地理漫步·世界地理英语30篇（4）

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德干高原：火山地貌影响季风降水与农业格局

The Deccan Plateau covers much of peninsular India and formed from massive volcanic eruptions 66 million years ago.
Its basalt bedrock weathers slowly, creating nutrient-rich black cotton soils ideal for cotton and sorghum cultivation.
Western Ghats intercept monsoon winds, causing heavy rainfall on the windward side and aridity eastward across the plateau.
Rivers like the Krishna and Godavari flow eastward, carving broad valleys through layered lava flows.
Groundwater storage is high in fractured basalt, supporting wells even during prolonged dry seasons.
Laterite caps on elevated ridges indicate past tropical weathering under warmer, wetter climates.
Urban expansion around cities like Hyderabad stresses aquifers faster than natural recharge can replenish them.
Terraced farming on gentle slopes reduces erosion while conserving moisture in semi-arid sub-regions.
Solar radiation intensity here supports large-scale photovoltaic farms built on marginal agricultural land.
Soil degradation from over-cropping and declining organic matter threatens long-term food security across the plateau.