CBSE - Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

The northern slopes of the hills in Himalayan region are at high altitude and have low temperature or are snow covered. This does not allow much vegetation. In the southern part of the hills there are plains and valleys watered by rivers and with fertile soil and pleasant temperature levels all required for dense growth of vegetation.

The westward facing slopes receive much more rain than the eastward facing slopes and the Western Ghats are considerably wetter than the dry Deccan to the east.

To which one of the following types of vegetation does rubber belong to?
(a) Tundra 

(b) Himalayan 

(c) Tidal 

(d) Tropical Evergreen

ANS (d) Tropical Evergreen

Cinchona trees are found in the areas of rainfall more than:
(a) 100 cm
(b) 70 cm
(c) 50 cm
(d) Less than 50 cm
ANS (a) 100 cm

In which of the following states is the Simplipal bioreserve located?
(a) Punjab
(b) Delhi
(c) Orissa
(d) West Bengal
ANS (c) Orissa

Which one of the following bio-reserves of India is not included in the world network of bioreserve?
(a) Manas
(b) Gulf of Mannar
(c) Sunderbans
(d) Nanda Devi
ANS (a) Manas

All the plants and animals in an area are interdependent on each other. The plants and animals, alongwith their physical environment make the ecosystem. Interrelation between plants and animals in the natural environment is called Ecosystem.

Factors responsible for the distribution of plants and animals in India are:

(a) Relief: Land and soil
(b) Climate: Temperature, Humidity, Photoperiod and Precipitation.

Bio-reserves are the large areas where vegetation, wildlife and the environment are conserved to preserve the biological diversity. In totality there are 14 bio-reserves in India. For e.g. Sunderbans Bio-reserve in West Bengal and Nanda Devi Bio-reserve in Uttaranchal.

Tropical animals: Tiger, Elephant
Montane animals: Snow Leopard, Spotted dear

Flora	Fauna
The Plant species of particular region or period are called Flora.	The animal species of particular region or period are called Fauna.

Tropical Evergreen Forests	Tropical Deciduous Forests
These are also called Rain Forest	These are also called Monsoon Forest.
Since the region is warm and wet throughout the year, there is no definite time for the trees to shed their leaves	The trees shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks in dry summer
Examples: ebony, mahogany, rubber, rosewood	Examples: teak, bamboo, sandalwood, peepal, neem
Common animals found in these forests are elephants and monkeys.	Common animals found in these forests are lions and tigers
Present in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall	Present in areas receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm

The different types of vegetation found in India are:
(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests
(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests
(iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs
(iv) Montane Forests
(v) Mangrove Forests
Alpine vegetation is found at places over 3,600 m in height. The trees common to these are silver fir, junipers, pines and birches. The trees get stunted as they reach the snow line. There are shrubs and scrubs that ultimately merge into Alpine grasslands. Tundra vegetation is limited to lichens and mosses.

Few species of plants and animals are endangered in India because of:
→ Increase in population.
→ Urbanization and Industrialization.
→ Large scale deforestation.
→ Pollution.
→ Hunting for pleasure and commercial purpose, etc.

India has a rich heritage of flora and fauna due to following reasons:
→ India is a diverse country with different relief features (i.e. mountains, plateaus, plains, etc.) Different types of vegetations are found in these regions and the vegetations support different type of animals.
→ Availability of different types of soil providing base for different type of vegetations.
→ Variation in the climatic conditions (Temperature, humidity, etc.). Climate of India differs from north to south and east to west. Thus, supporting large variety of flora and fauna.
→ India has a monsoon type of climate where rainfall varies from 20 cms to 300 cms distributed through out the year supporting large amount of flora and fauna.
→ Variation in the duration of sunlight at different places due to difference in the latitude and altitude.

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

Answer

Mountane Forests 

Assam and Karnataka 

Rann of kucch 

Mangrove Forests 

1. Babool: Leaves are used as a cure for eyesores. Its gum is used a tonic.

2. Neem: It has high antibiotic and antibacterial properties

3. Tulsi Plant: It is used to cure cough and cold.

4. Kanchur: It is used to cure asthma and ulcers. The buds and roots are good for digestive problems. 

1. People are inhabited the areas by clearing the forests  

2. Reckless cutting of forest to bring land under cultivation and for the construction of houses, dames, roads and industries.

3. Pollution due to chemical and industrial wastes and acid deposits.

4. Hunting and poaching activities of human being are also a great threat to the ecosystem. 

1. Two endangered species are Tiger and Rhino.

2. Project tiger was started by the government to save the Tigers. Land is acquired by the government to give them natural habitat.  

3.  Project Rhino was introduced by the government with an objective to save Rhinos.

4. National parks and wild life sanctuaries are set by the government. 

1. Fourteen biosphere reserves have been setup in the country to protect flora fauna. Four out of these, the Sunderban in the west Bengal, Nanda Devi in Uttaranchal, The Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiries have been included in the world network of Biosphere reserves.

2. Financial and technical assistance is provided too many Botanical gardens by government since 1992.

3. Project tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other ecodevelopmental projects has been introduced by the government. 

1. The freezing high altitudes of Ladakh are a home to Yak, the shaggy horned wild ox weighing around tones.

2. The Tibetan antelope, the pharal (blue sheep), wild sheep are found here.

3. The kiang-the Tibetan wild ass is also found in this region.

4. The ibex, bear, snow-leopard and very rare red Panda are found in certain pockets. 

1. The decreasing temperature with increasing attitude leads to the corresponding change in the natural vegetation in mountainous areas.2

2. Such type of natural vegetation belt can be found in tropical tundra region.

3. The wet temperature type of forsts is found in between height of 1000 and 2000 meters.

4. Oaks and chestnuts trees predominant here.

5. Trees like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar are found in temperate forests between 1500 and 3000 meters.

6.     These forests cover mostly the southern slopes of Himalayas.

7. Temperate grasslands are common at higher elevation. 

1. The natural vegetation like thorny trees and bushes are to be found in the regions having less than 70 cm rainfall.

2. Such type of vegetation grows in the north-western part of country including semiarid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, utter Pradesh and Haryana.

3. Acacias, plams, euphorbias and cacti are the main plant species of this region.

4. Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep into the soil in order to get moisture.

5. The stems are succulent to conserve water. To minimize evaporation, leaves are mostly thick and small. These forests give way to thorn forests and scrubs in dry area. 
 

Indigenous Species 

About 47000 

Tulsi 

Arunachal Pradesh 

1. It means a plant community or group of trees grown naturally without any outside interference.

2. It is grown without human help and left undisturbed for a long time.

3. This kind of vegetation is called the virgin vegetation.

4. It may be of two kinds- endemic vegetation and exotic plants. 

1. Temperature makes very important impact on the vegetation.

2. Very hot areas like desert etc., have throne type of vegetation.

3. The cold areas such as the Himalayas have different type of vegetation. In the hilly areas, we may find tropical to sub-tropical and alpine vegetation.

4. Thus, temperature plays very important role in the growth of vegetation. 

1. Biome means plant community occurring in distinct groups in areas having similar climatic conditions.

2. In other words a very large ecosystem on land having different types of flora and founa is termed as biome.

3. The biomes are categorized or identified on the basis of plant species. Thus, there may be many biomes. 

1. The fallen leaves of the trees add humus to soil. Hence, the forests help in increasing the fertility of the soil.

2. Forests assist to check floods. The roots of trees absorb rain water. They regulate the flow water and help in controlling the floods.

3. Forests help in the prevention and control of soil erosion

1. These forests are restricted to torrential rainfall areas of Western Ghats and the island group of Lakshadweep and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu.

2. The areas having more than 200cm of rainfall with a short dry season are the most suitable for such forests.

3. The trees reach great heights up to 60 meters or even above. This area has luxuriant vegetation including tree of all kinds, shrubs and creepers giving it a multi-layered structure as the region remains warm and wet throughout the year. 

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 plant 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, krora, agar, also grow in some parts of the delta.

6.    Royal Bengal Tiger is a famous animal in these forests. Turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes are also found in these forests. 

1. Our country is one of the twelve mega bio-diversity countries of the world.

2. With about 47000 plant species India occupies tenth place in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity.

3. There are about 15000 flowering plants in India which account for 6% in the world’s total number of flowering plants.

4. The country has many non-flowering plants such as ferns, algae and fungi.  

5. India also has approximately 90000 species of animals as well as rich variety of fish in its fresh and marine waters

1. Why are there great variations in the bio forms of India?

(a) Because of vast size

(b) Because of small size

(c) Because of landmass

(d) Because of water bodies

2. What is the rank of India in the world in respect of plant diversity?

(a) 10th

(b) 12th

(c) 5th

(d) 6th

3. At what rank does India stand in the world in respect of number of flowering plants?

(a) 10%

(b) 5%

(c) 6%

(d) 12%

4. Natural vegetation referring to a plant community which has grown naturally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time, is termed as

(a) endemic vegetation

(b) virgin vegetation

(c) natural vegetation

(d) desert vegetation

5. Flora is referred to as

(a) species of animals

(b) species of plants

(c) both (a) and (b)

(d) none of these

6. Why is there a difference in the duration of sunlight at different places?

(a) Due to difference in altitudes

(b) Due to difference in water bodies

(c) Due to difference in longitudes

(d) Due to difference in latitudes

7. What is the duration of south-west monsoon in India?

(a) October to November

(b) December to March

(c) June to September

(d) None of these

8. 'All the plants and animals in an area are interdependent and interrelated to each other in their physical environment.' What is the name given to this interrelationship and interdependence?

(a) Physical environment,

(b) Ecosystem

(c) Biomes

(d) Food chain

9. What is the basis of identifying biomes on the earth?

(a) Animals

(b) Plants

(c) Fish

(d) Buffalo

10. What restricts the Tropical Evergreen Forests?

(a) Temperature

(b) Rainfall

(c) Airpressure

(d) Air current

11. Name the forests in which teak is the most dominant species.

(a) Tropical evergreen forests

(b) Tropical thorn forests and scrubs

(c) Tropical deciduous forests

(d) Mangrove forests

12. In thorn forests and scrubs, why are leaves of trees mostly thick and small?

(a) To maximise evaporation

(b) To minimise evaporation

(c) To reduce moisture

(d) To do nothing

13. In which type of forests does Sundari tree belong?

(a) Tropical evergreen forests

(b) Tropical thorn forests and scrubs

(c) Tropical deciduous forests

(d) Mangrove forests

14. Name the animal which lives in swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal.

(a) Elephants

(b) One horned Rhinoceros

(c) Nilgai

(d) Lion

15. Give an example of biosphere reserve of India.

(a) Corbett Park

(b) Kawal

(c) Pachmari

(d) Guindy

16. What have been set up to take care of natural heritage?

(a) Setting up of National Parks

(b) Setting up of Wildlife Sanctuaries

(c) Setting up of Zoological Gardens

(d) Setting up of all of these

Answers:

1. (a) 2. (a) 3. (a) 4. (b) 5. (a)

6. (d) 7. (c) 8. (b) 9. (b) 10. (b)

11. (c) 12. (b) 13. (d) 14. (b) 15. (c)

16. (d)

Mountane Forests 

Assam and Karnataka 

Rann of kucch