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This revised chapter on NCERT Class 11 Geography India Physical Environment Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation Notes provides a clear overview of India’s diverse natural vegetation, the factors that influence it, the major types of forests, their distribution, wildlife, and efforts to conserve them. These notes explain complex ideas in simple and easy-to-understand sentences. They are designed especially for exam preparation and quick revision of forest types, their importance for ecology, and biodiversity conservation. You can also download a free PDF for effective exam preparation.
Contents
Explore Notes of Class 11 India Physical Environment
Introduction
Natural vegetation means the plants that grow on their own in a place without any help from humans. These plants have adapted to the local climate and soil over a long time. India has a very wide variety of plants because of its different landforms, climates, and soils. The vegetation in India includes everything from thick tropical forests to plants that grow high in the mountains. Forests are important because they give us timber and fuel, and they help maintain the balance of nature. However, human activities have reduced the area covered by forests.
Factors Affecting Natural Vegetation
Many factors decide what kind of vegetation grows in a particular area of India. The main factors are climate, which includes rainfall and temperature, the type of soil, the shape of the land, and the height above sea level. When these factors change from one region to another, the vegetation also changes. Some of the affects of these factors are:
- Areas that receive more than 200 cm of rainfall every year have thick evergreen forests.
- Regions with rainfall between 70 cm and 200 cm support moist deciduous forests.
- Places that get less than 70 cm of rainfall have dry forests with thorny plants.
- Warm temperatures allow evergreen forests to grow, while cooler seasons cause some trees to shed their leaves.
- Rich alluvial soils help plants grow well, but sandy soils do not support much vegetation.
- On mountains, the type of vegetation changes as you go higher.
- Flat plains and high plateaus have different plants depending on how much water is available.
Types of Forests
Forests in India are divided into five main types based on the climate, amount of rainfall, and the features of the trees. These types are tropical evergreen forests, tropical deciduous forests, tropical thorn forests, montane forests, and mangrove forests. Each type has its own special characteristics and provides useful resources. Certain types of forests are:
- Tropical Evergreen Forests are found in areas that receive very heavy rainfall, more than 200 cm annually. These areas include the Western Ghats, the northeastern states, and the Andaman Islands. The trees in these forests stay green throughout the year and form a thick cover with many layers. Common trees are rosewood, ebony, and mahogany. Their hardwood is valuable for making furniture.
- Tropical Deciduous Forests, also called monsoon forests, are the most common type in India. They grow in places with rainfall between 70 cm and 200 cm, such as Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Odisha. The trees shed their leaves during the dry season. These forests are further divided into moist deciduous (100-200 cm rainfall) and dry deciduous (70-100 cm rainfall). Important trees include teak, sal, sandalwood, and shisham.
- Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs grow in dry regions that receive less than 70 cm of rainfall, like Rajasthan, Gujarat, and parts of Punjab. The plants here have thorns and small leaves, and they are spread out with spaces between them. Common plants include acacia, palms, cacti, and babool.
- Montane Forests are found on mountains like the Himalayas and hills in the Peninsula. The vegetation changes with increasing height. At lower heights (1000-2000 m), there are wet temperate forests with trees like oak and chestnut. Higher up, above 2000 m, you find coniferous trees such as pine, deodar, and silver fir. At the highest levels, there are alpine meadows with mosses and lichens.
- Littoral and Swamp Forests, known as mangroves, grow in coastal areas and river deltas, such as the Sundarbans. These are tidal forests where trees like sundari are common. The roots of these trees are adapted to live in salty water.
Forest Cover in India
The total area covered by forests in India is not very large when compared to the size of the country, but forests are extremely important for the environment. The actual forest cover is about 21% of the land, which is less than the recommended 33%. Dense forests are mainly found in hilly regions and places with high rainfall. Some of the major points about forest cover in India are:
- A large part consists of moderately dense forests.
- Open forests and scrub lands are common in drier areas.
- The highest forest cover is in the northeastern states, Madhya Pradesh, and the Western Ghats.
- The lowest cover is in Rajasthan and the plains because much of the land is used for farming.
- Mangrove forests are found along the coasts and in deltas.
Wildlife in India
India has a wide variety of animals and birds because of its different types of vegetation. There are thousands of species, and many of them are in danger of disappearing. Forests and wetlands provide homes for these animals. Some of the major points about wildlife in India are:
- Common mammals include elephants, tigers, lions (found in Gir forest), one-horned rhinoceros (in Assam), and various types of deer.
- The national bird is the peacock, and other birds include the great Indian bustard.
- There are many reptiles and amphibians.
- Wetlands attract migratory birds from other countries.
- Many endangered animals are protected in national parks and wildlife sanctuaries.
Also Read: NCERT Notes Class 11 Geography Fundamentals of Geography Chapter 5 Geomorphic Processes (Free PDF)
Forest Conservation and Social Forestry
Forests are under threat because of the cutting down of trees for various purposes, but the government and people are taking steps to protect them. The National Forest Policy wants to increase forest cover to 33%. Social forestry encourages local communities to plant and care for trees.
- Conservation measures include planting new trees, creating protected areas, and the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972.
- Social forestry includes planting trees in cities, villages, and on farms to provide fuel, fodder, and other needs.
- Biosphere Reserves are special protected areas that conserve entire ecosystems. There are 18 such reserves in India, for example, Nilgiri (the first one), Sundarbans, and Nanda Devi.
- National parks and sanctuaries help protect wildlife.
Important Definitions in NCERT Notes Class 11 Geography India Physical Environment Chapter 5: Natural Vegetation
Here we have explained the key terms from this chapter in simple sentences so that you can understand them easily.
- Natural Vegetation: It refers to the plants that grow naturally in an area without any human help and have adapted to the local conditions.
- Evergreen Forests: These are those forests where trees do not shed their leaves every year and remain green all the time; they grow in areas with heavy rainfall.
- Deciduous Forests: These forests are where trees shed their leaves during the dry season; they are common in regions with monsoon rainfall.
- Mangroves: They are special forests found in coastal deltas and tidal areas; the sundari tree is famous in the Sundarbans.
- Montane Forests: These are the forests found on mountains, where the type of vegetation changes as the height increases.
- Biosphere Reserve: It is a large protected area meant for conserving plants, animals, and the environment while allowing sustainable use.
- Social Forestry: It means planting and managing trees with the help of local communities to meet their needs and protect the environment.
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FAQs
The major types of forests in India are tropical evergreen, tropical deciduous, tropical thorn, montane, and mangrove forests.
They are called monsoon forests because the trees shed their leaves during the dry season and grow new leaves when the monsoon rains arrive.
Tropical deciduous forests are the most widespread type in India.
Mangroves protect the coast from erosion, provide habitat for special wildlife, and their trees can survive in salty water.
There are 18 biosphere reserves in India, and some of them are recognised internationally.
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