Natural Vegetation And Wild Life

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The following major types of vegetation may be identified in our country.

1. Tropical Evergreen Forests
2. Tropical Deciduous Forests
3. Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs
4. Montane Forests
5. Mangrove Forests

1. The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. Mud and silt get accumulated on such coasts.
2. Dense mangroves are the common varieties with roots of the plants submerged under water.
3. The deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Kaveri are covered by such vegetation.
4. In the Ganga Brahmaputra delta, Sundari trees are found, which provide durable hard timber.
5. Palm, coconut, keora, agar, also grow in some parts of the delta.
6. Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal in these forests.
7. Turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes are also found in these forests.

1. In mountainous areas, the decrease in temperature with increasing altitude leads to the corresponding change in natural vegetation.
2. These forests cover mostly the southern slopes of the Himalayas, places having high altitude in southern and north-east India.
3. The wet temperate type of forests are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres.
4. Evergreen broad-leaf trees such as oaks and chestnuts predominate.
5. At higher elevations, temperate grasslands are common.
6. At high altitudes, generally more than 3,600 metres above sea-level, temperate forests and grasslands give way to the Alpine vegetation.
7. Silver fir, junipers, pines and birches are the common trees of these forests.
8. The common animals found in these forests are Kashmir stag, spotted dear, wild sheep, jackrabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy horn wild ibex, bear and rare red panda, sheep and goats with thick hair.

These are the most widespread forests of India.

They are also called the monsoon forests and spread over the region receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.

The basis of the availability of water, these forests are further divided into:

Moist:

1. Found in areas receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm.
2. Moist area of the country, mostly in the eastern part of the country, northeastern states, along with the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
3. Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. Bamboos, Sal, Shisham, Sandalwood, khair, Kusum, Arjun, mulberry are other commercially important species.

Dry deciduous forests:

1. Found in areas having rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm.
2. The forests are found in the rainier parts of peninsular plateau and the plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
3. There are open stretches in which Teak, Sal, Peepal, Neem grow. A large part of this region has been cleared for cultivation and some parts are used for grazing.
4. The common animals found are lion, tiger, pig deer and elephant. A huge variety of birds, lizard, snakes and tortoises are also found here.

1. These forests are restricted to heavy rainfall areas of the Western Ghats and the island groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast.
2. 200 cm rainfall.
3. The trees reach great heights up to 60 metres or even above.
4. It has a luxuriant vegetation of all kinds – trees, shrubs, and creepers giving it a multilayered structure.
5. The commercially important trees of this forest are ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona.
6. The common animals found in these forests are elephants, monkey, lemur and deer.

1. Less than 70 cm of rainfall.
2. The natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes.
3. This type of vegetation is found in the north-western part of the country including semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
4. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the main plant species.
5. Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep into the soil in order to get moisture.
6. In these forests, the common animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.