NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE

Introdution​ & few key Terms

Multiple Choice

India has _____ plant species.

• 90,000

• 47,000

• 15,000

• 54,000

• 10,000

Multiple Choice

India also has approximately _____ species of animals.

• 10,000

• 45,000

• 90,000

• 15,000

• 50,000

​Plant and animal diversity in India

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 nonflowering 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.

​India is one of the 12 mega bio-diversity countries of the world. It has 47,000 plant species, making it 10th place in the world and 4th in Asia in plant diversity

​Few terms

​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 also termed as a virgin vegetation. So like Maize is vegitation but not natural vegitation.

​Term flora is used to denote plants of a particular region or period. Similarly, the species of animals are referred to as fauna

​

​

Multiple Choice

Which of the following types of natural vegetation have originally come to India from abroad?

• Rare species

• Endemic species

• Endangered species

• Exotic species

​Indian Plants Vs Foreign Plants

​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.

Factors affecting diversity of Plants ​& Animals

Multiple Choice

The undulating and rough terrains are areas where ______ and _____ develop.

• grassland and woodlands

• conical trees and

  step farms

• agriculture and grassland

• Woodlands and

  Conical trees

• Lush Jungle and

  Forests

​Land

​Land affects the natural vegetation directly and indirectly. The nature of land influences the type of vegetation. The fertile land is generally used for agriculture. The undulating and rough terrains are areas where grassland and woodlands develop and give shelter to a variety of wildlife.

​Soil

​Different types of soils provide basis for different types of vegetation. The sandy soils of the desert support cactus and thorny bushes, while wet, marshy, deltaic soils support mangroves and deltaic vegetation. The hill slopes with some depth of soil have conical trees.

Multiple Choice

Himalayas and the hills of the Peninsula above the height of ____ metres

• 250

• 915

• 900

• 5700

• 11000

Multiple Choice

Himalayas and the hills of the Peninsula above the height of ____ metres

• 250

• 915

• 900

• 5700

• 11000

​Temperature

​The character and extent of vegetation are mainly determined by temperature along with humidity in the air, precipitation and soil. On the slopes of the Himalayas and the hills of the Peninsula above the height of 915 metres, the fall in the temperature affects the types of vegetation and its growth, and changes it from tropical to subtropical temperate and alpine vegetation.

Multiple Choice

Mean annual average temprature of Tropical region is ____

• 10°C to 18°C

• Above 24°C

• Above 18°

• 17°C to 24°C

• Below 7°C

Multiple Choice

Trees grow faster in _____.

• spring

• summer

• Winter

• Autumn

• They all grow at the same rate in all seasons.

​Photoperiod

​The variation in duration of sunlight at different places is due to differences in latitude, altitude, season and duration of the day. Due to longer duration of sunlight, trees grow faster in summer.

​Rainfall

​In India, almost the entire rainfall is brought in by the advancing southwest monsoon (June to September) and retreating northeast monsoons. Areas of heavy rainfall have more dense vegetation as compared to areas of less rainfall

Multiple Choice

Forests are _____ resources and play a major role in enhancing the quality of environment

• renewable

• non renewable

Open Ended

Write any 5 benifits of the forests,

​Benifits of Forests

​Forests are renewable resources and play a major role in enhancing the quality of environment. They modify local climate, control soil erosion, regulate stream flow, support a variety of industries, provide livelihood for many communities and offer panoramic or scenic view for recreation. They control wind force and temperature and cause rains. They provide humus to the soil and shelter to the wildlife.

​Degrading Natural vegitation

​The vegetation cover of India in large parts is no more natural in the real sense. Except in some inaccessible regions, like the Himalayas, the hilly region of central India and the marusthali, the vegetation in most of the areas has been modified at some places, or replaced or degraded by human occupancy.

Multiple Choice

Which state/UT has most forest area by percent?

• Manipur

• Meghayala

• Assam

• Mizoram

• Punjab

TYPES OF VEGETATION​

Open Ended

Name any 3 Types of vegitation

​Types of Vegitation

​The following major types of vegetation may be identified in our country .

(i)Tropical Evergreen Forests

(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests

(iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

(iv) Montane Forests

(v) Mangrove Forests

Multiple Choice

Tamil Nadu coast which Vegitation is found?

• Tropical Evergreen Forests

• Mangrove Forests

• Tropical Thorn Forests

• Montane Forests

• Tropical Deciduous Forests

Open Ended

Name any 2 Trees and any 2 animal species which are found in tropical evergreen forests.

​Tropical Evergreen Forests

It only grows in places where heavy rainfall takes place.​ These places are Western Ghats and the island groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast. They grow best where more that 200CM of rainfall takes place with short dry season. The

​Height of the trees reach up to 60M+, As the weather is warm and wet all year round it supports all kinds of vegitation trees, shrubs and creepers giving it a multilayered structure. There is no definite time for trees to shed their leaves. As such, these forests appear green all the year round

​​Tropical Evergreen Forests

​Some of the commercially important trees of this forest are ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona.

​

​The common animals found in these forests are elephant, monkey, lemur and deer. Onehorned rhinoceroses are found in the jungles of Assam and West Bengal. Besides these animals, plenty of birds, bats, sloth, scorpions and snails are also found in these jungles

Multiple Choice

How much Rainfall do dry deciduous recieve?

• 100CM-200CM

• 1M-15M

• 70CM-100CM

• Less than 5CM

• 150CM+

​Tropical Deciduous Forests

​These are the most widespread forests of India. They are also called the monsoon forests and spread 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. On the basis of the availability of water, these forests are further divided into moist and dry deciduous. In these forests, the common animals found are lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant. A huge variety of birds, lizards, snakes and tortoises are also found here.

​Moist

The moist is found in areas receiving rainfall between 200 and 100 cm and the dry 70cm to 100 cm. These forests exist, therefore, mostly in the eastern part of the country — northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Odisha and Chhattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats. Teak is the most dominant species of this forest. Bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, arjun and mulberry are other commercially important species

​Dry deciduous forests

The dry deciduous forests are found 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. There are open stretches, in which teak, sal, peepal and neem grow. A large part of this region has been cleared for cultivation and some parts are used for grazing​

Multiple Choice

Trees in a Thorn Forest are..

• Tall

• Dense

• Scattered

• None of these

​The Thorn Forests and Scrubs

​In regions with less than 70 cm of rainfall, the natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes. This type of vegetation is found in the north-western part of the country, including semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the main plant species. Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep into the soil in order to get moisture. The stems are succulent to conserve water. Leaves are mostly thick and small to minimise evaporation. These forests give way to thorn forests and scrubs in arid areas

​​The Thorn Forests and Scrubs

​Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep into the soil in order to get moisture. The stems are succulent to conserve water. Leaves are mostly thick and small to minimise evaporation.

In these forests, the common animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.

Open Ended

Decribe the Vegitation, Tribes and Animals found in Montane tribes. (At least 2 each)

​Montane Forests

​In mountainous areas, the decrease in temperature with increasing altitude leads to the corresponding change in natural vegetation. The wet temperate type of forests are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres. Evergreen broad-leaf trees, such as oaks and chestnuts predominate.

​​Montane Forests

​Between 1500 and 3000 metres, temperate forests containing coniferous trees, like pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce and cedar, are found. These forests cover mostly the southern slopes of the Himalayas, places having high altitude in southern and north-east India.

​Montane Forests

​At higher elevations, temperate grasslands are common. At high altitudes, generally, more than 3,600 metres above the sea level, temperate forests and grasslands give way to the Alpine vegetation. Silver fir, junipers, pines and birches are the common trees of these forests. However, they get progressively stunted as they approach the snow-line. Ultimately, through shrubs and scrubs, they merge into the Alpine grasslands. These are used extensively for grazing by nomadic tribes, like the Gujjars and the Bakarwals.

​Montane Forests

​At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of tundra vegetation. The common animals found in these forests are Kashmir stag, spotted dear, wild sheep, jack rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy horn wild ibex, bear and rare red panda, sheep and goats with thick hair.

Multiple Choice

______ is the famous animal in Mangrove forests.

• Lions

• Fishes

• The Great Elephants

• Royal Bengal Tigers

​Mangrove Forests

The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. Mud and silt get accumutated on such coasts. Dense mangroves are the common varieties with roots of the plants submerged under water. The deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Kaveri are covered by such vegetation.

In the GangaBrahmaputra delta, sundari trees are found, which provide durable hard timber. Palm, coconut, keora, agar, etc., also grow in some parts of the delta. Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal in these forests. Turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes are also found in these forests.​

Open Ended

Why is biodiversity necessary and why should it be conserved?

​Answer

​Biodiversity boosts ecosystem productivity where each species, no matter how small, all have an important role to play. Its conservation preserves the ecological diversity and life support systems - water, air and soil. It also preserves the genetic diversity of plants and animals for better growth of species and breeding. 

Multiple Choice

The World Conservation Union’s Red List has named ___medicinal plants

• 2000

• 352

• 500

• 52

• 49

Multiple Choice

it is found only in India.

• Kachnar

• Arjun

• Sarpagandha

• Babool

• Jamun

Multiple Choice

The fresh juice of leaves is a cure for earache. It is also used to regulate blood pressure.

• Kachnar

• Babool

• Tulsi

• Jamun

• Arjun

​Medicanal 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

​​Medicanal Plants

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

Multiple Choice

India has how many species of birds?

• 5000

• 2000

• 1000

• 10000

Multiple Choice

India accounts for __% of the world stock for fishes?

• 10

• 18

• 23

• 12

• 34

​Fauna in India

​India is also rich in its fauna. It has approximately 90,000 animal species. The country has about 2,000 species of birds. They constitute 13% of the world’s total. There are 2,546 species of fish, which account for nearly 12% of the world’s stock. It also shares between 5 and 8 per cent of the world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

​Wild life Habitat

​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 Desert are the habitat for wild ass and camels respectively. Indian bison, nilgai (blue bull), chousingha (four-horned antelope), gazel and different species of deer are some other animals found in India. It also has several species of monkeys.

Multiple Choice

The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the ____ forest in Gujarat

• Vandasa

• Gir

• Sundarbans

• Narmada

​Lions, Tigers & Leopards

India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions. The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the Gir forest in Gujarat. Tigers are found in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal and the Himalayan region. Leopards, too, are members of the cat family. They are important among animals of prey.

Open Ended

Decribe Himalayan fauna. (any 3-4)

​Himalyan fauna

​Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are a home to yak, the shaggy horned wild ox weighing around one tonne, the Tibetan antelope, the bharal (blue sheep), wild sheep, and the kiang (Tibetan wild ass). Furhtermore, the ibex, bear, snow-leopard and rare red panda are found in certain pockets.

Multiple Choice

____is the only representative of a variety of crocodile, found in the world today.

• Aligators

• Crocodiles

• Gharials

• Mararmach

Near Water Fauna

In the rivers, lakes and coastal areas, turtles, crocodiles and gharials are found. The gharials is the only representative of a variety of crocodile, found in the world today.

​Birds

​Bird life in India is colourful. Peacocks, pheasants,ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeons are some of the birds inhabiting the forests and wetlands of the country.

Multiple Choice

____ plant species are endangered.

• 3000

• 1200

• 1300

• 2000

• 2450

​Dangers to Plants and Animals

​About 1,300 plant species are endangered and 20 species are extinct. Quite a few animal species are also endangered and some have become extinct. The main causes for this major threat to nature are hunting by greedy hunters for commercial purposes. Pollution due to chemical and industrial waste, acid deposits, introduction of alien species and reckless cutting of the forests to bring land under cultivation and habitation, are also responsible for the imbalance.

Open Ended

To protect the flora and fauna of the country, the government has taken many steps, List any 3 of them.

​Govt steps to protect it

​i) Eighteen biosphere reserves have been set up in the country to protect flora and fauna.

​ii) Financial and technical assistance is provided to many botanical gardens by the government since 1992.

​iii) Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other eco-developmental projects have been introduced.

​iv) 103 National Parks, 535 Wildlife sanctuaries and Zoological gardens are set up to take care of natural heritage

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