Types and Distribution of Forest
Types of Vegetation
The following major types of vegetation may be divided into:
(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests
(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests
(iii)Tropical Thorn Forests and Shrubs
(iv) Montane Forests
(v)Mangrove Forests
Tropical Evergreen Forest
These forests are concentrated in areas of heavy rainfall. It
is located over the areas of the Western Ghats and the island groups of
Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast.
The natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes where the rainfall is less than 70 cm .
This type of vegetation is concentrated in the north-western part of the country including semiarid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Flora- Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the common plant species. Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep inside to receive moisture.
• The stems are succulent to conserve water. Leaves are thick and small enough to minimize evaporation.
Fauna- The major animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.
In mountainous areas, the decrease in
temperature with increasing altitude results in the change in natural
vegetation. As such, there is a succession of natural vegetation belts as we
move from the tropical to the tundra region.
The wet temperate type of forests are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres. It has evergreen broad-leaf trees such as oaks and chestnuts predominate.
Between 1500 and 3000 metres, it containing coniferous trees like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar.
These forests are scattered over the southern slopes of the Himalayas, places that have high altitude in southern and north-east India. At higher elevations, temperate grasslands are found.
At high altitudes, more than 3,600 metres above sea-level, temperate forests and grasslands are found in Alpine vegetation.
Silver fir, junipers, pines and birches are the major tree species of these forests. At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of tundra vegetation.
The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of
coasts determined by tides. Dens mangroves are the common varieties with aerial
roots submerged under water.The deltas of the
Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Godavari, Krishana, and the Kaveri are covered b such
vegetation. In the Sundarban delta, sundari trees are found.
The following major types of vegetation may be divided into:
(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests
(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests
(iii)Tropical Thorn Forests and Shrubs
(iv) Montane Forests
(v)Mangrove Forests
They are found in areas where the
rainfall is 200 cm of rainfall with a short dry season. The trees reach great
heights up to 60 metres or even above.
Since the region is characterised by warm and wet climate throughout the year. It has a luxuriant vegetation including — trees, shrubs, and creepers giving it a multi-layered structure.
There is no definite time for trees to shed their leaves. As a result, these forests appear green all the year round, hence, they are called evergreen
Some of the important trees of this forest are ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona.
In fauna the common animals are elephants, monkey, lemur and deer.
These are the most commonly found forests of India. They are also called the monsoon forests and concentrated over the region receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.
Trees of this forest-type shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks in dry summer season. On the basis of the availability of moisture, these forests are further divided into moist and dry deciduous.
The former is found in areas receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm.
These forests are found mostly in the eastern part of the country — northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
Since the region is characterised by warm and wet climate throughout the year. It has a luxuriant vegetation including — trees, shrubs, and creepers giving it a multi-layered structure.
There is no definite time for trees to shed their leaves. As a result, these forests appear green all the year round, hence, they are called evergreen
Some of the important trees of this forest are ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona.
In fauna the common animals are elephants, monkey, lemur and deer.
These are the most commonly found forests of India. They are also called the monsoon forests and concentrated over the region receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.
Trees of this forest-type shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks in dry summer season. On the basis of the availability of moisture, these forests are further divided into moist and dry deciduous.
The former is found in areas receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm.
These forests are found mostly in the eastern part of the country — northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
Tropical Deciduous Forest
The dry deciduous forests are scattered 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. Example- Peepal, Neem grow.
Flora- Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. Bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun, mulberry are other commercially important species.
The dry deciduous forests are scattered 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. Example- Peepal, Neem grow.
Thorn forest and Shrubs
The natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes where the rainfall is less than 70 cm .
This type of vegetation is concentrated in the north-western part of the country including semiarid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.
Flora- Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the common plant species. Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep inside to receive moisture.
• The stems are succulent to conserve water. Leaves are thick and small enough to minimize evaporation.
Fauna- The major animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.
Mountain Forest
The wet temperate type of forests are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres. It has evergreen broad-leaf trees such as oaks and chestnuts predominate.
Between 1500 and 3000 metres, it containing coniferous trees like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar.
These forests are scattered over the southern slopes of the Himalayas, places that have high altitude in southern and north-east India. At higher elevations, temperate grasslands are found.
At high altitudes, more than 3,600 metres above sea-level, temperate forests and grasslands are found in Alpine vegetation.
Silver fir, junipers, pines and birches are the major tree species of these forests. At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of tundra vegetation.
Royal Bengal Tiger is
the famous animal of these forests. Turtles, crocodiles and snakes are als
found here.
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