Question 8
Write detailed accounts of any two types of naturàl vegetation of India.
Answer
India has a rich diversity of natural vegetation due to its varied climate, topography, and soil types. Here are detailed accounts of two types of natural vegetation found in India:
Tropical Rainforest:
- Tropical Rainforests are dense forests that receive heavy rainfall throughout the year, with an average annual precipitation of more than 250 cm. The salient features of Tropical Rainforests are:
- The trees of these forests grow tall and have large leaves that help them in photosynthesis as the sunlight does not reach the ground due to the dense canopy.
- The undergrowth in the forests is dense, and the forest floor is covered with a thick layer of fallen leaves, making it difficult for sunlight to penetrate.
- The trees have buttress roots that help in providing stability to the tall trunks.
Mangrove Forests:
- Mangrove forests are found mainly in the deltas of rivers and along the coastal areas, where freshwater and saltwater meet. The salient features of Mangrove Forests are:
- Mangroves are adapted to saline and waterlogged conditions and have developed special structures such as prop roots, pneumatophores, and stilt roots to anchor themselves in the soft and marshy soil.
- The leaves of mangroves are thick, and waxy, and have a salt-excreting mechanism to prevent the accumulation of excess salt.
