From Deciduous Forests to the Montane Forests

Natural vegetation is the endowment of nature. Because of distinct geographical and climatic conditions, a wide range of natural vegetation is nurtured in our country. India is a country with diversified vegetation. It has fourth place in Asia and has occupied the tenth place in the world in plant diversity with around 47,000 plant varieties. It is the best example to the world of having vast natural vegetation. The country is home to approximately 15,000 flowering plants and various non-flowering plants, like fungi, ferns, and algae. In this blog, we will cover a few basic points of natural vegetation like types of natural vegetation, for ex., Monsoon deciduous Forests, and the characteristics of these types of vegetation.    

Definition of Natural Vegetation in India           

Natural vegetation refers to a plant family which has grown naturally without the help of human beings. The natural vegetation is also known as virgin vegetation and receives what is available from its natural surroundings.

Main features of natural vegetation in India

The key features of natural vegetation in India are given below:

• The nature of vegetation and the height of the land are strongly involved.
• As the climate varies, the size of the natural vegetation increases.
• Temperature and moisture play an important role and depend on other factors, such as soil thickness and slope.

Types of Natural Vegetation in India

There are five main types of natural vegetation in India. They are given below:

• Tropical Deciduous Forests or monsoon deciduous Forests
• Tropical Evergreen Forests or Tropical Rain Forests
• Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs
• Mangrove Forests
• Montane Forests

Let’s study them:

Tropical Deciduous Forests:

• Tropical Deciduous Forests are the forests that spread over a large area.
• These forests are also referred to as monsoon Deciduous forests.
• Monsoon Deciduous forests are grown where the annual rainfall is between 200 cm and 70 cm. 
• Trees of this Monsoon Deciduous forest shed their leaves in dry summer for about six to eight weeks.
• These forests are found mostly in the eastern part of the country, i.e. northeastern states, along with the hillocks of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa, and Chhattisgarh and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.
• Trees found in this Monsoon Deciduous forest are Kusum, Bamboo, Khair, Sal, Arjun, Shisham, Mulberry, Sandalwood, etc.

Tropical Evergreen Forests or Tropical Rain Forests

• Tropical Evergreen Forests or Tropical Rain Forests are grown in areas with annual rainfall above 200 cm with a short dry season.
• These forests grow in the Western Ghats, a group of islands, i.e. Lakshadweep, Andaman, Nicobar, upper parts of Assam, and coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.
• The trees can grow up to 60 metres or even more.
• Major trees found in this forest are ebony, Cinchona, Rubber, Mahogany, Rosewood, etc.

Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

• Tropical Thorn Forests are found in those areas where the climate is quite dry, and the annual rainfall is around 70 cm.
• These trees describe a lot about the places where they grow.
• The trees are usually bushy and thorny in appearance.
• These forests are grown in Rajasthan and the higher areas of Gujarat. 
• The trees that grow in place have adapted to this dry climate and started growing as thorns to conserve water.

Mangrove Forests

• Mangrove Forests are found in coastal areas and are influenced by tides. Hence, they are also known as Tidal Forests.
• These forests are found in the deltas of Krishna, Mahanadi, Ganga, Godavari, and Kaveri.
• Dense Mangroves are the familiar type of trees found here. Garan, Hogla, Gewa, Pasur, And Golpata are among some of the types found here.

Montane Forests

• Montane Forests are usually found in mountainous regions, i.e. Jammu & Kashmir, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttarakhand.
• It is a peculiar type of forest in which trees develop broader leaves.
• The popular trees are Oaks, chestnuts, broad-leaved evergreen trees, etc.  

Factors influencing natural vegetation in India

The geographical, physical, climatic, and ecological factors that influence the natural vegetation in India are:

• Relief or physical features—There are three factors in relief. They are land, soil, and altitude.
• Climate—In climate, there are three factors, i.e. temperature, precipitation, and sunlight.
• Biome and ecosystem.

Conclusion

Natural vegetation provides food and shelter for all living things, converts carbon dioxide into oxygen and gives fresh air to all animals and humans for survival. So, natural vegetation in India is the unique endowment of nature. As humans, we must plant and protect our natural vegetation in India.