INDIA’S NATURAL VEGETATION & WILDLIFE

THE NATURAL VEGETATION OF OUR COUNTRY

Tropical Rainforests Tropical Deciduous

Forests Torn Forest & Desert

Vegetation Mangrove Forest Mountain Vegetation

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

They are found in warm & wet regions with an annual rainfall of more than 250 cm.

The trees are very tall & form a canopy at the top allowing very little light to reach the ground.

The different species of trees shed their leaves at different periods of a year, which is responsible for the permanent green cover in these forests.

Therefore they are also called Evergreen forest.

TROPICAL RAINFORESTS

They are found in western slopes of Western Ghats, Assam, Meghalaya, parts of West Bengal, Odisha and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

The major species found here includes Ebony, Mahogany, Rosewood, Jamun and Chinchona.

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS

They occur in the regions experiencing 70- 200 cm annual rainfall.

Deciduous trees have a definite leaf shedding period spread over 6-8 weeks each year.

However, the forests are never completely bare as different species shed their leaves at different times.

These forests are of two types: Moist Deciduous (100-200 cm annual rainfall) & Dry Deciduous (70-100 cm annual rainfall).

TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS

These forests are found in the eastern slopes of Western Ghats, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, Tamil Nadu & Uttar Pradesh.

Major species found here are Teek, Sal, Sandalwood, Pipal, Neem, Shisham etc.

THORN FORESTS

They occur in the regions receiving less than 70 cm annual rainfall.

They are also known as desert vegetation. They have needle like leaves, while some plants

have leaves in the form of spines to prevent loss of water.

These forests are found in the states of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Haryana, parts of Madhya Pradesh & central rocky regions of Deccan Plateau.

Major species of plants here are Cactus, Khair, Keekar, Babul, Ber, Date palms & Dhak.

MANGROVE FORESTS

Mangrove forests can survive in both saline & fresh water.

They are found along the tidal belts of deltas. So, they are also known as tidal forests. They are found in the Sundarbans in West

Bengal, Pichavaram in Tamil Nadu, near Chilka in Odisha and in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The Sundari tree is the most common species in the mangrove forests of Sundarbans.

MOUNTAIN FORESTS Lofty mountains like the Himalayas house

different types of vegetation depending on the altitude.

On the lower reaches of the Himalayas, we come across rainforests & deciduous forests.

Between 1500 & 2000 m, we find coniferous forests.

Above 3000 m, alpine grasslands occur. Vegetation starts decreasing drastically

beyond this level & at 4000m only mosses & lichens are found.

SIGNIFICANCE OF FORESTS

Trees inhale carbon dioxide & exhale oxygen. Forests provide habitats for wild animals. Trees moderate the temperature of a place. Trees hold the soil firmly together & prevent

soil erosion. They enable percolation of water into the

ground. Forests help to bring about ecological

balance. They provide forest products like timber, fuel,

wood, gum, honey, medicinal herbs, fruits & nuts, etc.

WILDLIFE The elephant is found in the

forests of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh & the North-East States.

Camel, most of which have now been domesticated, are found in the Thar desert of Rajasthan

Wild asses are found in the marshy Rann of Kutchch in Gujarat.

Tigers are mainly found in the wildlife reserves created by government like Ranthambor National Park of Rajasthan & Kanha National Park of Madhya Pradesh.

One-horned rhinoceroses are found in the Kaziranga National Park.

Blackbuck, spotted deer & nilgais are found in various forests of peninsular India, and in the wildlife sanctuaries of Rajasthan & U.P.

Lions are found in Gir National Park of Gujarat. Wild goats, yak, snow leopard and chiru. Are

found in Leh & Ladakh region of Jammu & Kashmir.

Brown & black bears are found in the Himalayan ranges, while sloth bear is found all over peninsular India.

OTHER ANIMALS FOUND IN INDIA

INDIA IS ALSO RICH IN BIRDS