Natural Vegetation of India PDF

# Natural Vegetation of India ## Topics Covered * Tropical evergreen forests * Montane or mountain forests * Deciduous forests * Mangrove forests * Thorn and scrub vegetation * Conservation of forests ## Discussion * What happens to plants when there is no rain? * What happens to plants when the...

# Natural Vegetation of India ## Topics Covered * Tropical evergreen forests * Montane or mountain forests * Deciduous forests * Mangrove forests * Thorn and scrub vegetation * Conservation of forests ## Discussion * What happens to plants when there is no rain? * What happens to plants when there is enough rain and good soil? ## Plants and Vegetation * Places with good soil that get plenty of rain have a lot of plants. * India has several types of natural vegetation because of its varied climate and geography. * Natural vegetation means the plants and trees growing naturally in an area. * They are not planted or grown by people. ## Tropical Evergreen Forests * These forests are green throughout the year. * This is because all the trees do not shed their leaves at the same time. * When some trees shed their leaves, others grow new leaves. * The trees in these forests are tall and very leafy. * Some trees found here are rosewood, ebony, and mahogany. * These dense forests are found in areas with heavy rainfall-the western slopes of the Western Ghats, the hills of north-eastern India, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. ## Deciduous (Monsoon) Forests * Deciduous forests are also called monsoon forests. * They have trees that shed their leaves every year in the dry season. * Teak, sal, mahua, semul, and sandalwood (found in Karnataka) are examples of deciduous trees. * These forests are found in Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. ## Did You Know? * Some of the oldest writings in India were done on the bark of the birch tree and the leaves of the palm trees. ## Thorn and Scrub Vegetation * This vegetation consists mostly of bushes and a few trees like keekar, babul, and date palms. * The plants have long roots, a thick bark, sharp thorns, and small leaves. * They can survive on very little water for many months. * It is found in the desert areas of Rajasthan and the dry areas of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu. ## Montane (Mountain) Forests * Vegetation in the mountains depends on the altitude. * In the snow-covered Himalayan region, there is no vegetation at all. * Between the snowline and about 3,000 meters above sea level, there are small shrubs and flowering plants. * At a lower altitude, there are coniferous forests. * Conifers are tall trees with needle-like leaves and woody cones that contain their seeds. * Chir, deodar, and pine are some conifers which grow here. * These forests are found in the Himalayan region and in parts of the Nilgiris in peninsular India. ## Mangrove Forests * Mangroves are found in the deltas of major rivers. * These forests are dense and the trees have hardwood. * Their roots grow above and below the water. * The Sundari tree is a well-known mangrove tree which grows in the Sundarbans, the mangrove forests found in West Bengal and Bangladesh. * The area is a UNESCO World Heritage site for its plant and animal life. ## Discussion * What would happen if the forests in India were cut to free land for agricultural or other uses? ## Conservation of Forests * India's forest cover has reduced a lot over the years. * This is because trees have been cut down in large numbers for various reasons. * This is called deforestation. * Deforestation leads to many problems: * With no tree roots to hold the soil, it gets washed away with rain and floods. In hilly areas, this causes landslides. * Forests help rain to fall. If they are cut down, the area becomes dry. * Trees keep the air clean by giving out oxygen. With fewer trees, this natural process of cleaning the air does not happen properly. * Many animals, birds, smaller creatures and people lose their homes. In some forests, there may still be plants and animals that we do not know about. These will be lost forever if the forests are cut down. ## Think and Answer * The government is trying to conserve our forests. Why do you think this is so? ## Values and Life Skills * Natural vegetation supports the local animal life-insects, birds, reptiles and mammals. * What happens to them when forests are cut down? ## Remember * Natural vegetation means the plants and trees growing naturally in an area. * India's natural vegetation is varied because of its varied geography and climate. * There are several types of natural vegetation found in India. * We need to conserve forests as they are useful and important in many different ways. ## Glossary * **Conifer:** A tree that sheds its leaves every year during the dry season * **Snowline:** The level on mountains above which snow never melts completely * **Deforestation:** Cutting down or burning the trees in an area.