Question.
Name different types of Vegetation found in India and describe the vegetation of high altitudes.
( Chapter - 5 Natural Vegetation and Wildlife, Cass 9 NCERT Contemporary India -I )
Answer.
India is very rich in types of vegetation, about 47,000 species of vegetation are found in India. India ranks tenth in the world and fourth in Asia in terms of plant species.
Five types of vegetation are found in India. The names of five different types of vegetation found in India are as follows:
- tropical evergreen forest
- tropical deciduous forest
- tropical thorn and scrub forest
- Montane forest
- Mangrove Forest
High-altitude vegetation such as alpine vegetation (both forest and grassland) and tundra vegetation are part of montane forests. High-altitude vegetation such as alpine and tundra vegetation is generally found in the high-altitude regions of the Himalayas.
About montane vegetation:
Montane forests are found in mountainous regions. In mountainous areas, the temperature decreases with the increase in height, which is why diversity in vegetation is seen along with the increase in the height of the mountains.
For example, the foothills of the Himalayas have tropical vegetation, and with increasing altitude, the vegetation also takes the form of tropical to temperate to alpine to tundra vegetation. Thus, tropical vegetation is found on the foothills of the Himalayas and tundra vegetation is found on the highest hills.
The details of vegetation found at higher altitudes are as follows -
At 1000 to 2000 meters above sea level, trees of moist temperate forests like oak and chestnut are found.
Between 1500 and 3000 meters, temperate forests with coniferous trees like pine, deodar, silver fir, and deodar are found.
Temperate grasslands are found between 3000 and 3600 meters.
At altitudes above 3600 m, alpine vegetation is found. Some important alpine vegetation is Silver firs, junipers, pines, and birches. Above these are their alpine meadows which are used by many Ghumantu (nomadic) tribes like Gurjars and Bakarwals for grazing their animals.
Tundra vegetation such as mosses and lichens is found at altitudes above 4000 m.
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