INDIA –NATURAL
VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE
The grasses, shrubs and trees, which grow on their own
without interference or help from human beings are called
natural
vegetation.
Different types of natural vegetation are dependent on
different
climatic conditions, among which the amount of rainfall is
very important.
Due to varied climatic conditions, India has a wide range of
natural vegetation.
Vegetation of India can be divided into five types – Tropical
evergreen forest, Tropical deciduous forest, Thorny bushes
,Mountain vegetation and Mangrove.
Tropical Rain Forests occur in the areas which receive
heavy rainfall. They are so dense that sunlight doesn’t
reach the ground.
Many species of trees are found in these forests,which
shed their leaves at different times of the year. As a
result, they always appear green and are called
evergreen forest.
Important trees found in these forests are mahogany,
ebony and rosewood.
Tropical Deciduous Forest
These forests are also called monsoon forests. They are less
dense. They shed their leaves at a particular time of the year.
Important trees of these forests are Sal, teak, peepal, neem
and shisham.
They are found in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Orissa, and in parts of Maharashtra.
THORNY BUSHES
This type of vegetation is found in dry areas of the country.
The leaves are in the form of spines to reduce the loss of
water.
Cactus, khair, babool, keekar are important and are found in
the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Eastern slopes of
Western Ghats and Gujarat.
Mountain Vegetation
A wide range of species is found in the mountains
according to the variation in height. With increase in
height, the temperature falls.
At a height between 1500 meters and 2500 meters most
of the trees are conical in shape. These trees are called
coniferous trees.
Chir, Pine and Deodar are important trees of these
forests.
These forests can survive in saline water. They are found
mainly in Sunderbans in West Bengal and in the
Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Sundari is a well-known species of trees in mangrove
forests after which Sunderbans have been named
Forests are home to a variety of wild life. There are thousands
of species of animals and a large variety of reptiles,
amphibians, mammals, birds, insects and worms which dwell
in the forest.
The tiger is our national animal. It is found in various parts of
the country. Gir forest in Gujarat is the home of Asiatic lions.
Elephants and one-horned rhinoceroses roam in the forests of
Assam. Elephants are also found in Kerala and Karnataka.
Camels and wild asses are found in the Great Indian desert
and the Rann of Kuchchh. Wild goats, snow leopards,
bears, etc. are found in the Himalayan region. Many other
animals are found in our country such as monkey, wolf, jackal,
nilgai, cheetal, etc.
India is equally rich in bird life. The peacock is our national
bird. Other birds are parrots, pigeons, mynah, geese, bulbul
and ducks. There are several bird sanctuaries which have
been created to give birds their natural habitat.
Question and Answer
Ques1> Name the major type of forest found in
India.
Ans1.> The major type of forest found in India are
• Tropical Rainforests
• Tropical Deciduous Forests
• Desert vegetation
• Mountain vegetation
• Mangrove forests
Ques2.> Why are the tropical rainforests called
evergreen forest ?
Ans2.> The tropical rainforest called evergreen forest
because they are found in areas with more than 200
cm of annual rainfall and a short dry season. They shed
their leaves at different times of the year hence they
appear evergreen.
Ques3.>What are the products obtained from the
forests?
Ans3.>We get variety of products from forests. Wood
,used either as timber or firewood ,is the most important
product . Other products include lac ,resin ,gum
,cellulose ,fodder , tendu leaves and medicinal herbs.
Ques4.> What is the signifance of national parks in
India?
Ans4.> Animals and birds are our national heritage and
must be protected. Thus, a number of national parks,
wildlife and bird sanctuaries have been set up in
different parts of India
Ques5.> why does India have a large variety of
forest?
Ans5.> India have a large variety of forest
because of two factors
1.The variation in the amount of rainfall
2.Variation in landform features
Ques6.>How are forest in the Himalayas classified
ans6.> forest in the Himalayas are classified as
1. Tropical deciduous forest-The Shiwaliks or the foothills of
the Himalayas are covered with tropical deciduous forest in
which Sal is the most important tree.
2. Evergreen Trees-In the subtropical hills vegetation , board
leaved evergreen trees, such as oak, chestnuts and chir are
found.
3. Coniferous Forest- At higher altitude there is a belt of
coniferous forest, in which pine ,cedar , silver fur , deodar
and spruce are the main trees.
4. Alpine Grasses- At the height of about 3500m and above
shrubs and grasses of alpine variety are found.
Ques7.>What is the importance of forests?
Ans7.>We get variety of products from forests. Wood
,used either as timber or firewood ,is the most
important product . Other products include lac ,resin
,gum ,cellulose ,fodder , tendu leaves and medicinal
herbs.
The forest play an important role in our economy
Forest also perform certain other important functions
such as ,regulating air currents , moderating floods ,
preventing soil erosion , conserving soil moisture and
increasing soil fertility .
Ques8.> Distinguish between a national park and
wildlife sanctuary.
Ans8.> A national park is a reserved area meant for
preserving not only wildlife, but also the natural
vegetation and the natural beauty.
A wildlife sanctuary is a reserved area meant for the
preservation and development of endangered
species.
Ques9.>Why most of the tropical rainforest
cannot be exploited for commercial use?
Ans9.>the tropical rainforest cannot be
exploited for commercial use because the
commercial use of these hardwood tree is
difficult as a large number of tree species are
found together at one place.
Ques10.>Do you think public awareness is a must
for conserving wildlife
Ans10.> yes, public awareness is must for
conserving wildlife because the decline of wildlife
has been due to reckless killing of animals by man
for person enjoyment and gain . This is serious
threat that calls for urgent measures to protect our
wildlife.