stays frozen almost all year (permafrost), winters are long and summers short, so tree roots cannot grow and only mosses, lichens and small shrubs survive. Tropical rainforests are hot and wet throughout the year, which supports dense, layered forests. Temperature and rainfall decide the vegetation of a biome.

Aquatic biomes and the biome pyramid

NCERT section Aquatic Biomes

Aquatic biomes cover about three-fourths of the Earth's surface.

• Freshwater: rivers, lakes, ponds, wetlands; vital for agriculture and drinking water; fish, frogs, insects.
• Marine: oceans, seas, coral reefs; rich biodiversity; store and distribute heat, influencing climate; whales, dolphins, fish, plankton; food and livelihoods for millions.

Biome pyramid: a diagram of relationships among organisms in terms of energy, number or biomass.

• Base: producers (plants, algae) capturing solar energy by photosynthesis.
• Then herbivores (primary consumers), carnivores (secondary) and top predators (tertiary).
• Going up, number, biomass and energy decrease, because energy is lost as heat at each trophic level during metabolism.

The book's triangular diagram also arranges biomes by temperature (polar to tropical) and moisture (dry to wet): tundra, coniferous, deciduous, chaparral, grassland, desert, rainforest, scrubland, tropical seasonal forest, savanna.

Worked example

Why does available energy decrease at each higher level of a biome pyramid? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Producers capture solar energy.
2. At each trophic level energy is lost as heat in metabolism, so less passes up.

Answer: Producers capture solar energy through photosynthesis, but at each trophic level much of the energy is used and lost as heat during metabolic processes. So less energy reaches herbivores, even less carnivores and least top predators, which is why numbers and biomass also decrease upward.

Biodiversity and geography of conservation

NCERT section Maintaining Ecological Balance and Biodiversity

Biodiversity = the variety of life on Earth: plants, animals, micro-organisms and their ecosystems. It includes the number of species, genetic differences within species, and the variety of habitats and ecological processes.

Biomes and living beings depend on each other: animals pollinate and disperse seeds, humans modify landscapes, micro-organisms recycle nutrients.

Because biodiversity is unevenly distributed, geography is central to conservation:

• Hotspots: regions rich in species found nowhere else: Himalaya, Western Ghats, North-East India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands (e.g. the endangered Nilgiri tahr).
• Ecosystem-based conservation: strategy suited to setting: mangrove protection on coasts, afforestation in mountains.
• Protected areas: national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, biosphere reserves, World Heritage Sites, chosen to save habitats and prevent fragmentation.
• Barriers and corridors: rivers, mountains and valleys affect animal movement and gene flow; planners create wildlife corridors (e.g. forest bridges against roadkill).
• Human-environment interaction: practices differ by place: terrace farming in hills, agroforestry in plains.

Worked example

Explain any three geographical aspects of biodiversity conservation. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Hotspots: protect regions with unique species.
2. Protected areas: national parks, sanctuaries, biosphere reserves.
3. Corridors: link habitats across barriers to allow movement and gene flow.

Answer: 1. Hotspots: regions such as the Western Ghats and the Himalaya have unique species found nowhere else, so they get priority. 2. Protected areas: national parks, sanctuaries and biosphere reserves are sited to protect critical habitats and prevent fragmentation. 3. Corridors: since rivers and mountains can block movement, wildlife corridors are planned to keep animal movement and gene flow going.

Forests, ecotourism and livelihoods

NCERT section Forest Ecotourism

Ecotourism: responsible travel to natural areas with minimal environmental impact, respect for local communities and learning, while supporting conservation and local income.

• Thenmala (Kollam, Kerala): India's first planned ecotourism destination, in the Western Ghats (a UNESCO World Heritage Site); name means 'Honey Hill'; developed by the Tourism, Forest and Irrigation Departments; locals work as guides and eco-guards.
• Swadesh Darshan 2.0 (Ministry of Tourism): sustainable, destination-centric tourism with community involvement.

Livelihoods: forests give food, fuel, fodder, medicine, timber, bamboo; non-timber forest products (NTFPs) like honey, fruits, nuts, resins, tendu leaves, mahua, lac. Gonds and Bhils honour forest deities before collecting resources.

Sacred groves: over 1,00,000 in India (Devrai, Devarakadu, Kavu, Sarna); small but rich in rare and medicinal species; some sustain streams and groundwater.

Forest dwellers' roles: household needs, income from NTFPs, traditional knowledge, cultural guardianship, and forest protection: the Bishnoi Movement (Rajasthan, led by Amrita Devi) influenced the Chipko Movement (Uttarakhand), where women hugged trees. Women play a vital role.

Worked example

Why is Thenmala called a model for responsible ecotourism? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. India's first planned ecotourism destination in the Western Ghats.
2. Joint work of Tourism, Forest and Irrigation Departments.
3. Locals employed as guides and eco-guards; combines recreation, education, conservation.

Answer: Thenmala in Kollam, Kerala, was India's first planned ecotourism destination, developed jointly by the Tourism, Forest and Irrigation Departments in the Western Ghats. It employs local people as guides, eco-guards and service providers so benefits stay in the community, and it combines recreation with environmental education and conservation.

GI-tagged forest products

NCERT section Geographical Indication (GI)

A Geographical Indication (GI) tag is an intellectual property right showing that a product comes from a specific place and that its quality or reputation is linked to that origin. It protects region-specific products, promotes cultural heritage and brings economic benefits to local communities.

GI-tagged forest-linked products in the book:

• Ramban Sulai Honey (Jammu and Kashmir)
• Tezpur Litchi (Assam)
• Channapatna Toys (Karnataka), made from the 'Aale mara' tree
• Kandhamal Haldi (Odisha), high curcumin, grown by tribal communities
• Erode Manjal (Tamil Nadu)
• Nilgiri Tea (Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka)
• Tripura Queen Pineapple (Tripura)
• Khasi Mandarin (Meghalaya)

Worked example

How does a GI tag connect geography, culture and the rural economy? Use one example. (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Geography: product's quality comes from local soil and climate.
2. Culture: tied to traditional knowledge.
3. Economy: exclusive market recognition raises income; e.g. Kandhamal Haldi.

Answer: A GI tag recognises that a product's quality comes from its place. Kandhamal Haldi, for example, is grown by tribal communities in Odisha's forest regions and is known for high curcumin content: geography and traditional farming give it its character. The tag protects the name from imitation and gives growers exclusive market recognition, raising rural incomes.

Challenges and government support for forest dwellers

NCERT section Challenges Faced by People Living in Forests

Challenges:

• poor access to health care, education and clean water; women exposed to fuelwood fumes (the book asks about PM Ujjwala Yojana);
• restrictions on forest use, deforestation and commercial exploitation create conflict between conservation laws and survival needs;
• floods, landslides and forest fires (about 36% of forest cover is fire-prone, nearly 4% extremely prone, as per the Forest Survey of India);
• human-wildlife conflict (elephants, monkeys, wild boars);
• discrimination; low prices for forest produce, so processing and marketing support are needed.

Government efforts:

• Forest Rights Act, 2006 (Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers): recognises rights over traditional forest land and resources, collection of minor forest produce, and ownership of small cultivated patches.
• Scholarships, health and skill schemes; Joint Forest Management (JFM); PESA; DAJGUA; PM JANMAN.

Mendha Lekha (Gadchiroli, Maharashtra; Gond village): first village in India to gain rights over its forest resources under the FRA. Principle 'Mawa Nate Mawa Raj' (our village, our rule); decisions by the Gram Sabha; protects 1,800 hectares: regulated cutting, fire prevention, sustainable bamboo harvesting; revenue used for education and infrastructure.

Worked example

What rights does the Forest Rights Act, 2006 give forest dwellers? (2 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Recognises rights over traditionally used forest land and resources.
2. Allows collecting minor forest produce; ownership of small cultivated patches.

Answer: It recognises eligible communities' rights over the forest land and resources they have traditionally relied on. They may gather minor forest produce (bamboo, honey, medicinal plants), and the small plots they farm can become their own.

Ecological commons

NCERT section Ecological Commons—Shared Resources

Ecological commons = natural resources shared and used collectively by a community: forests, rivers, lakes, grazing lands, air, biodiversity. Not privately owned; often managed by traditional rules. Population growth, industrial use and privatisation are shrinking them.

Bihar fisheries: after Independence inland fisheries were still governed by the Indian Fisheries Act, 1897; landowners controlled water bodies and marginalised fishers. The Bihar Fish Jalkar Management Act, 2006 promoted community-led, cooperative management with public access; fish production has grown steadily.

Traditional water tanks: Chandella and Bundela kings built about 8,000 tanks in Bundelkhand (800-1200 CE); keres (Karnataka), eri tanks (Tamil Nadu), chevuru tanks (Andhra Pradesh, Odisha), ahar pynes (Bihar), and katas (three-sided reservoirs) funded by Gond kings in Gondwana. India has over 15 lakh functional tanks.

Worked example

What are ecological commons, and why are they shrinking? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution

1. Shared natural resources used collectively: forests, rivers, grazing lands.
2. Managed by community rules, not privately owned.
3. Shrinking due to population growth, industrial use, privatisation.

Answer: Ecological commons are natural resources such as forests, rivers, lakes, grazing lands, air and biodiversity that a community shares and uses together, often under traditional rules, rather than owning privately. They are shrinking or degrading because of population growth, industrial use and privatisation.

Life on Earth in real life

Each concept, met in an everyday situation. Read the situation, answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Topics in this chapter

• Biodiversity, Conservation, Forest Livelihoods and Ecological Commons
• Biomes: Terrestrial, Aquatic and the Biome Pyramid

Life on Earth: key facts

Biome types

Terrestrial: forest, grassland, desert, tundra | Aquatic: freshwater, marine

Decided by temperature, precipitation, dominant plants, growth forms.

Rainforest layers (top down)

1. 1.Emergent
2. 2.Upper canopy
3. 3.Understory/lower canopy
4. 4.Forest floor

Biome pyramid

1. 1.Producers
2. 2.Herbivores (primary)
3. 3.Carnivores (secondary)
4. 4.Top predators (tertiary); energy, numbers, biomass fall upward

Energy lost as heat.

Conservation geography

• •Hotspots
• •Ecosystem-based conservation
• •Protected areas
• •Barriers and corridors
• •Human-environment interaction

Hotspots: Himalaya, Western Ghats, North-East, A&N Islands.

Forest movements

Bishnoi (Rajasthan, Amrita Devi) → influenced Chipko (Uttarakhand, women hugged trees)

Laws and schemes

• •Forest Rights Act 2006
• •JFM
• •PESA
• •DAJGUA
• •PM JANMAN
• •PMUY
• •Swadesh Darshan 2.0
• •Bihar Fish Jalkar Act 2006

Mendha Lekha: first village with forest rights under FRA.

Traditional tanks

	Bundelkhand ~8,000 tanks
keres	Karnataka
eri	Tamil Nadu
chevuru	AP, Odisha
ahar pynes	Bihar
katas	Gond kings

Over 15 lakh functional tanks today.

Life on Earth: map work

The places on the official CBSE map list for this chapter. Find each one on an outline map of India and practise marking it.

How the school exam asks Life on Earth

The question patterns to expect, and the method that works for each.

Tricks to remember Life on Earth

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

• Four terrestrial biomes

  'Funny Giraffes Dance Twice': Forest, Grassland, Desert, Tundra.

  Use it when: Listing biomes.

• Hotspots of India

  'HWNA': Himalaya, Western Ghats, North-East, Andaman and Nicobar.

  Use it when: Biodiversity hotspots named in the book.

• Pyramid

  'Plants Help Carnivores Thrive': Producers, Herbivores, Carnivores, Top predators.

  Use it when: Trophic levels.

• Tank names

  Kere-Karnataka (K-K), Eri-Tamil Nadu, Ahar-Bihar (A-B), Kata-Gond kings.

  Use it when: Traditional water structures.

• Mendha Lekha slogan

  'Mawa Nate Mawa Raj' = 'Our village, our rule'.

  Use it when: Community forest management.

Life on Earth: exam-level solved questions

Ordered from exam level to HOTS. Cover the solution, write your own, then compare step by step.

Case-study practice (Section E style)

Read the situation, then answer every part. In a school exam set on the board pattern this is a 4-mark question split into 1 + 1 + 2 marks.

Where the marks are

How a typical answer is split into step marks. Show every step: a right final answer alone rarely earns full marks.

Where students lose marks in Life on Earth

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

• ✗Mistake: Treating biome and ecosystem as the same

  Both describe living communities.

  Wrong working

  A biome is a pond where frogs and fish interact.

  Right working

  A pond is an ecosystem; a biome is a large region with similar climate, such as a desert or rainforest.

  ✓Do this: Biome = big region; ecosystem = neighbourhood.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Calling all deserts hot

  Sahara dominates imagination.

  Wrong working

  Deserts are always hot and sandy.

  Right working

  Deserts are the driest biomes; they may be hot (Sahara) or cold (Gobi); the Rann of Kutch is a salt desert.

  ✓Do this: Dry, not necessarily hot.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Saying energy increases up the pyramid

  Top predators seem 'powerful'.

  Wrong working

  Top predators have the most energy in the pyramid.

  Right working

  Energy, numbers and biomass decrease upward because energy is lost as heat at each level.

  ✓Do this: Base is widest and richest in energy.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Mixing up Bishnoi and Chipko

  Both are tree-protection movements.

  Wrong working

  The Chipko Movement in Rajasthan was led by Amrita Devi.

  Right working

  Amrita Devi led the Bishnoi Movement in Rajasthan; it influenced the Chipko Movement in Uttarakhand.

  ✓Do this: Bishnoi = Rajasthan; Chipko = Uttarakhand.

  Usually costs: 1 mark.

• ✗Mistake: Vague answer on forest dwellers' challenges

  Only poverty is mentioned.

  Wrong working

  Forest people are poor.

  Right working

  Name specific challenges: poor health and education access, fuelwood fumes, conflict between conservation laws and needs, fires and landslides, wildlife conflict, low prices for produce.

  ✓Do this: List at least four specific challenges.

  Usually costs: 2 marks in a 5-mark answer.

NCERT exercise guide: Life on Earth

What each exercise in the NCERT chapter tests, how to approach it, and a question of the same kind solved step by step. Questions here are written in our own words.

Practice questions on Life on Earth

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQExam level

   Which of these is a cold desert?
   (a) Sahara (b) Thar (c) Gobi (d) Rann of Kutch

   Hint

   Asia, cold.

   Answer

   (c) Gobi

2. Q2 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level

   Name two biodiversity hotspots in India mentioned in the chapter.

   Hint

   Mountains and islands.

   Answer

   Any two: Himalaya, Western Ghats, North-East India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

3. Q3 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level

   Which tree is used for Channapatna toys?

   Hint

   Local name 'Aale mara'.

   Answer

   Wrightia tinctoria ('Aale mara').

4. Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder exam level

   Assertion (A): Marine biomes influence the Earth's climate.
   Reason (R): Oceans store and distribute heat.
   Choose (a)-(d).

   Hint

   Is R the cause?

   Answer

   (a) Both true and R explains A.

5. Q5 · 2 marks · Short answerExam level

   What is ecotourism? How is it different from mass tourism? (2 marks)

   Hint

   Impact and community.

   Answer

   Ecotourism is responsible travel to natural areas that keeps environmental impact minimal, respects local communities and supports conservation and local incomes. Mass tourism does not focus on these and can harm ecosystems.

6. Q6 · 2 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

   Explain how wildlife corridors help conservation. (2 marks)

   Hint

   Barriers and gene flow.

   Answer

   Rivers, mountains, roads and settlements can cut habitats apart. Corridors (such as forest bridges over roads) link habitats so animals can move safely and populations can mix, keeping gene flow and reducing roadkill.

7. Q7 · 3 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   If large forest areas keep being destroyed, what could be the long-term effects on climate and people? (3 marks)

   Hint

   Oxygen, climate, livelihoods.

   Answer

   Forests maintain oxygen levels and balance the climate, so large-scale loss could disturb climate patterns and add to warming. Biodiversity in the 'gene bank' would be lost, soils and water sources (some linked to groves) would suffer, and forest-dependent communities would lose food, fuel and income.

8. Q8 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

   How do traditional water tanks show the management of ecological commons? Give two examples. (3 marks)

   Hint

   Collective concern.

   Answer

   In regions of seasonal rain, water was treated as a collective concern and stored in shared tanks. The Chandella and Bundela kings built about 8,000 tanks in Bundelkhand (800-1200 CE), and Gond kings funded three-sided katas in Gondwana (also keres in Karnataka, eri tanks in Tamil Nadu, ahar pynes in Bihar). Communities used and maintained them together.

9. Q9 · 2 marks · Short answerHOTS / competency

   Suppose a GI tag is given to a honey from your district. Explain two benefits for local beekeepers. (2 marks)

   Hint

   Protection and market.

   Answer

   The name is protected, so honey from elsewhere cannot be sold under it, preventing imitation; and the recognised origin builds reputation and exclusive market demand, raising prices and incomes for local beekeepers.

10. Q10 · 5 marks · Long answerHarder exam level

    Describe the roles forest dwellers play, using the chapter's five headings. (5 marks)

    Hint

    Household, income, knowledge, culture, protection.

    Answer

    1. Household needs: they collect firewood, fodder, fruits, roots and medicinal plants. 2. Livelihood: they gather and process NTFPs like tendu leaves, mahua, honey, lac and bamboo for income. 3. Knowledge holders: they pass down knowledge of herbs and forest resources. 4. Cultural role: forests are tied to their rituals and festivals, making them guardians of tradition. 5. Forest protection: they led movements like the Bishnoi Movement (Amrita Devi) and Chipko, and manage forests as communities. Women play a vital role in all of these.

11. Q11 · 1 mark · Very short answerExam level

    Why is the tundra called fragile? (1 mark)

    Hint

    Temperature change.

    Answer

    Because even small changes in temperature can affect its ecosystem.

12. Q12 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder exam level

    Why do numbers of organisms decrease at higher levels of the biome pyramid? Use an example. (3 marks)

    Hint

    Energy loss.

    Answer

    Energy is lost as heat at each trophic level, so each level can support fewer organisms than the one below. A grassland may have vast amounts of grass, many deer, fewer leopards and very few top predators, because each level receives less energy.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

1. 1.What does 'bios' mean?Show answer

   Life (Greek).

2. 2.Why are rainforests called a 'gene bank'?Show answer

   They hold the world's richest store of biodiversity and unique genetic material.

3. 3.What is permafrost?Show answer

   Soil that stays frozen almost all year, as in the tundra.

4. 4.Name one of the world's largest salt deserts, in India.Show answer

   The Rann of Kutch (Gujarat).

5. 5.How much of the Earth's surface do aquatic biomes cover?Show answer

   About three-fourths.

6. 6.Which was India's first planned ecotourism destination?Show answer

   Thenmala in Kollam district, Kerala.

7. 7.How many sacred groves are there in India, as per the book?Show answer

   Over 1,00,000.

8. 8.Which village first got forest rights under the FRA?Show answer

   Mendha Lekha, Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra.

9. 9.What is a GI tag?Show answer

   An intellectual property right showing that a product comes from a specific place whose characteristics give it its quality or reputation.

10. 10.What are katas?Show answer

    Three-sided reservoirs funded by Gond kings in the Gondwana region.

11. 11.What share of India's forest cover is fire-prone according to the FSI figure in the book?Show answer

    About 36 per cent (nearly 4 per cent extremely prone).

Quick revision checklist

The night before the exam: can you do each of these without looking?

• ☐Biome: large region with similar climate, plants and animals; ecosystem: a neighbourhood within it.
• ☐Factors: temperature, precipitation, dominant plants, growth forms.
• ☐Rainforest: between the Tropics; Amazon, Congo, SE Asia; A&N and North-East in India; gene bank; four layers.
• ☐Grassland: moderate rain; prairies, steppes (temperate); savannas (tropical).
• ☐Desert: driest; hot Sahara, cold Gobi; Rann of Kutch salt desert; adapted cacti, camels.
• ☐Tundra: coldest; permafrost; mosses, lichens; reindeer, polar bears; fragile.
• ☐Aquatic: ~3/4 of surface; freshwater and marine; oceans store heat.
• ☐Biome pyramid: producers at base; energy lost as heat at each level.
• ☐Biodiversity: species, genetic and habitat variety; hotspots: Himalaya, Western Ghats, North-East, A&N.
• ☐Conservation: protected areas, corridors, ecosystem-based strategies, local practices.
• ☐Ecotourism: Thenmala; Swadesh Darshan 2.0.
• ☐Forest livelihoods: NTFPs; sacred groves; Bishnoi and Chipko; women's role.
• ☐GI tags: Ramban Sulai honey, Tezpur litchi, Channapatna toys, Kandhamal haldi, Erode manjal, Nilgiri tea, Tripura Queen pineapple, Khasi mandarin.
• ☐Challenges: services, fumes, law-vs-need conflict, fires, wildlife conflict, low prices.
• ☐FRA 2006; JFM; PESA; DAJGUA; PM JANMAN; Mendha Lekha.
• ☐Commons: Bihar Fish Jalkar Act 2006; traditional tanks (keres, eri, ahar pynes, katas).

Life on Earth: frequently asked questions