Chapter 5 - Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

India is a vast country having different types of bio-forms and is ranked the 12th mega biodiversity country in the world. The country has many plant species, flowering plants, nonflowering plants, species of animals, and a rich variety of fish in its fresh and marine waters. In Vidyakul CBSE Notes Class 9 Geography Chapter 5, you will learn about the Natural Vegetation and Wildlife of India. Go through these notes and explore them in detail.

Natural vegetation

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 termed virgin vegetation.

The term flora is used to denote plants of a particular region or period. The species of animals are referred to as fauna. This huge diversity in flora and fauna kingdom is due to the following factors:

1) Relief

Land

Land affects natural vegetation directly and indirectly.

The fertile level is generally devoted to 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 a 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 soil at the hill slopes has conical trees.

2) Climate

Temperature

The character and extent of vegetation are mainly determined by temperature along with humidity in the air, precipitation, and soil. The fall in the temperature affects the vegetation and its growth.

Photoperiod (Sunlight)

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

Precipitation

Areas of heavy rainfall have more dense vegetation as compared to areas of less rainfall.

Types of Vegetation

In India, the following major types of vegetation are found:

Tropical Evergreen Forests

Tropical Deciduous Forests

Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

Montane Forests

Mangrove Forests

Let’s study them in detail.

Tropical Evergreen Forests

These forests are present in the Western Ghats and the island groups of Lakshadweep, Andaman, and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast.

These forests grow best in areas having rainfall of more than 200 cm with a short dry season.

The trees reach great heights up to 60 meters or even above.

It has vegetation of all kinds i.e trees, shrubs, and creepers giving it a multilayered structure.

These forests appear green all the year-round.

Important trees of this forest are ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber, and cinchona.

Common animals found in these forests are elephants, monkeys, lemurs, and deer.

Tropical Deciduous Forests

These forests are also called monsoon forests.

They are spread over the region having rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm.

They shed their leaves for about 6 to 8 weeks in the dry summer.

In these forests, the common animals found are lions, tigers, pigs, deer, and elephants.

These forests are further divided into

Moist deciduous: These are found in areas having rainfall between 200 and 100 cm. 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: These are found in areas having rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm. There are open stretches, in which teak, sal, peepal, and neem grow.

The Thorn Forests and Scrubs

The natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes. This type of vegetation is found in the northwestern part of the country, including semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana.

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

The stems are moist to conserve water.

Leaves are mostly thick and small to minimize evaporation.

Acacias, palms, euphorbias, and cacti are the main plant species.

Common animals are rats, mice, rabbits, foxes, wolves, tigers, lions, wild donkeys, horses, and camels.

Montane Forests

Montane forests are forests that are found in the mountains.

The wet temperate type of forests are found between a height of 1000 and 2000 meters.

At high altitudes, generally, more than 3,600 meters above sea level, temperate forests and grasslands give way to the Alpine vegetation.

Alpine grasslands are used for grazing.

At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of tundra vegetation.

The common animals found are Kashmir stag, spotted deer, wild sheep, jackrabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, shaggy horn wild ibex, bear, and rare red panda, sheep, and goats.

Mangrove Forests

Mangroves are trees that live along tropical coastlines, rooted in salty sediments, often underwater.

The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. Mud and silt get accumulated on such coasts.

Dense mangroves are the common varieties with roots of plants submerged underwater.

Sundari trees are found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta and provide hard timber.

Royal Bengal Tiger is a famous animal in these forests.

Wildlife

Elephants are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka, and Kerala.

One-horned rhinoceroses are found in Assam and West Bengal.

Rann of Kachchh is the habitat for wild donkeys whereas the Thar Desert is the habitat for camels.

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.

Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are home to yak, the shaggy horned wild ox, the Tibetan antelope, the bharal (blue sheep), wild sheep, and the kiang (Tibetan wild donkey).

In the rivers, lakes, and coastal areas, turtles, crocodiles, and gharials are found.

Peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes, and pigeons are some of the birds inhabiting the forests and wetlands of the country.

Cause of Major Threat to flora and fauna

Every species has an important role in the ecosystem. Hence, the conservation of flora and fauna is essential. About 1,300 plant species are endangered and 20 species are extinct. The main causes of this major threat to nature are:

Hunting for commercial purposes

Pollution due to chemical and industrial waste

Rapidly cutting of the forests for cultivation and habitation

Government Initiative to Protect Flora and Fauna

The government has taken many steps to protect the flora and fauna of our country.

18 biosphere reserves have been set up in India to protect flora and fauna. 10 out of these have been included in the world network of biosphere reserves.

Financial and technical assistance has been provided to many botanical gardens by the government since 1992.

Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard, and many other eco-developmental projects have been introduced by the government.

103 National Parks, 535 Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Zoological gardens are set up to take care of natural heritage.

But the life history of the poor pastoralists was different. In times of war and famine, they lost nearly everything. They had to go looking for work in the towns. Some used to work as charcoal burners, and some did odd jobs to earn their living.

The social changes in Maasai society occurred at two levels. First, the traditional difference based on age, between the elders and warriors, was disturbed, though it did not break down entirely. Second, a new distinction between the wealthy and poor pastoralists developed.

Conclusion

Pastoral communities in different parts of the world are affected in different ways by changes in the modern world. Their pattern of movement was affected by new laws and new borders. Pastoralists find it difficult to move in search of pastures and grazing becomes difficult. During the time of drought, cattle die in large numbers. Yet, pastoralists do adapt to new times. They change the paths of their annual movement, reduce their cattle numbers, press for rights to enter new areas and exert political pressure on the government.

Exercise

1. Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below:

(i) Which of the following types of vegetation does rubber belong to?

(a) Tundra, (b) Himalayan, (c) Tidal, (d) Tropical Evergreen

Answer: (d) Tropical Evergreen

(ii) Cinchona trees are found in areas of rainfall more than

(a) 100 cm, (b) 70 cm, (c) 50 cm, (d) less than 50 cm

Answer: (a) 100 cm

(iii) In which of the following state is the Simlipal bio-reserve located?

(a) Punjab, (b) Delhi, (c) Odisha, (d) West Bengal

Answer: (c) Odisha

(iv) Which one of the following bio-reserves of India is not included in the world network of bio reserves?

(a) Manas, (b) Gulf of Mannar, (c) Nilgiri, (d) Nanda Devi

Answer: (a) Manas

2. Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) What factors are responsible for the distribution of plants and animals in India?

Answer: Climatic conditions:

Temperature

Humidity

Photoperiod

Precipitation

Relief:

Land

Soil

(ii) What is a bio-reserve? Give two examples.

Answer: Bio-reserves are protected areas. This is done to protect natural vegetation, wildlife, and the environment.

Examples:

Sunderbans

Gulf of Mannar

(iii) Name two animals having habitats in the tropical and montane types of vegetation.

Answer: Tropical: Tiger, Elephant.

Montane: Snow Leopard

3. Distinguish between

(i) Flora and Fauna

Answer: The plant species of a particular region is called flora, and the animal species of a particular region is called fauna.

(ii) Tropical evergreen and deciduous forests

Answer: Tropical Evergreen Forests:

They are called rainforests.

No definite time for trees to shed leaves.

Rainfall is more than 200 cm.

Tropical Deciduous Forests:

They are called monsoon forests.

Trees shed leaves for about six to eight weeks in the dry summer.

The rainfall range is between 200 cm to 70 cm.

4. Name different types of vegetation found in India and describe the vegetation of high altitudes.

Answer: The different types of vegetation found in India are listed below:

Tropical evergreen forests

Tropical deciduous forests

Tropical thorn forests and scrubs

Montane forests

Mangrove forests

The characteristics of vegetation in high altitudes are as follows:

Alpine vegetation is found in altitudes above 3600 m.

Trees in these areas are junipers, birches, and pines.

5. Several species of plants and animals are endangered in India. Why?

Answer: The reasons are as follows:

Increasing population

Pollution

Deforestation

Hunting by poachers.

6. Why has India a rich heritage of flora and fauna?

Answer:

India is a country with diverse relief features

Availability of different types of soil

Variation in climatic conditions

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is ‘Virgin vegetation’?

Virgin vegetation is also known as natural vegetation. Hence the vegetation which has been grown naturally without human help is called virgin vegetation.

What are ‘Monsoon forests’?

Monsoon forests are open deciduous or partially deciduous forests of tropical regions that develop in areas with alternating seasons of heavy rainfall and prolonged drought.

What are ‘Montane forests’?

Montane ecosystems refer to any ecosystem found in mountains. Dense forests are common in areas of moderate elevations.