Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Class 9th - Geography - Natural Vegetation and Wildlife - Full Chapter Explanation
What is Natural Vegetation? What is Wildlife?
Imagine the variety of natural vegetation and wildlife throughout the country.
This huge diversity of Natural vegetation and wildlife make them a matter of study.
Natural Vegetation/ Virgin vegetation / Endemic / Exotic
● What is Vegetation?
Plant Community
But not all plant community can be said Virgin Vegetation.
The vegetation which grows naturally without human aid and

has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time, also
known as Natural Vegetation.
∴ We can say that cultivated crops and fruits, orchards are

the part of vegetation but not natural vegetation.
❖ Endemic or Indigenous species
The virgin vegetation which are purely Indian.
❖ Exotic species
The species which have come from outside India are termed a exoctic plants.
❖ Flora and Fauna The diversity in flora and fauna is

due to the following factor.
Plant of the The species of ● Relief

particular region. animals. ● Climate
Endemic plant-Alpine flower Exotic plant - Siroi Lily

What is relief?
Land Soil
● Mountains Varies according to

● Plateau different areas.
● Plain area
Vegetations and wildlife
The nature of land depends on that.
influences the type of
vegetation.
These two components of the Relief plays a major role in influencing Flora and Fauna of an area.
Vegetation in central part of India Vegetation in Himalayas

Climate
➔ Climate influences the Natural vegetation and Wildlife.
● Temperature
Elements of the climate -
● Photoperiod [sunlight]
● Precipitation
Temperature Photoperiod [Sunlight] Precipitation

● Temperature along with humidity in the air, precipitation and soil influences the
vegetation of an area.
Atacama desert Amazon forest

Temperature Characteristics of the Vegetation Zones

➔ Photoperiod [Sunlight]
The variation in the amount of sunlight at different places depends on -
● Latitude
● Altitude Explain
● Season
● Duration of Day
∴ The parts receiving longer duration of sunlight have dense vegetation.

Sun and Earth in reference of solar insulation

Precipitation Rainfall
Areas of heavy Rainfall have more dense vegetation.
Importance of forest
● Modify local climate

● Control soil erosion
● Regulate stream flow
● Support a variety of industries
● Provide livelihood
● Panoramic or scenic view for recreation
● Provide humus to the soil and shelter to wildlife
❖ Forest plays a very important role, but India’s natural vegetation has undergone many
changes due to several factors, such as -
➢ The growing demand for cultivated land.

➢ Development of Industries and Mining.
➢ Urbanisation and overgrazing of pastures.
❖ Changes in the vegetation
The vegetation cover of India in large parts is no more natural in real sense. It has been
notified, replaced or degraded.
Except some inaccessible region like the Himalayas, hilly regions of Central India and the
Marusthali.
Plant Climatic conditions Animal
Ecosystem
∴ The system created when all the plants and animals living in a area interact together with their
surrounding is known as Ecosystem.
All plants and animals in an area are independent and interrelated in their physical environment.
Human beings are an integral part

of the Ecosystem.
Issues Related to it
● Needs Biome
● Impact Large Ecosystem on land having distinct
types of vegetation and animal life is
called a Biome.
Types of Vegetation
Vegetation Plant life
● It depends on many factor.

● According to these factors the vegetation also varies all over country.
The major types of vegetation identified in our country are -
I. Tropical Evergreen Forests

II. Tropical Deciduous Forests
III. Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs
IV. Montane Forests
V. Mangrove Forests
Tropical Evergreen forests
Understand the heading
● Forest area lying in the Tropical region.

● Are evergreen.
Tropical region of world
Rainfall
Tropical evergreen forest

Characteristics Tropical evergreen forest

Rainfall Found in areas with heavy rainfall. Areas having more than 200 cm of
rainfall.
Heights of tree Trees reach great heights upto 60 metres or even above and densely
vegetated. [trees, shrubs and creepers gave a multilayered structure]
Leave shedding time period No definite time for trees to shed their leaves.
Trees Ebony, Mahogany, Rosewood, Rubber and Cinchona.
Animals Elephant, monkey, lemur and deer, one-horned rhinoceroses, plenty of

birds, bats, sloth, scorpions and snails are found here.
Areas in India Western ghats, Eastern coastal area and North Eastern states.
Sloth Ebony tree
Mahogany tree Rosewood tree

Tropical Evergreen Forest
Tropical Deciduous Forests
❖ Most widespread forest of India, also known

as Monsoon forest.
On the basis of the availability of water these

forests can be divided into two -
● Moist deciduous
● Dry deciduous
Characteristics Tropical Deciduous forests

Rainfall Between 200 cm and 70 cm
● Moist Deciduous - 100 cm-200 cm
● Dry Deciduous - 70 cm- 100 cm
Moist Deciduous forests Exist in the Northeastern states, on the foothills of Himalayas
area Jharkhand, West Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Eastern slopes of
Western Ghats
Dry Deciduous forests area Exist in the Rainer parts of Peninsular plateau and plains of Bihar and
Uttar Pradesh.
Trees Moist Deciduous: Teak, Bamboos, Sal, Shisham, Sandalwood, Khair,
Kusum, Arjun and Mulberry.
Dry Deciduous: Teak, Sal, Peepal and Neem used for agriculture also.
Leaves shedding time period During Summer.
Animals Lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant, variety of irds, lizards,snake, etc are
found here.
Sandalwood tree Mulberry tree
Teak tree Sal tree

The Thorn Forests and Scrubs
❖ Low vegetation
Thorny trees and bushes.
❖ Vegetation is very much adaptive to the area -
➔ Trees are scattered and have long roots.

➔ The stems are succulent to conserve water.
➔ Leaves are mostly thick and small.
Characteristics The Thorn forests and Scrubs

Rainfall Less than 70 cm.
Area The vegetation is found in North-Western part of country including
semi arid areas of Gujrat, Rajasthan, M.P., Chattisgarh, Uttar
Pradesh and Haryana.
Trees Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are found here.

Animals Animals such as Rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass,
horse and camels.
Montane Forests
● Vegetation found in the Mountains areas.
Decrease in the Temperature Leads to the corresponding

change in natural vegetation.
Increase in the Altitude
The change is same as in the succession of natural

vegetation from tropical to the tundra region.
On the basis of Height ,Vegetation can be divided into these groups -

● The wet temperate forests. [1000-2000 metres]
● The temperate forests. [1500-3000 metres]
● Alpine vegetation. [Above 3,600 metres]
Vegetation zone of world

Wet temperate forests
● Found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres.

● Evergreen broadleaf trees like oaks and chestnuts are found.
● Found on low hill [Shiwaliks].
Temperate forests
Oak tree
● Found between a height of 1500 and 3000 metres.

● Trees such as pine, deodar, Silver fir, Spruce and Cedar, which
are coniferous are found here.
● Southern slopes of Himalayas, high altitude of South India and
North Eastern part have this type of vegetation.
Silver fir
Alpine vegetation
● Found 3,600 metres above the sea level.
Both temperate vegetation and grassland makes up the Alpine vegetation.
● Silver fir, Junipers, pines and birches are common trees.

● They get progressively stunted near snow-line.
Through shrubs and scrubs, they merge into the Alpine grassland.
These grasslands are used by Gujjars and Bakarwals for grazing.
● At Higher Altitudes, Mosses and lichens forms part of tundra vegetation.

Alpine vegetation Gujjars and Bakarwals Grazing

Mosses and lichens at higher Shaggy horned wild Tibetan antelope

Altitude ibex
Animals found in Montane forests -

● The common animals found in these forests are Kashmir stag, spotted deer, wild sheep,
jack rabbit, Tibetan antelope, yak, snow leopard, squirrels, Shaggy horned wild ibex, bear
and rare red panda, sheep and goats with thick hair.
Mangrove Forests
● The tidal forests found in the areas of coast

influenced by tides.
Type of vegetation found in the area with mud and

silt, roots of mangroves tree are submerged under
water.
Found on the deltas of rivers.

E.g. - The Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the
Godavari and the Kaveri.
Sundarban delta
● Delta formed on the mouth of Ganga-Brahmaputra [Meghna]

● Sundari trees are found here. [Durable hard timber]
● Tree such as palm, coconut, keora, agar also grows in some part of delta.
● Animals such as Royal Bengal Tiger, turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes
are found in these area.
Keora tree Agar tee Royal Bengal Tiger

Medicinal Plants
Some of the medicinal Plants are:
❏ Sarpagandha - Used to treat blood pressure

❏ Jamun - Used for controlling diabetes.
❏ Arjun - Used to regulate blood pressure.
❏ Babool - Used as a cure for eye sores. Its gum is used as a tonic.
❏ Neem - Has high antibiotic and antibacterial properties.
❏ Tulsi Plant - Used to cure cough and cold.
❏ Kachnar - Used to cure asthma and ulcers.
Wildlife
● Like its flora, India is also rich in its Fauna.
➔ 90,000 animal species.

Constitute 13% of the world’s total.
➔ 2,000 species of birds.
➔ 2,546 species of fish [Nearly 12% of the world’s stock].
➔ 5-8 percent of world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

Elephants in hot wet forests of Assam, One-horned Rhinoceros in swampy and marshy lands
Karnataka and Kerala of Assam and West Bengal
● Wild Ass and Camels are found in Thar Desert.

● Indian Bison, Nilgai [Blue bull], Chousingha [four-horned antelope],Gazel and different
species on deer and monkey are found in India.
Wild Ass Chousingha Gazel
Monkey Nilgai[Blue Bull] Indian Bison

❖ Both Tigers and Lions are found in India.
Royal Bengal Tigers Asiatic lion of Gir National park

❖ Leopards are also found in India.
Fauna in Himalayas -
● Yak, shaggy horned wild ox, the tibetan antelope, the bharal [blue sheep] and the kiang
[the tibetan wild ass] along with the ibex, bear, snow-leopard and rare red panda are found
in certain pockets.
Yak Shaggy Horned Wild Ox The Tibetan Antelope The Bharal

Fauna in rivers, lakes and coastal area -
Turtles, crocodiles and gharials are found in India.
Turtle Crocodile Gharials

Birds life found in India -
● Peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeon are some birds found in India.
Pheasants Parakeets Crane

Importance of Vegetation and Wildlife
Flora and Fauna helps us in many way -
● We get our crops from bio-diverse environment.

● Many medicinal plants are obtained from flora.
● Milching animals provide us milk.
● Animals provide us Drought Power, transportation, meat
and egg. Milching animals
● Fish provide nutritious food.
● Insects help in pollination of crops and fruit trees.
❖ Despite having such a great significance, flora and fauna

are continuously under the threat.
Reasons
Fruit tree
Threats to Flora and Fauna
❖ Every species is important in an Ecosystem.
∴ Conservation is essential.
But due to excessive exploitation of Plant and animals by human beings, they are
continuously under the threat.
Examples
Some of the causes for threat are -
● Hunting by greedy hunters commercial purpose.

● Pollution due to chemical and industrial waste,Acid deposits.
● Introduction of alien species.
● Reckless cutting of the forests for cultivation and habitation.
Industrial waste Hunters Acid deposits Deforestation

Steps taken to Protect the Flora and Fauna
❖ Government has take many steps to protect the flora and fauna.
I. Eighteen Biosphere reserves have been set up in the country to protect flora and fauna.
II. Financial and technical assistance is provided to many botanical gardens by government
since 1992.
III. Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other
eco-developmental projects have been introduced.
IV. 103 National Park, 535 Wildlife Sanctuaries and Zoological gardens are set up to take care of
Natural heritage.
V. Initiatives should also be taken on the part of citizens.

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Class 9th - Geography - Natural Vegetation and Wildlife - Full Chapter Explanation

What is Natural Vegetation? What is Wildlife?

Natural Vegetation/ Virgin vegetation / Endemic / Exotic

But not all plant community can be said Virgin Vegetation.

The vegetation which grows naturally without human aid and

∴ We can say that cultivated crops and fruits, orchards are

❖ Endemic or Indigenous species

The virgin vegetation which are purely Indian.

❖ Flora and Fauna The diversity in flora and fauna is

Plant of the The species of ● Relief

Endemic plant-Alpine flower Exotic plant - Siroi Lily

● Mountains Varies according to

Vegetation in central part of India Vegetation in Himalayas

➔ Climate influences the Natural vegetation and Wildlife.

Temperature Photoperiod [Sunlight] Precipitation

Atacama desert Amazon forest

Temperature Characteristics of the Vegetation Zones

The variation in the amount of sunlight at different places depends on -

∴ The parts receiving longer duration of sunlight have dense vegetation.

Sun and Earth in reference of solar insulation

Areas of heavy Rainfall have more dense vegetation.

● Modify local climate

➢ The growing demand for cultivated land.

❖ Changes in the vegetation

Plant Climatic conditions Animal

Human beings are an integral part

Vegetation Plant life

● It depends on many factor.

The major types of vegetation identified in our country are -

I. Tropical Evergreen Forests

Tropical Evergreen forests

Understand the heading

● Forest area lying in the Tropical region.

Tropical evergreen forest

Characteristics Tropical evergreen forest

Trees Ebony, Mahogany, Rosewood, Rubber and Cinchona.

Animals Elephant, monkey, lemur and deer, one-horned rhinoceroses, plenty of

Sloth Ebony tree

Mahogany tree Rosewood tree

Tropical Deciduous Forests

❖ Most widespread forest of India, also known

On the basis of the availability of water these

Characteristics Tropical Deciduous forests

Sandalwood tree Mulberry tree

Teak tree Sal tree

The Thorn Forests and Scrubs

Thorny trees and bushes.

❖ Vegetation is very much adaptive to the area -

➔ Trees are scattered and have long roots.

Characteristics The Thorn forests and Scrubs

Trees Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are found here.

● Vegetation found in the Mountains areas.

Decrease in the Temperature Leads to the corresponding

The change is same as in the succession of natural

On the basis of Height ,Vegetation can be divided into these groups -

Vegetation zone of world

Wet temperate forests

● Found between a height of 1000 and 2000 metres.

● Found between a height of 1500 and 3000 metres.

Both temperate vegetation and grassland makes up the Alpine vegetation.