(i) The Black soils are black in colour.
These are also known as regur soils.
This soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan Plateau. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh and extend in a south-east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.
Black soil is ideal for growing cotton.

(ii) Alluvial soil is found in the eastern coastal plan is particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.
Three main features of this type of soil are as follows :

·         The alluvial soil consists of various proportions of sand, silt, and clay.

·         These soils are very fertile. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated.

·         These soils contain an adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid, and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat, and other cereal and pulse crops.

(iii) The soil erosion in the hilly areas can be controlled by taking steps as mentioned below :

·         Contour ploughing: Ploughing along the contour lines can decelerate the flow of water down the slopes. This is called contour ploughing.

·         Terrace cultivation: Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion.

·         Strip cropping: Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. This breaks up the force of the wind. This is strip cropping.

(iv) Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere and have life such as human beings, flora, and fauna, fisheries, livestock, e.g., forests and animals are biotic resources.

Abiotic resources consist of all those things which are composed of non-living things. e.g., rocks and metals. Land, water, and soil are also abiotic resources.