9 GEO. CH.

5 – NATURAL VEGETATION & WILD LIFE

Q1. What is natural vegetation. Distinguish between Flora & Fauna.
A1. It refers to a plant community which has grown naturally without human aid & has been
left undisturbed by humans for a long time. It is also known as virgin vegetation.
Difference between flora & fauna is: -
a. The term flora is used to denote plants of a particular area or period, whereas the
species of animals are referred as fauna.
b. Flora remains at one place whereas the fauna moves from one place to another.
c. India has about 47,000 plant species whereas there are 90,000 species of animals are
there.
Q2. Why are forests important for human beings?
A2. Their importance is: -
a. They modify local climate, control floods & prevent soil erosion.
b. They also control wind force & temperature & increase rainfall.
c. Trees provide humus to the soil & shelter to wildlife.
d. They provide raw materials to industries.
e. They enhance the quality of environment.
f. They provide livelihood for many communities.
Q3. How do relief & climate affect flora & fauna?
A3. They affect in the following ways: -
a. RELIEF:
1. LAND: The nature of land influences the types of vegetation. The fertile land is
generally devoted to agriculture. The undulating & rough terrains are the areas where
grasslands & woodlands develop & give shelter to a variety of wildlife.
2. SOIL: Different types of soil provide basis for different types of vegetation. The sandy
soils of the desert support cactus & thorny bushes while wet, marshy, deltaic soils
support mangroves & deltaic vegetation. The hill slopes with some depth of soil have
conical trees.
b. CLIMATE:
1. TEMPERATURE: On the slopes of the Himalayas & the hills of the peninsula above
the height of 915 meters, the fall in temperature affects the types of vegetations & their
growth & changes them from tropical to sub – tropical temperate & alpine vegetations.
2. PHOTOPERIOD(SUNLIGHT): The variation in duration of sunlight at different
places is due to differences in latitude, altitude, seasons & duration of the day. Due to
longer duration of sunlight, trees grow faster in summer.
3. PRECIPITATION: Areas of heavy rainfall have more dense vegetation as compared
to other areas of less rainfall.
Q4. Why is natural vegetation in India disappearing rapidly?
A4. The reasons are: -
a. Growing demand for cultivation requires more land for which forests are cleared.
b. Development of industries requires more transportation, raw materials for which
forests are cut down.
c. To extract minerals forests are cleared.
d. Increasing urbanization & over – grazing of pastures have also led to deforestation
process in India.
e. Over – grazing of pastures leads to land deterioration & decreasing forest cover.
Q5. What is an Eco system? How do human beings influence the ecology of a region?
A5. It is a system which comprises the physical environment & the organisms living therein.
Human beings influence the ecology in the following ways: -
a. They overutilize the vegetation & wildlife.
b. They cut the trees & kill animals creating ecological imbalance.
c. As a result, some plants & animals have reached to the verge of extinction.
Q6. Distinguish between Tropical Evergreen forests & Tropical Deciduous forests.
A6.
TROPICAL EVERGREEN FORESTS TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FORESTS
a. They grow in areas of heavy 1. They grow in areas receiving rainfall
rainfall, i.e., 200 cm & above. between 200 & 70 cm.
b. These forests have a variety of 2. These forests are divided into Dry
vegetation such as tall trees, deciduous & moist deciduous
creepers, bushes etc. forests.
c. There is no definite time for trees to 3. The trees shed their leaves for about
shed their leaves. 6 to 8 weeks in dry summer.
d. Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber 4. Teak, bamboo, Sal, shisham,
& cinchona are the important trees sandalwood, khair, Kusum, arjun,
of these forests. peepal & neem are the important
trees of these forests.
e. Common animals found in these 5. Common animal found in these
forests are elephants, monkeys, forests are lion, tiger, deer &
lemur, deer & one horned elephant.
rhinoceros.
f. These forests are found in Western 6. These forests are found in Eastern
Ghats, Lakshadweep, Andaman & India like North-eastern states,
Nico bar, upper parts of Assam, foothills of Himalayas, Jharkhand,
Tamil Nādu coast etc. U.P., M.P., Odisha, Chhattisgarh,
Bihar etc.
Q7. Distinguish between Moist Deciduous forests & Dry Deciduous forests.
A7.
MOIST DECIDUOUS FORESTS DRY DECIDUOUS FORESTS
a. They are found in areas having rainfall 1. They are found in areas having
between 200cm – 100cm. rainfall between 100cm – 70cm.
b. They are found in Eastern, North – 2. They are found in the rainier
Eastern states, Western Odisha, peninsular plateau & the plains of
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Foothills of Bihar & U.P.
the Himalayas etc.
c. The important trees found in these 3. The important trees found in these
areas are Bamboo, Sal, Shisham, regions are Teak, Sal, Peepal, Neem
Sandalwood, Khair, Kusum, Arjun etc. etc.
d. These forests are not much cleared. 4. Large areas of these forests have
been cleared for cultivation &
grazing purpose.
e. They cover about 34% of India’s forest 5. They cover about 30% of India’s
area. forest area.

Q8. How are Thorn Forest different from Mangrove Forest.

A8.
THORN FOREST MANGROVE FOREST
a. These are found in areas with annual 1. These are found in delta regions of
rainfall less than 70cm. rivers & are not dependent on the
amount of rainfall.
b. Babool, Kikar, Palm, Cactus & 2. Sundari, Palm, Coconut, Keora &
Acacia are found there. Agar are found there.
c. They lack moisture. 3. They have adequate moisture as
these are submerged under water.
d. These are found in Rajasthan, 4. These are found in the coastal delta
Northern part of Gujarat & some regions of Eastern India.
areas of U.P., Haryana & Deccan
plateau.
Q9. Describe the features of Mountain forests.
A9. The features are:
a. Due to decreasing temperature & increasing heights, they have different types of
vegetation.
b. These forests cover mostly the Southern slopes of the Himalayas, & places having high
altitude.
c. At higher altitudes, Alpine grasslands are found.
d. At more higher altitudes, mosses & lichens are found.
e. The animals found are Kashmiri Stag, Spotted Deer, Yak, Snow leopard, Red Panda
etc.
Q10. ‘The Himalayas harbour a hardy range of animals, which survive in extreme cold.’
Explain.
A10. a. Ladakh’s freezing high altitudes are a home to Yak, the shaggy horned wild ox.
b. Some other animals like the Tibetan Antelope, the Bharal i.e., blue sheep, Wild
Sheep, & the Kiang are also found.
c. The Ibex, Bear, Snow – Leopard & very rare Red Panda are found in certain areas.
Q11. What is Bio – reserves? Describe its importance.
A11. The areas where plant & animal species are protected so that this natural heritage can be
transmitted to future generations.
IMPORTANCE:
a. In its multiple land use is allowed by designating different zones.
b. Lots of wild population as well as tribal people & varied domesticated plants &
animal genetic resources are protected.
c. The reserves not only aim at conserving all forms of life but also supervises &
evaluates the changes in the ecosystem.
Q12. Quite a few species of plants & animals are endangered in India. Why?
A12. About 1300 plant species are endangered & 20 species are extinct.
The reasons for it are:
a. Hunting by greedy hunters for commercial purposes.
b. Pollution due to chemical & industrial wastes, & acid deposits.
c. Increasing population.
d. Reckless cutting of plants & trees.
e. Introduction of alien species causing imbalance in the ecosystem.

MAP WORK:
1. Vegetation Type: Tropical Evergreen Forest, Tropical Deciduous Forest, Thorn
Forest, Montane Forest, Mangrove Forest – for Identification only.
2. National parks: Corbett, Kaziranga, Ranthambore, Shivpuri, Kanha, Simlipal &
Manas.
3. Bird Sanctuaries: Bharatpur & Rananthitto
4. Wild life sanctuaries: Sariska, Mudumalai, Rajaji, Dachingam – Location &
labelling.