The Thorn forests, Montane forests, and Mangrove forests

The Thorn Forests and Scrubs: 

• Rainfall: They are found in regions where the rainfall is less than 70 cm
• Regions: In the northwestern region of the country, including semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Haryana
• Species: The major plant species are acacias, palms, euphorbias, and cactus
• Trees are spread throughout the landscape, with lengthy roots that reach deep into the soil in search of moisture. To preserve water, the stems are succulent. To reduce evaporation, leaves are generally thick and tiny. In drier locations, these forests give way to thorn forests and scrubs
• Common Animals: Rats, mice, rabbits, foxes, wolves, tigers, lions, wild asses, horses, and camels are all common animals

Montane Forests: 

• The decrease in temperature with increasing altitude causes changes in natural vegetation in mountainous places. There is a natural plant belt succession from the tropical to the tundra zone
• The Wet Temperate: They can be found between 1000 and 2000 metres height. Oaks and chestnuts are the most common evergreen broad-leaf trees
• Temperate forests are found between 1500 and 3000 metres in elevation and contain coniferous trees such as pine, deodar, silver fir, spruce, and cedar. These forests mostly cover the southern slopes of the Himalayas, as well as high-altitude areas in southern and north-east India
• Temperate Grasslands: They are common at higher elevations
• Alpine Vegetation: At high altitudes of more than 3,600 metres, temperate forests and grasslands give place to Alpine vegetation. The most common trees in these forests are silver fir, junipers, pines, and birches
• However, when they reach the snowline, they become increasingly stunted. They eventually merge into the Alpine grasslands, which are heavily used for grazing by nomadic tribes such as the Gujjars and the Bakarwals
• Tundra Vegetation: At higher altitudes, tundra vegetation includes mosses and lichens
• Common fauna found are Kashmir Stag, spotted deer, wild sheep, jack rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy horned wild ibex, bear, and rare red panda, and sheep and goats with thick hair

Mangrove Forests: 

• Mangrove forests can be found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. On such coasts, mud and silt accumulate
• The most common type of mangrove is dense mangrove, with plant roots buried in water
• Such vegetation can be found in the deltas of the Ganga, Mahanadi, and Krishna rivers, among others
• Sundari trees, which provide durable hard timber, can be found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta. Palm, coconut, keora, agar, and other plants occur in some areas of the delta
• Common Fauna found are Royal Bengal Tiger, turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes

Importance of Forests:

• Forests are renewable resources that play an important role in improving environmental quality
• They influence local climate, prevent soil erosion, regulate stream flow, sustain a wide range of industries, and provide a source of income for many communities
• They control the wind force, the temperature, and cause rainfall
• They enrich the soil with humus and give shelter for wildlife