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ü The
natural vegetation is the vegetation or plant cover in its original state
without significant modifications by man.
ü An
association of plants, predominantly trees, is known as forests or natural
vegetation.
ü The
factors that influence the growth of plants are as follows.
ü Temperature: A
plant reqires at least a monthly average temperature of 60C for its
growth.
ü Plants
do not survive below this limit of temperature.
ü Rainfall: Various types of
plants require varied amount of precipitation.
ü Hygrophilous
plants will grow in damp and humid climate as they require much water.
ü Xerophylous
plants require very little water and as such they grow in dry climate.
ü Soil: The
chemical contents of the soil favour the growth of different plants.
ü Altitude: The factor affects
plant growth as the temperature falls with the rise in the altitude.
ü Plant
species differ with the variation in the elevation.
ü Wind: The areas characterized by violent
winds have fewer trees.
ü Excessive
flow of wind restricts the growth of trees as the rate of transpiration is
increased.
ü Slope: Mountain slopes
function differently on the leeward and the windward sides determining the
types of vegetation on the two sides of a mountain.
ü Sunlight: Sunlight
favors the growth of plants by supplying chlorophyll necessary for the
manufacture of plant food.
ü The
state of Madhya Pradesh had the highest coverage of forests in the country.
ü After
the formation of Chhattisgarh in 2000, however, the new state has got about 44 per
cent of the parent state’s forest resources.
CLASSIFICATION
OF NATURAL VEGATATION:
ü Tropical Evergreen or Rain Forests: These are dense forests of luxuriant growth.
ü They look evergreen as
their trees shed leaves at different times of the year.
ü They
are prevalent in areas where the annual rainfall is over 200 cm and the average
annual humidity exceeds 77 percent.
ü The
annual temperature is 0C to 270C on an average.
ü Mahogany,
bamboo, ivory wood, ebony, rubber trees are the important trees that grow are
in this type of forests.
MAHAGONY |
RUBBER TREE |
ü North-East,
Estern regions of subtropical Himalayas (Terai), western portions of the
Western Ghats, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are well known for the ever
green forests.
ü Littoral
Forests: These are also called Swamp Forests.
ü They
are also called tidal forests.
TIDAL FORESTS |
ü These
occur in and around the tidal creeks and along the deltas of the Rivers Ganga,
Mahanadi, Krishna and Godavari.
ü The
trees, mainly evergreen, have profuse growth and stilt like roots.
ü These
are found in the great Sunder ban delta.
ü Dry Tropical Forests:
These forests
are mostly prevalent in regions with an annual rainfall of 90 to 130 cm.
ü They require a mean annual temperature of 23 0C to 270C
ü The
forests like teak, rosewood, axle wood, babul thorn, kherja, kanju, andd neem
fall under this category.
ROSEWOOD |
ü Riparian Forests: They are common in wet
places particularly along river banks.
RIPARIAN FOREST |
ü These are commonly
present in other
wetlands where rainfalls is less than 50
cm.
ü Neem,
shisham, pipal, babul, tamarind are
common in such regions.
ü Subtropical Broad Leaved Hill Forests:
Such forests are common in the highlands
of Bastar, Pachmari, Palni Hills, Khasi Hills.
ü With
an abundance of evergreen trees, these forests are called Shola forests in
southern India.
ü Montana Wet Temperature Forests:
These types of forests are generally located at a height of 1,800-3,000 m above
sea level.
ü These
are present especially in the hills of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the eastern
Himalayas.
ü These
forests occur in regions with a mean annual temperature of about 110C to 140C.
ü The
required mean annual rainfall of 150 to 300 cm.
ü The
important trees are oaks, magnolia, chilauni, birch, plum, michilus, deodar and
hemlock.
ü Alpine
Forests:
These forests cover the Alpine areas in the Himalayas.
ALPINE FORESTS |
ü These
are at a height of 2,880 m to 3,700m.
ü They
constitute dwarf shrubs of juniper, fir, pine, birch and rhododendrons.
ü On
the northern slopes of the Himalayas, they represent dry, xerophytes’
vegetation.
WILDLIFE
ü The
term ‘wildlife’ refers to the wild undomesticated animals living in their
natural habitats such as forests, grasslands, etc.
India is divided into ecological sub-regions.
They are
·
The Himalayan
Mountain System
·
The Peninsular Indian
Sub-region
·
Tropical evergreen
forest region
· Andaman
and Nicobar Island region
|
THE HIMALAYAN MOUNTAIN SYSTEM
ü This
is again sub divided into three regions.
·
The Himalaya Foothills
·
The Himalayas (high altitude region)
·
Western Himalayas
Peninsular Indian Sub – region
ü This
is considered to be a true home of Indian wildlife with two distinct zones
ü Peninsular
India and its extension into the drainage basin of the Ganges river system
ü Desert
region of Rajasthan.
Tropical Evergreen
Forest Region or Indo - Malayan Sub - region
ü This
is also called Indo-Malayan Sub-region.
ü The
region receives heavy rainfall.
ü This
region is very rich in animals.
ü The
most prominent ones are hollyhock gibbons (only ape found in India), golden
languor, capped languor or leaf monkey, etc.
Andaman and Nicobar
Islands:
ü These
islands houses many species of mammals, reptiles and marine animals.
ü They
constitute about 75 per cent of the total mammals found on these islands.
ü These
islands house rare birds such as Narcondum hornbill, Nicobar pigeon and mega
pod and Mangrove Swamps of Sunderbans.
Wildlife Conservation
Programmes
ü A
number of Wildlife Acts have been made from time to time by the Union and the
state governments.
Indian Board for Wildlife (IBWL):
ü The
Indian Board for Wildlife is the apex advisory body in the field of wildlife
conservation in the country.
ü The
Indian Board for Wildlife is headed by the Prime Minister of India.
WILDLIFE (PROTECTION) ACT, 1972:
ü This
act came into force in the year 1972.
ü This
act is accepted by all states except Jammu and Kashmir which has its own Act.
ü This
act governs wildlife conservation and protection of endangered species.
ü The
act prohibits trade in rare and endangered species.
WILDLIFE INSTITUTE OF INDIA
(WII):
ü The Wild Life Institute of India was established in 1982.
ü Initially this institution worked under the Ministry of
Agriculture.
ü
Later
the institution was brought under the Ministry of Environment and Forest.
CENTRAL ZOO AUTHORITY (CZA):
ü The
Central Zoo Authority was established in the year 1992.
ü The
headquarters are located in New Delhi.
ü This
was established under the provisions of the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972.
ü This
is to upgrade the management of zoos in the country with a view to enhance
their role in conservation.
NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK, NEW DELHI:
ü This
it is spread over 176 acres.
ü This
houses about 1200 animals and birds of 135 species.
ü Project
Tiger was launched in 1973 on the basis of the recommendations of a
special task force of the Indian Board of wildlife to
ü Ensure
maintenance of available population of tiger in India,
ü Preserve
the areas of such biological importance as a national heritage for the benefit,
education and enjoyment of the people.
ü Project Tiger
is a centrally - sponsored scheme.
ü Nagarjunasagar
tiger reserve in Andhra Pradesh is the largest tiger reserve.
ü The
Pench tiger reserve in Maharashtra is the smallest tiger reserve.
ü Bandipur
(Karnataka) tiger reserve is the first tiger reserve (1973 -74) in the country.
WILDLIFE
RESERVES IN INDIA:
ü Balpakram
Wildlife Sanctuary situated in the Garo Hills in Meghalaya houses a variety of
animals but is well known for tigers, elephants and bison.
ü Bandipur
Sanctuary along the Karnataka - Tamilnadu border is the home of wild animals
like tigers, elephants, bears, sambhars, panthers and deer.
ü Corbett
National Park, Utarakhand, has elephants, chitas, sambhars, nilgais and sloth
bear as well.
ü Dudwa
National Park in Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh is well known mainly for its
tiger, nilgai, sambhar and panther population.
ü Ghana
Bird Sanctuary is famous sanctuary of water birds. Siberian cranes, storks,
herons, spoonbills and teals can be seen here. It is located in Bharatpur,
Rajasthan.
ü Hazaribagh
National Park, houses a variety of animals and birds such as leopards, tigers,
samhars and chitas. This is situated in Hazaribagh, Jharkhand.
ü Jaldapara
Sanctuary, West Bengal houses the famous Indian rhinoceros.
ü Kanha
National Park is the home of a variety of species including the panther, tiger,
nilgai, antelope and barking deer. This is located in Madhya Pradesh.
ü Mudumalai
Wildlife Sanctuary located in the Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu is famous for
elephants, deer and pigs.
ü Namdapha
National Park is the home of elephants and tigers. This is located in Tirap,
Arunachal Pradesh.
ü Palamau
is a tiger reserve in Daltenganj, Jharkhand which has many other animals such
as elephants, leopards and panthers.
ü Parkal
in Warangal, Andhra Pradesh is popular for animals like tigers, panthers,
nilgais and chitas.
ü Periyar
Sanctuary is the home of tigers, panthers, elephants, sambhars, gaurs and the
wild boar. It is located in Idukki, Kerala.
ü Ranganthitoo
Bird sanctuary which comprises some islands in River Cauvery, Karnataka is well
known for its many species of birds.
ü Shivpuri
National Park in Shivpuri, Madhya Pradesh houses different species of birds and
animals.
ü Sunderbans,
the tiger sanctuary in Sunderbans, West Bengal, is also the home of the wild
bear, crocodile and deer.
SUNDERBANS |
ü Vedanthangal
bird sanctuary is located in an artificial lake in Tamil Nadu.
ü Wild
Ass Sanctuary in Rann of Kutch, Gujarat is famous for its wild ass. Wolves,
chinkaras and nilgais are also found here.
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