Natural Vegetation and Wild Life of India
Indian Geography
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| Natural Vegetation and Wild Life of India |
Indian Geography is the most important subject for all competitive exams like SSC CGL, SSC CHSL, WBPSC, WBCS, UPSC, RRB exams. Today we will discuss the Natural Vegetation and Wild Life of India.
Natural Vegetation and Wild Life of India
Natural vegetation means to a plant community which has grown normally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by people for a long time.
Types of Natural Vegetations:
- Forests: Which grow where temperature and rainfall are abundant to support a tree cover. Depending upon these factors, dense and open forests are grown.
- Grasslands: Which grow in the region of moderate rain.
- Desert Shrubs: Spiny shrubs and scrubs grow in the dry.
Factors affecting the natural vegetation and wildlife:
- Rainfall & Temperature
- Drainage
- Soil & its fertility
- Slope of land
- Sunshine
FORESTS:
1. Tropical Evergreen Forests:
These forests are also called Tropical Rain forests.
Region: Areas having 200-300 cm or more annual rainfall such as windward side of Western Ghats, North Eastern Hills of India, Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Characteristics: As there is no particular dry season, the trees do not shed their leaves altogether. This is the reason they are called evergreen. Maximum varieties of trees are found. Trees are tall with large trunks.
Important Tress: Rosewood, Shisham, Ebony, Mahogony, etc.
Wildlife: Large variety and most colourful animals are found here.
Monkey, Ape, Hippopotamus, snake, python, Crocodile, etc. Anaconda, world's largest snake is also found in these areas.
2. Tropical Monsoon Forests:
These forests are also called Tropocal Deciduous Forests.
Region: Areas having annual rainfall between 100-200 cm, in Orrisa, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Tamilnadu and Karnataka.
Characteristics: These regions experience seasonal changes. Trees shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water. Forests are not very dense thus; commercial exploitation of these forests is possible.
Important Trees: Sal, Teak, Sandalwood, Myrobiyan, Bamboo etc.
3. Tidal Forests or Mangove Forests:
Thses trees are also called Littoral Forests.
Region: Having annual rainfall above 200 cm, in West Bengal, Orrisa, Andhra Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Island.
Characteristics: Littoral Forests are found along the coasts and river deltas.
Important Trees: Sundari
Wildlife: Animals such as Crocodiles, Snakes, Gharials, Turtles and The Royal Bengal Tigers are found here.
4. Montane Forest:
Region: Easstern and western Himalayas, Nilgiri, Regions of Jammu Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand Tamil Nadu and Kerala.
Characteristics: The temperature and rainfall vary according to the height of the Mountan.
Important Trees: Sal, Pine, Fir, Cedar etc.
Wildlife: Snow Leopards, Spotted deers, Beers, Wild Sheeps are found in Montane Forest.
5. Thorn Forests:
Region: Having annual rainfall between 25 to 80 cm, in Rajasthan, Khair and Babul.
Characteristics: Vast grasslands are present between the trees and bushes.
Important Trees: Khair, Khajuri, Kikar, Neem, Babool.
Wildlife: Camels, Rats, Foxces, Wolves, Tigers, Rabbits, Lions are found here.
Forest Report
- The total forest cover of the country is 7,12,249 sq. km which is 21.67% of the geographical area of the country. The tree cover of the country is estimated as 95,027 sq km which is 2.89% of the geographical area.
- The total Forest and Tree cover of the country is 8,07,276 sq. km which is 24.56% of the geographical area of the country.
- The top five States in terms of increase in forest cover are Karnataka (1,025 sq km), Andhra Pradesh (990 sq km), Kerala (823 sq km), Jammu & Kashmir (371 sq km) and Himachal Pradesh (334 sq km).
- The total forest cover in the tribal districts is 4,22,351 sq km, which is 37.54% of the geographical area of these districts. The current assessment shows a decrease of 741 sq km of forest cover within the RFA/GW in the tribal districts and an increase of 1,922 sq km outside.
- Forest cover in the hill districts of the country is 2, 84,006 sq km, which is 40.30% of the total geographical area of these districts. The current assessment shows an increase of 544 sq km (0.19%) in 140 hill districts of the country.
- Mangrove cover in the country has increased by 54 sq km (1.10%) as compared to the previous assessment.
- Area-wise Madhya Pradesh has the largest forest cover in the country followed by Arunachal Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Maharashtra.
- In terms of forest cover as percentage of total geographical area, the top five States are Mizoram (85.41%), Arunachal Pradesh (79.63%), Meghalaya (76.33%), Manipur (75.46%) and Nagaland (75.31%).
- The total mangrove cover in the country is 4,975 sq km.
- Top three states showing mangrove cover increase are Gujarat (37 sq km) followed by Maharashtra (16 sq km) and Odisha (8 sq km).
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