Natural Vegetation and Wildlife PDF

NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 5 H ave you observed the type of trees, TYPES OF V EGETATION bushes, grasses and birds in the fie...

NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 5 H ave you observed the type of trees, TYPES OF V EGETATION bushes, grasses and birds in the fields and parks in and around your school? The following major types of vegetation may Are they similar or there are variations? India be identified in our country (Figure 5.4). being a vast country you can imagine the (i) Tropical Evergreen Forests types of bio-forms available throughout the (ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests country. (iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs Our country India is one of the 12 mega (iv) Montane Forests bio-diversity countries of the world. With (v) Mangrove Forests 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 non- flowering 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 and has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time. This is termed as a virgin vegetation. Thus, cultivated crops and fruits, orchards form part of vegetation but not natural vegetation. 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. The term flora is used to denote plants of a particular region or period. Similarly, the species of animals are referred to as fauna. Figure 5.1 : Tropical Evergreen Forest NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 39 2024-25 Tropical Evergreen Forests type shed their leaves for about six to eight These forests are restricted to heavy rainfall weeks in dry summer. areas of the Western Ghats and the island On the basis of the availability of water, groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman and these forests are further divided into moist and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu dry deciduous. The former is found in areas coast. They are at their best in areas having receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm. more than 200 cm of rainfall with a short dry These forests exist, therefore, mostly in the season. The trees reach great heights up to 60 eastern part of the country — northeastern metres or even above. Since the region is warm states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, and wet throughout the year, it has a luxuriant Jharkhand, West Odisha and Chhattisgarh, vegetation of all kinds — trees, shrubs and and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. creepers giving it a multilayered structure. There Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. is no definite time for trees to shed their leaves. Bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, As such, these forests appear green all the k u s u m , a r j u n and mulberry are other year round. commercially important species. Some of the commercially important trees The dry deciduous forests are found in areas of this forest are ebony, mahogany, rosewood, having rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm. rubber and cinchona. These forests are found in the rainier parts of The common animals found in these forests the Peninsular plateau and the plains of Bihar are elephant, monkey, lemur and deer. One- and Uttar Pradesh. There are open stretches, horned rhinoceroses are found in the jungles in which teak, sal, peepal and neem grow. A of Assam and West Bengal. Besides these large part of this region has been cleared for animals, plenty of birds, bats, sloth, scorpions cultivation and some parts are used for grazing. and snails are also found in these jungles. In these forests, the common animals found are lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant. A huge Tropical Deciduous Forests variety of birds, lizards, snakes and tortoises These are the most widespread forests of India. are also found here. They are also called the monsoon forests and spread over the region receiving rainfall The Thorn Forests and Scrubs between 200 cm and 70 cm. Trees of this forest In regions with less than 70 cm of rainfall, the natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and Figure 5.2 : Tropical Deciduous Forest Figure 5.3 : Thorn Forests and Scrubs 40 CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I 2024-25  Figure 5.4 : Natural Vegetation Study the given map for the forest cover and try to find the reasons as to why certain states have more forest area as compared to others? NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 41 2024-25 bushes. This type of vegetation is found in the coniferous trees, like pine, deodar, silver fir, north-western part of the country, including spruce and cedar, are found. These forests semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya cover mostly the southern slopes of the Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Himalayas, places having high altitude in Haryana. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti southern and north-east India. At higher are the main plant species. Trees are scattered elevations, temperate grasslands are common. and have long roots penetrating deep into the At high altitudes, generally, more than 3,600 soil in order to get moisture. The stems are metres above the sea level, temperate forests succulent to conserve water. Leaves are mostly and grasslands give way to the Alpine thick and small to minimise evaporation. These vegetation. Silver fir, junipers, pines and forests give way to thorn forests and scrubs in birches are the common trees of these forests. arid areas. However, they get progressively stunted as In these forests, the common animals are they approach the snow-line. Ultimately, rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, through shrubs and scrubs, they merge into horses and camels. the Alpine grasslands. These are used extensively for grazing by nomadic tribes, like Montane Forests the Gujjars and the Bakarwals. At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of In mountainous areas, the decrease in tundra vegetation. temperature with increasing altitude leads to The common animals found in these forests the corresponding change in natural are Kashmir stag, spotted dear, wild sheep, jack vegetation. As such, there is a succession of rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, natural vegetation belts in the same order as squirrels, Shaggy horn wild ibex, bear and rare we see from the tropical to the tundra region. red panda, sheep and goats with thick hair. The wet temperate type of forests are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres. Mangrove Forests Evergreen broad-leaf trees, such as oaks and The mangrove tidal forests are found in the chestnuts predominate. Between 1500 and areas of coasts influenced by tides. Mud and 3000 metres, temperate forests containing silt get accumutated on such coasts. Dense Figure 5.5 : Montane Forests Figure 5.6 : Mangrove Forests 42 CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I 2024-25 mangroves are the common varieties with roots Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal of the plants submerged under water. The in these forests. Turtles, crocodiles, gharials deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, and snakes are also found in these forests. the Godavari and the Kaveri are covered by Let us discuss : What will happen if plants and such vegetation. In the Ganga-Brahmaputra animals disappear from the earth’s surface? Can delta, sundari trees are found, which provide the human beings survive under such a situation? durable hard timber. Palm, coconut, keora, Why is biodiversity necessary and why should it be conserved? agar, etc., also grow in some parts of the delta. 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 are: 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. 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. Identify more medicinal plants in your area. Which plants are used as medicines by local people to cure some diseases? Source : Medicinal Plants by Dr. S.K. Jain, 5th edition 1994, National Book Trust of India The elephants are the most majestic animals among the mammals. They are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and Kerala. One-horned rhinoceroses are the other animals, which live in swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal. Arid areas of the Rann of Kachchh and the Thar Activity Desert are the habitat for wild ass Can you identify the type of forest shown in this picture? and camels respectively. Indian Identify some trees in it. What type of similarity/ bison, nilgai (blue bull), chousingha dissimilarity you notice in this type of vegetation from the one found in your region? (four-horned antelope), gazel and different species of deer are some W ILDLIFE other animals found in India. It also has several species of monkeys. Like its flora, India is also rich in its fauna. It has approximately 90,000 animal species. Wildlife Protection Act was The country has about 2,000 species of birds. implemented in 1972 in India. They constitute 13% of the world’s total. There are 2,546 species of fish, which account for India is the only country in the world that nearly 12% of the world’s stock. It also shares has both tigers and lions. The natural habitat between 5 and 8 per cent of the world’s of the Indian lion is the Gir forest in Gujarat. amphibians, reptiles and mammals. Tigers are found in the forests of Madhya NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 43 2024-25 Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal and In the rivers, lakes and coastal areas, the Himalayan region. Leopards, too, are turtles, crocodiles and gharials are found. The members of the cat family. They are important latter is the only representative of a variety of among animals of prey. crocodile, found in the world today. Bird life in India is colourful. Peacocks, Do you know pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeons are some of the birds inhabiting the The Gir Forest is the last remaining habitat forests and wetlands of the country. of the Asiatic lion. We have selected our crops from a bio-diverse environment, i.e., from the reserve The Himalayas harbour a hardy range of of edible plants. We also experimented and animals, which survive in extreme cold. selected many medicinal plants. The animals Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are a home to were selected from large stock provided by yak, the shaggy horned wild ox weighing nature as milch animal. They also provided us around one tonne, the Tibetan antelope, the draught power, transportation, meat and eggs. bharal (blue sheep), wild sheep, and the kiang The fish provide nutritive food. Many insects (Tibetan wild ass). Furhtermore, the ibex, bear, help in pollination of crops and fruit trees and snow-leopard and rare red panda are found exerting biological control on such insects is in certain pockets. harmful. Every species has a role to play in the Activity (i) Find out from the above newspaper cuttings, the main concern highlighted in the given news items. (ii) Collect more information about various endangered species from newspapers and magazines. (iii) Find out various steps taken by the Indian government to protect them. (iv) Describe how you can contribute to the protection of endangered animals and birds. 44 CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I 2024-25  Dampara Figure 5.7 : Wildlife Reserves NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 45 2024-25 ecosystem. Hence, conservation is essential. As Eighteen Bio-reserves has been mentioned earlier due to excessive exploitation of plant and animal resources by Sundarbans Simlipal human beings, the ecosystem has been Gulf of Mannar Dihang-Dibang disturbed. About 1,300 plant species are Nilgiri Dibru Saikhowa endangered and 20 species are extinct. Quite Nanda Devi Agasthyamalai a few animal species are also endangered and some have become extinct. Nokrek Kangchendzonga The main causes for this major threat to Great Nicobar Pachmarhi nature are hunting by greedy hunters for Manas Achanakmar-Amarkantak commercial purposes. Pollution due to Kachchh Cold Desert chemical and industrial waste, acid deposits, Seshachalam Panna introduction of alien species and reckless cutting of the forests to bring land under cultivation and habitation, are also responsible (ii) Financial and technical assistance is for the imbalance. provided to many botanical gardens by the To protect the flora and fauna of the government since 1992. country, the government has taken many (iii) Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project steps. Great Indian Bustard and many other (i) Eighteen biosphere reserves have been eco-developmental projects have been introduced. set up in the country to protect flora and (iv) 106 National Parks, 573 Wildlife fauna. Twelve out of these, the Sundarbans sanctuaries and Zoological gardens are set Nanda Devi, the Gulf of Mannar, the Nilgiri, up to take care of natural heritage. Nokrek, Great Nicobar, Simlipal, Pachmarhi, Achanakmar-Amarkantak, All of us must realise the importance of the Agasthyamalai, Kangchendzonga and natural ecosystem for our own survival. It is Panna have been included in the world possible if indiscriminate destruction of natural network of biosphere reserves. 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. Is it not a rich natural heritage of ours? 46 CONTEMPORARY INDIA-I 2024-25  EXERCISE 1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below: (i) To which one of the following types of vegetation does rubber belong to? (a) Tundra (c) Himalayan (b) Tidal (d) Tropical Evergreen (ii) Cinchona trees are found in the areas of rainfall more than (a) 100 cm (c) 70 cm (b) 50 cm (d) less than 50 cm (iii) In which of the following state is the Simlipal bio-reserve located? (a) Punjab (b) Delhi (c) Odisha (d) West Bengal (iv) Which one of the following bio-reserves of India is not included in the world network of bioreserve? (a) Manas (c) Gulf of Mannar (b) Nilgiri (d) Panna 2. Answer the following questions briefly. (i) What is a bio-reserve? Give two examples. (ii) Name two animals having habitat in tropical and montane type of vegetation. 3. Distinguish between (i) Flora and Fauna (ii) Tropical Evergreen and Deciduous forests 4. Name different types of Vegetation found in India and describe the vegetation of high altitudes. 5. Quite a few species of plants and animals are endangered in India. Why? 6. Why has India a rich heritage of flora and fauna? Map Skills On an outline map of India, label the following. (i) Areas of Evergreen Forests (ii) Areas of Dry Deciduous Forests (iii) Two national parks each in Northern, Southern, Eastern and Western parts of the Country Project/Activity (i) Find some trees in your neighbourhood having medicinal values. (ii) Find ten occupations getting raw material from forests and wildlife. (iii) Write a poem or paragraph showing the importance of wildlife. (iv) Write the script of a street play giving the importance of tree plantation and try to enact it in your locality. (v) Plant a tree either on your birthday or one of your family member’s birthday. Note the growth of the tree and notice in which season it grows faster. NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE 47 2024-25