Class -9th
Natural Vegetation and Wildlife
Natural Vegetation: Natural vegetation refers to a plant community which has grown
naturally without human intervention for a long time.
Types of Virgin Vegetation: On the basis of its residence it is of two types:-
Endemic:- which are purely native .
Exotic:- which were brought from some other place long ago.
Flora :- The term Flora is used to denote plants of a particular region or period
Fauna:- Species of animals are referred to as Fauna .
Factors affecting Flora and Fauna of a place:-
● Land
● Soil
● Temperature
● Sunlight
● Precipitation
Land- nature of land influences type of vegetation as the undulating and rough terrains
developed into a variety of natural wildlife as compared to fertile land which undergoes
agriculture work.
Soil:- Different types of soil support different vegetation. Eg. Sandy soil supports
thorny bushes whereas deltaic soil supports mangrove vegetation.
Temperature- As we can see that tropical areas have a variety of Vegetation as
moreover we go to higher altitudes,compared to temperate regions. Vegetation cover
changes from temperate forest grassland to tundra and finally alpine type.
Sunshine:- It is observed that due to longer duration of sunlight trees grow faster in
summer as compared to other seasons of the year.
Precipitation:- Heavy rainfall areas have generally dance vegetation over as compared
to scanty rainfall areas.
Ecosystem:- the system of interaction among biotic components and their interaction
with abiotic components of a particular area is called ecosystem.
Eg. Pond ecosystem,river ecosystem,lake,forest, grassland etc.
Biome:- A very large ecosystem of an area having distinct types of flora and fauna is
called Biome .
Importance of Forests:- Forests are advantageous for the environment.
● Forests are advantageous for the environment.
● Help bring rain
● Oxygen supply
● The influence climate
● reduce soil erosion
● Regulate stream flow
● Provide raw materials for industries
● Livelihood for many
India's natural vegetation:-
● Our country India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world.
● With about 47000 plant species India occupies 10th place in the world and fourth
in Asia in plant diversity.
● There are about 15000 flowering plants in India which accounts for 6% of the
world's total number of flowering plants.
● The country has many non-flowering plants , such as ferns, algae and fungi.
● India also has approximately 90000 species of animals as well as a rich variety of
face in its fresh and Marine waters.
● Types of Vegetation:- The following major types of vegetation may be
identified in our country.
1. Tropical Evergreen Forests.
2. Tropical Deciduous Forests.
3. Tropical Thorn Forests and Shrubs.
4. Mountain Forests
5. Mangrove Forest
1. Tropical Evergreen Forests: -
Found in areas with heavy rainfall (above 200 cm) and hot, humid climate.
Located in Western Ghats, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Assam, Meghalaya.
Characteristics:
Dense forests, no definite shedding of leaves.
Trees like mahogany, ebony, rosewood.
Home to animals like elephants, leopards, bats, snakes.
2. Tropical Deciduous Forests (Monsoon Forests)
Found in rainfall of 100–200 cm.
Located in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Od-
isha.
Characteristics:
o Trees shed their leaves in dry season.
o Trees like sal, teak, peepal, neem.
o Animals like lion, tiger, deer, elephant.
Types of Deciduous Forests:
Moist Deciduous – 100–200 cm rainfall (e.g., teak, sal).
Dry Deciduous – 70–100 cm rainfall (e.g., acacia, babool).
3. Thorn Forests and Scrubs
Found in areas with less than 70 cm rainfall (e.g., Rajasthan, Gujarat,
Haryana, Madhya Pradesh).
Characteristics:
o Trees with long roots, thick leaves, and spines.
o Trees like babool, kikar, date palm.
o Animals like camels, blackbucks, foxes, wolves.
4. Montane Forests (Mountain Vegetation)
Found in hilly areas (e.g., Himalayas, Nilgiris).
Characteristics:
o Altitude-wise changes in vegetation:
Below 1000 m – Tropical forests.
1000–2000 m – Wet temperate forests (e.g., oaks, chestnuts).
2000–3000 m – Coniferous trees (e.g., pine, fir, cedar).
Above 3600 m – Alpine meadows.
o Animals like snow leopards, red pandas, ibex.
5. Mangrove Forests (Tidal Forests)
Found in coastal regions influenced by tides (e.g., Sundarbans, Anda-
man & Nicobar Islands).
Characteristics:
o Dense, salt-tolerant trees with stilt roots.
o Sundari trees are common.
o Animals like Royal Bengal Tiger, crocodiles, turtles.
4. Wildlife in India
India is one of the richest biodiversity hotspots with many endemic species.
Types of Wildlife
1. Mammals – Tiger, elephant, lion, rhino, deer, etc.
2. Birds – Peacock, parrot, crane, pigeon, etc.
3. Reptiles – Crocodiles, snakes, lizards, turtles, etc.
4. Aquatic Life – Fish, dolphins, whales, etc.
Conservation Efforts
Project Tiger – To protect tigers.
Project Elephant – To protect elephants.
Wildlife Sanctuaries & National Parks – To preserve flora and fauna.
Biosphere Reserves – To conserve biodiversity.
5. Need for Conservation
Deforestation, poaching, pollution, and climate change are threaten-
ing wildlife.
Government initiatives like:
o Wildlife Protection Act (1972)
o Biosphere Reserves
o Eco-sensitive Zones
o Afforestation programs.
