Question

Write a note on different types of forests found in India.

Answer 1

Instructions:
Introduction of Indian natural vegetation and forests
Types of forests with examples
Answer:
India is one of 17 mega-biodiverse countries in the world and home to nearly half the world’s aquatic plants. Among plants, 33% of the world's species are endemic to India, meaning they are found nowhere else.​
In India, vegetation is found in different types of forests like

1. Evergreen forests:
   • Evergreen forests receive more than 2000 mm of rainfall along with abundant sunlight. The leaves of the trees in these forests are broad and green, and tree-wood is heavy and durable. The highest amount of biodiversity is found in these forests.
   • Trees like mahogany, rosewood, and rubber are found here.
2. Deciduous forests:
   • In areas receiving rainfall between 1000 mm to 2000 mm in India, deciduous forests are found there. During summer and dry seasons, trees shed their leaves so that water is not lost due to evaporation.
   • For example, trees like a banyan tree, teak and bamboo are found in these forests.
3. Coastal forests:
   • In swampy areas, estuaries and lagoons near coastal areas have saline soils and moist climate, and coastal type of vegetation is found. They are called mangroves or Sunderbans in India.
   • Coconut and Sundari trees can be seen in the coastal areas in India.
4. Himalayan forests:
   • In the Indian Himalayas, three types of forests are found according to the altitude. In areas located at the highest altitude, seasonally flowering trees are found. In regions with medium-altitude, coniferous trees like pine and deodar trees are found. Coniferous trees are those which have cones in them. And at the foothills, mixed forests are found which include both coniferous and deciduous types of forests.
   • Rhododendron is found ​at a high altitude
   • Pine​ trees grow at the medium-altitude​
   • Sal trees grow in higher numbers at the foothill
5. Thorny shrubs:
   • Regions that receive less than 500 mm of rainfall and experience dry summers for long months in India, thorny and shrub-type vegetation is found. The leaves of the trees found in these forests are small in size.
   • For example, acacia, and varieties of cactus such as aloe vera.