Natural Vegetation and Wildlife Notes

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NATURAL VEGETATION

AND WILDLIFE
❖ India is one of the 12 mega bio-diversity
countries of the world.

❖ With about 47,000 plant species India


occupies tenth place in the world and fourth
in Asia in plant diversity.

❖ There are about 15,000 flowering plants in


India, which account for 6 per cent in the
world’s total number of flowering plants.

❖ The country has many nonflowering plants,


such as ferns, algae and fungi. India also has
approximately 90,000 species of animals, as
well as, a rich variety of fish in its fresh and
marine waters.
❖ The country has many nonflowering plants,
such as ferns, algae and fungi. India also has
approximately 90,000 species of animals, as
well as, a rich variety of fish in its fresh and
marine waters.
● Natural vegetation- refers to a plant
community, which has grown naturally without
human aid & has been left undisturbed by humans
for a long time.

● This is termed as a virgin vegetation. Thus,


cultivated crops & fruits, orchards form part of
vegetation but not natural vegetation.
DID YOU KNOW?
The virgin vegetation, which
are purely Indian are known
as endemic or indigenous
species but those which have
come from outside India are
termed as exotic plants.
Flora: used to denote plants of a
particular region or period.

Fauna: the species of animals.

India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity


countries of the world.
With about 47,000 plant species India occupies
tenth place in the world and fourth in Asia in
plant diversity.

15,000 flowering plants in India, which account


for 6% in the world’s total number
of flowering plants.
FACTORS AFFECTING
NATURAL VEGETATION
& WILDLIFE
Factors

Relief Climate

Land Temperature

Soil Photoperiod

Precipitation
LAND

1. Land affects natural 2. The nature of land


vegetation directly influences the type of
and indirectly. vegetation.

4. The undulating &


rough terrains are
3. The fertile level is areas where
generally devoted to grassland and
agriculture. woodlands develop
and give shelter to a
variety of wildlife.
SOIL

2. Different types of
1. The soils also vary soils provide a basis
over space. for different types of
vegetation.

3. The sandy soils of


the desert support 4. The hill slopes with
cactus & thorny some depth of soil
bushes, while wet, have conical trees.
marshy, deltaic soils
support mangroves
and deltaic
vegetation.
TEMPERATURE

1. The character &


extent of vegetation
are mainly
determined by
temperature along
with humidity in the
air, precipitation
and soil.
2. On the slopes of
the Himalayas and
the hills of the
Peninsula above the
height of 915 metres,
the fall in the
temperature affects
the types of
vegetation and its
growth.
Temperature Characteristics of the
Vegetation Zones
PHOTOPERIOD (Sunlight)

1. The variation in
duration of sunlight at
different places is due
to differences in
latitude, altitude,
season and duration of
the day.

2. Due to the longer


duration of sunlight,
trees grow faster in
summer.
PRECIPITATION

1. In India, almost the


entire rainfall is
brought in by the
advancing southwest
monsoon (June to
September) and
retreating northeast
monsoons

2. Areas of heavy
rainfall have more
dense vegetation as
compared to areas of
less rainfall.
Have you ever thought as to
why forests are important
for human beings?
IMPORTANCE OF
FOREST
Forests are renewable resources & play a major
role in enhancing the quality of environment.

Modify local climate, control soil erosion, regulate


stream flow, support a variety of industries, provide
livelihood for many communities & offer panoramic
or scenic view for recreation.

Control wind force and temperature & cause


rains.

Provides humus to the soil & shelter to the


wildlife.
India’s natural vegetation has undergone many
changes.

The vegetation cover of India in large parts is no


more natural in the real sense.

Except in some inaccessible regions, the


vegetation in most of the areas has been
modified at some places, or replaced or
degraded by human occupancy.
Ques. How do forests play a productive role?
Explain.

1. Forests modify local climate, control soil erosion and


regulate stream flow.

2. Forests support a variety of industries, provide


livelihood for many communities and offer panoramic
or scenic view for recreation.

3. Forests control wind force and temperature and cause


rainfall.

4. Forests provide humus to the soil and shelter to the


wildlife.

5. Forests help us to keep our environment clean and


pollution free by preventing dust from entering into
the air, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing fresh
oxygen.
TYPES OF NATURAL
VEGETATION
Major types of Vegetation found in India

Tropical
Evergreen
Forests

Tropical
Mangrove
Deciduous
Forests
Forests

Tropical
Montane Thorn
Forests Forests &
Scrubs
According to India State of
Forest Report 2011, the forest
cover in India is 21.05 per cent.
TROPICAL EVERGREEN
FORESTS
These forests are restricted to heavy rainfall
areas of Western Ghats and the island
groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman & Nicobar,
upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast.
● They are at their best in areas having more
than 200 cm of rainfall short dry season.

● The trees reach great heights up to 60


metres or even above.

● It has the vegetation of all kinds i.e trees,


shrubs and creepers giving it a multilayered
structure.

● These forests appear green all the


year-round.

● Commercially Important Trees- ebony,


mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona.

● Animal- elephant, monkey, lemur and deer.


One-horned rhinoceroses found in the
jungles of Assam and West Bengal.
Tropical Evergreen Forest
Maximum Height 60
meters

Emergent Layer

40 metres
Canopy layer

20 metres

Young Trees

5 metres

Shrubs Layer

1.5 metres

Ground Layer
TROPICAL DECIDUOUS
FORESTS
● Most widespread forests of India. They are also
called the monsoon forests.

● Spread over the region receiving rainfall between


200 cm & 70 cm.

● Trees of this forest type shed their leaves for


about 6-8 weeks in dry summer.

● Common Animal- lion, tiger, pig, deer & elephant.

● A huge variety of birds, lizards, snakes and


tortoises are also found here.
On the basis of the availability of water,
these forests are further divided into:

MOIST
DECIDUOUS

DRY
DECIDUOUS
MOIST DECIDUOUS

Found in areas having rainfall between 200 and 100 cm.

These forests exist, therefore, mostly in the eastern part


of the country- northeastern states, along the foothills
of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Odisha and
Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western
Ghats.

Teak is the most dominant species of this forest.

Commercially important species- Bamboos, sal,


shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun & mulberry
are other.
DRY DECIDUOUS

Found in areas having rainfall between 100 cm and 70


cm.

These forests are found in the rainier parts of


the Peninsular plateau and the plains of Bihar
and Uttar Pradesh.

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.
Ques. Distinguish between the moist and dry
deciduous forests.

Moist Deciduous Forests Dry Deciduous Forests

These forests are found in


These are found in areas
areas receiving annual
receiving annual rainfall
rainfall between 70 cm &
between 100 cm & 200 cm.
100 cm.

Trees found in these


There are open stretches
forests are teak, sal,
in which, teak, sal, peepal,
shisham, sandalwood,
neem, etc. grow.
khair and bamboos.

These forests are


These forests are found in
generally found in
the rainer parts of the
Jharkhand, West Odisha,
peninsular plateau and
Chhattisgarh and on the
the plains of U.K, and
eastern slopes of the
Bihar.
Western Ghats.
THE THORN FORESTS
& SCRUBS
● In regions with less than 70 cm of rainfall, the
natural vegetation consists of thorny trees
and bushes.

● Found in: north-western part of the country,


including semi-arid areas of Gujarat,
Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh,
Uttar Pradesh & Haryana.

● Main Species of Trees: Acacias, palms,


euphorbias and cacti.

● Trees are scattered & have long roots


penetrating deep into the soil in order to get
moisture.

● The stems are succulent to conserve water.


❖ Leaves are mostly thick & small to minimise
evaporation.

❖ These forests give way to thorn forests &


scrubs in arid areas.

❖ Common animals- rats, mice, rabbits, fox,


wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.
MONTANE FORESTS
● In mountainous areas, the decrease in
temperature with increasing altitude leads to
the corresponding change in natural
vegetation.

● As such, there is a succession of natural


vegetation belts in the same order as we see
from the tropical to the tundra region.
● The Wet Temperate type of forests are found
between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres.

● Evergreen broadleaf trees- oaks & chestnuts.

● Between 1500 & 3000 mt, temperate forests


containing coniferous trees, like pine, deodar,
silver fir, spruce and cedar, are found.

● Cover mostly the southern slopes of the


Himalayas, places having high altitude in
southern & north-east India.

● At high altitudes, generally, more than 3,600


metres above the sea level, temperate forests
and grasslands give way to the Alpine
vegetation.
● Common trees- Silver fir, junipers, pines and
birches.

● They get progressively stunted as they


approach the snow-line.

● Ultimately, through shrubs and scrubs, they


merge into the Alpine grasslands.

● These are used by nomadic tribes namely


Gujjars and Bakarwals for grazing their cattle.

● At higher altitudes, mosses & lichens form part


of tundra vegetation.

● Common animals found are Kashmir stag,


spotted deer, wild sheep, jack rabbit, Tibetan
antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, etc.
MANGROVE FORESTS
● The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of
coasts influenced by tides.

● Dense mangroves are the common varieties with


roots of the plants submerged under water.

● Deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the


Godavari and the Kaveri are covered by such
vegetation.
In the Ganga Brahmaputra delta, sundari trees are
found, which provide durable hard timber.

Palm, coconut, keora, agar, etc., also grow


in some parts of the delta.

Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal in


these forests.

Turtles, crocodiles, gharials & snakes are


also found in these forests.
MEDICINAL PLANTS
India is known for its herbs and
spices from ancient times. Some
2,000 plants have been described in
Ayurveda and at least 500 are in
regular use.

The World Conservation Union’s


Red List has named 352 medicinal
plants of which 52 are critically
threatened and 49 endangered.
The commonly used plants in India

Sarpagandha: Used to treat blood pressure; it is


found only in India.

Jamun: The juice from ripe fruit is used to prepare


vinegar, which is carminative and diuretic, and has
digestive properties. The powder of the seed is used
for controlling diabetes.

Arjun: The fresh juice of leaves is a cure for


earache. It is also used to regulate blood pressure.

Babool: Leaves are used as a cure for eye sores. Its


gum is used as a tonic.
The commonly used plants in India

Neem: Has high antibiotic and antibacterial


properties.

Tulsi: Is used to cure cough and cold.

Kachnar: Is used to cure asthma and ulcers. The


buds and roots are good for digestive problems.
WILDLIFE
Like its flora, India is also rich in its fauna. It has
approximately 90,000 animal species & 2,000 bird
species.

They constitute 13% of the world’s total.

There are 2,546 species of fish, which account


for nearly 12% of the world’s stock.

It also shares between 5 and 8% of the world’s


amphibians, reptiles and mammals.
Elephants- most majestic animals among the mammals,
found in- hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and
Kerala.

One-horned rhinoceroses- live in swampy & marshy


lands of Assam and West Bengal.

Arid areas of Rann of Kachchh is the habitat for wild


ass whereas the Thar Desert is the habitat for camels.

India is the only country which has both tigers and


lions. The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the Gir
forest in Gujarat.
Wildlife Protection Act was
implemented in 1972 in
India.

The Gir Forest is the last


remaining habitat of the
Asiatic lion.
Other animals found in India: Indian bison, nilgai (blue
bull), chousingha (four-horned antelope), gazel, etc.

It also has several species of monkeys. The Himalayas


harbour a hardy range of animals, which
survive in extreme cold.

Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes- home to yak, the


shaggy horned wild ox weighing around one tonne,
the Tibetan antelope, the bharal (blue sheep), etc.

In the rivers, lakes & coastal areas, turtles, crocodiles


& gharials are found.
Bird life in India is
colourful.

Peacocks, pheasants, ducks,


parakeets, cranes & pigeons
are some of the birds
inhabiting the forests and
wetlands of the country.
THREAT TO WILDLIFE
Every species has an important role in the
ecosystem.

Hence, conservation of flora and fauna is


essential.

About 1,300 plant species are endangered and


20 species are extinct.

Quite a few animal species are also


endangered and some have become extinct.
MAIN CAUSES

Hunting by greedy
hunters for
commercial purposes.

Pollution due to
chemical and
industrial waste.

Rapidly cutting of the


forests for cultivation
and habitation.
MEASURES TAKEN BY
GOVERNMENT
1. 18 biosphere reserves have been set up
in India to protect flora and fauna.

10 out of these, the Sundarbans Nanda Devi, the


Gulf of Mannar,the Nilgiri, Nokrek, Great
Nicobar, Manas, Simlipal, Pachmarhi and
Achanakmar-Amarkantak have been included in
the world network of biosphere reserves.
2. Financial & technical assistance

Assistance has been provided to many


botanical gardens since 1992.

● Kachchh
● Cold Desert
● Seshachalam
● Panna
3. Various projects have been introduced

Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project


Great Indian Bustard & many other
eco-developmental projects.
4. National parks, wildlife sanctuaries,
etc. have been set up.

103 National Parks, 535 Wildlife Sanctuaries


& Zoological gardens are set up to take
care of natural heritage.
All of us must realise the importance
of the natural ecosystem for our own
survival.

It is possible if indiscriminate
destruction of natural environment is
put to an immediate end.
MIGRATORY BIRDS
Some of the wetlands of India are popular with
migratory birds.

During winter, birds, such as Siberian Crane, come in


large numbers. One such place favourable with birds is
the Rann of Kachchh.

At a place where the desert merges with the sea,


flamingo with their brilliant pink plumage come in
thousands to build nest mounds from the salty mud
and raise their young ones.

It is one among many extraordinary


sights in the country.
Ques. Write three steps taken by the government
for the protection and conservation of great
biological diversity of India.

1. Various biosphere reserves have been set up in


various parts of India. For example, the Nilgiri
at Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala, Nanda
Devi in Uttarakhand, etc.

2. About 103 national parks, 535 wildlife


sanctuaries, and zoological gardens have been
set up.

3. The endangered species are being identified


and special efforts are being made to preserve
them. For example: Tiger Project’.

4. Killing of wildlife has been banned and special


forest officers have been appointed.
NCERT QUESTIONS
Ques. What factors are responsible for the distribution of
plants and animals in India?

The huge diversity in flora and fauna kingdom is due to the


following factors:

1. Relief (Land and Soil)

2. Climate (Temperature, Photoperiod [sunlight], and


precipitation).

Ques. What is a bio-reserve? Give two examples.

Bio-reserves is a protected area created for the


conservation of endangered plants and animals in their
natural environment. Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve in the
Nilgiris of Western Ghats and Nanda Devi Biosphere
Reserve in Uttarakhand.
Ques. Distinguish between:
Flora and Fauna

Flora Fauna

Term flora denotes plants of Term fauna denotes species


a particular region or of animals in a particular
period. region.

Example: trees, flowering Example: reptiles, mammals,


and non-flowering plants, amphibians, insects, etc.
scrubs etc.
HOMEWORK
QUESTIONS
1. How much rainfall is being received by the
tropical evergreen forests?

A. 180 cm

B. 150 cm

C. 200 cm

D. 300 cm
2. Find the incorrect option:

A. The soil vary from place to place

B. Different kinds of soils provide basis for


different kinds of vegetation

C. Alluvial soils (wet, marshy soils) of a river


sustain mangrove forests

D. The sandy soils of desert sustain tropical


deciduous forests

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