Natural Vegetation And Wild Life (Basic Types)

Forests

Forests are ecosystems dominated by trees. They are characterized by diverse plant communities and provide critical habitats for wildlife. India features a variety of forest types due to its varied climate and geography.

Tropical Evergreen Forests

Location: Found in areas receiving heavy rainfall (above 200 cm annually) and experiencing high temperatures throughout the year. These are typically located in the equatorial regions and along the western coasts of continents between 10°N and 10°S latitude.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Hot and humid with high rainfall year-round. No distinct dry season.
• Vegetation: Densely wooded with trees of varying heights, forming multiple layers (canopy, understory, forest floor). Broad-leaved evergreen trees dominate. Trees do not shed their leaves simultaneously, so the forest always appears green.
• Examples: Found in the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, Southeast Asia, and parts of the Western Ghats and Northeast India in India.
• Trees: Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber, cinchona.

Tropical Deciduous Forests

Location: Found in areas with moderate to heavy rainfall (70-200 cm annually) and distinct wet and dry seasons.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Hot and humid during summer, with a distinct dry season in winter or summer.
• Vegetation: Trees shed their leaves during the dry season to conserve water. These forests are less dense than evergreen forests and are further divided into moist deciduous and dry deciduous based on rainfall.
• Moist Deciduous: Found in areas with heavier rainfall (100-200 cm). Trees shed leaves during dry season but are less prolonged. Examples include Sal, Teak in India.
• Dry Deciduous: Found in areas with moderate rainfall (70-100 cm). Trees shed leaves completely during the dry season. Examples include Sal, Neem, Peepal in India.
• Examples: Found across India, Southeast Asia, parts of Central and South America, and northern Australia.

Temperate Evergreen Forests

Location: Found in mid-latitudes, typically on the eastern sides of continents in regions with moderate temperatures and abundant rainfall throughout the year.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Mild winters and warm summers. High rainfall, distributed evenly or with a concentration in summer.
• Vegetation: Composed of both broad-leaved evergreen trees and coniferous trees. Oaks, pines, magnolias, and laurels are common.
• Examples: Southeastern China, Southern Japan, Southeastern United States.

Temperate Deciduous Forests

Location: Found in mid-latitudes, typically on the western sides of continents, where winters are cold and summers are mild to warm.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Distinct seasons with cold winters and warm summers. Moderate rainfall, often concentrated in cooler months.
• Vegetation: Dominated by broad-leaved deciduous trees that shed their leaves in autumn. These trees include oak, maple, beech, hickory, and chestnut. Forest floor has a rich undergrowth of shrubs and herbs.
• Examples: Eastern North America, Western Europe, parts of East Asia.

Mediterranean Vegetation

Location: Found on the western sides of continents in the mid-latitudes, typically between 30° and 45° latitude.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Mild, wet winters and hot, dry summers.
• Vegetation: Characterized by drought-resistant shrubs and small trees adapted to hot, dry summers. Plants often have thick leaves, leathery surfaces, and deep root systems. Citrus fruits, olives, grapes, and figs are commonly cultivated here.
• Examples: Mediterranean Basin, California, Central Chile, Southwestern Australia, Cape region of South Africa.

Coniferous Forests

Location: Found in high latitudes (subarctic regions) and higher altitudes of mountains in mid-latitudes. Also known as Taiga.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Long, cold winters and short, cool summers. Moderate rainfall, often occurring as snow in winter.
• Vegetation: Dominated by coniferous evergreen trees with needle-like leaves and a conical shape, which helps them shed snow. Common trees include pines, firs, spruces, and cedars.
• Examples: Vast areas of Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, and Siberia. Also found in mountainous regions like the Himalayas.

Grasslands

Grasslands are biomes where grasses are the dominant vegetation, with few trees or shrubs. They occur in regions with moderate rainfall, not enough to support forests, but too much to be deserts.

Tropical Grasslands

Location: Found in regions near the equator, typically between the tropical rainforests and the deserts.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Warm temperatures throughout the year with distinct wet and dry seasons. Rainfall is moderate but seasonal.
• Vegetation: Characterized by tall grasses interspersed with scattered deciduous trees or shrubs. The grasses are adapted to drought and fire.
• Examples: Savannas in Africa, Llanos in South America, North-Central Australia. In India, grasslands are often found in transitional zones or degraded forest areas.
• Wildlife: Support large grazing mammals like zebras, wildebeest, giraffes (in Africa), and various deer and antelope species.

Temperate Grasslands

Location: Found in the mid-latitudes, typically in the interior of continents.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Moderate rainfall, with hot summers and cold winters. The temperature can fluctuate significantly between seasons.
• Vegetation: Dominated by short grasses, adapted to drought, cold, and occasional fires. Soils are often very fertile.
• Examples: Prairies of North America, Steppes of Eurasia, Pampas of South America, Velds of South Africa.
• Wildlife: Historically supported large herds of grazing animals like bison, wild horses, and pronghorn.

Thorny Bushes

Location: Found in arid and semi-arid regions where rainfall is very low and erratic, and temperatures are high.

Characteristics:

• Climate: Hot and dry, with very little rainfall.
• Vegetation: Characterized by drought-resistant plants, primarily thorny bushes, shrubs, and succulents. Plants have adaptations like deep roots, small leaves (or spines to reduce water loss), and thick, waxy cuticles.
• Examples: Deserts like the Sahara, Arabian Desert, Thar Desert, and parts of the southwestern United States.
• Wildlife: Adapted to survive with limited water, including camels, desert foxes, snakes, lizards, and insects.

Tundra Vegetation

Location: Found in the high latitudes, in the Arctic regions, and at very high altitudes on mountains (alpine tundra).

Characteristics:

• Climate: Extremely cold winters, short and cool summers. Very low precipitation, mostly as snow. Strong winds are common. The ground is often underlain by permafrost (permanently frozen soil).
• Vegetation: Characterized by low-growing plants adapted to the harsh conditions. This includes mosses, lichens, sedges, grasses, dwarf shrubs, and some small flowering plants. Trees are generally absent due to the short growing season, low temperatures, and permafrost.
• Examples: Arctic regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. High mountain tops worldwide.
• Wildlife: Adapted to the cold, including reindeer (caribou), arctic foxes, polar bears, musk oxen, arctic hares, and migratory birds.