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Vegetation and Forest Types in India for UPSC Prelims

Table of Contents

1. Introduction to Vegetation

Vegetation refers to the assemblage of plant species in an environment. India's diverse climate and topography have resulted in varied vegetation types, from tropical rainforests to alpine meadows. The Forest Survey of India (FSI) classifies forests based on density and type.

Key Facts

  • Forest Cover: 21.71% of India's geographical area (SFR 2021)
  • Biodiversity: India has 4 of 36 global biodiversity hotspots
  • Classification: Champion & Seth (1968) identified 16 major forest types
  • Ecological Zones: 10 bio-geographic zones in India

Important Facts for UPSC

  • India is one of 17 mega-diverse countries with 7-8% of recorded species.
  • The Western Ghats and Eastern Himalayas are biodiversity hotspots.
  • Natural vegetation changes with altitude - similar to latitude changes.

2. Factors Affecting Vegetation

Primary Factors

Factor Impact Indian Examples
Temperature Determines vegetation type (tropical to alpine) Evergreen in Western Ghats, Alpine in Himalayas
Precipitation Affects density and species composition Thar Desert vs. Mawsynram (Meghalaya)
Soil Type Influences nutrient availability Black soil - teak; Laterite - casuarina
Altitude Creates vertical zonation Shiwalik to Greater Himalayas
Photoperiod Affects flowering and growth cycles Long-day plants in Kashmir

Secondary Factors

Important Facts for UPSC

  • The term "phytogeography" refers to plant distribution patterns.
  • India has 6% of world's flowering plant species in 2.4% land area.
  • The Tropic of Cancer divides India into tropical and subtropical zones.

3. Classification of Forests

Based on Climate (Global)

Type Climate Characteristics Indian Examples
Tropical Evergreen High temp, >200cm rain Dense, multi-layered, diverse Andamans, W. Ghats, NE
Tropical Deciduous Seasonal, 70-200cm Leaf-shedding in dry season Central India, E. Ghats
Montane Altitude variations Zonation with height Himalayas, Nilgiris
Thorn Arid, <70cm Xerophytic adaptations Rajasthan, Gujarat

Based on Administration (India)

Important Facts for UPSC

  • India's first Reserved Forest: Satpura (1879).
  • Mangroves are halophytes (salt-tolerant) found in coastal areas.
  • India has 3% of world's mangrove cover (Sundarbans largest).

4. Tropical Forests

Tropical Evergreen

Tropical Deciduous (Monsoon Forests)

Sub-type Rainfall Features Regions
Moist Deciduous 100-200cm Teak, sal, bamboo MP, Odisha, W. Ghats
Dry Deciduous 70-100cm Open canopy, grass undergrowth Rain-shadow areas, Deccan

Important Facts for UPSC

  • Andaman Tropical Evergreen is the richest in India (300+ species/ha).
  • Teak (Tectona grandis) is the dominant species in Central Indian forests.
  • Sal (Shorea robusta) forests are found in the Himalayan foothills.

5. Montane Forests

Himalayan Vegetation Zones

Altitude Zone Forest Type Species Location
1000-2000m Subtropical Pine Chir Pine Shiwalik, Lesser Himalaya
2000-3000m Temperate Broadleaf Oak, Rhododendron Middle Himalayas
3000-4000m Subalpine Silver Fir, Juniper Greater Himalayas
>4000m Alpine Grasses, shrubs Trans-Himalayas

Southern Montane (Shola Forests)

Important Facts for UPSC

  • Rhododendron is the state tree of Uttarakhand and Nagaland.
  • Shola forests are called "cloud forests" due to frequent mist.
  • The treeline in Himalayas is at ~4000m (lower than Alps due to monsoon).

6. Temperate Forests

Characteristics

Types in India

Type Location Species Features
Himalayan Moist Eastern Himalayas Oak, Chestnut Dense, moss-covered
Himalayan Dry Western Himalayas Deodar, Blue Pine Open canopy

Important Facts for UPSC

  • Deodar (Cedrus deodara) is the state tree of Himachal Pradesh.
  • Temperate forests have distinct vertical layers (canopy, understory).
  • Western Himalayas have more conifers than Eastern Himalayas.

7. Indian Forest Types (Champion & Seth)

Major Classification (16 Types)

Group Type % of Forest Area
Tropical Wet Evergreen, Moist/Dry Deciduous, Thorn 76.2%
Montane Subtropical, Temperate, Alpine 12.5%
Littoral Mangrove, Beach, Swamp 3.8%

Important Forest Type Groups

Important Facts for UPSC

  • Champion & Seth classification is the standard for Indian forests.
  • Tropical Dry Deciduous is the most extensive (38.7% of forest area).
  • India has 5 major mangrove regions: Sundarbans, Mahanadi, Godavari-Krishna, Cauvery, Andamans.

8. Regional Distribution in India

Geographical Distribution

Region Forest Types Characteristics
Western Ghats Tropical Evergreen, Moist Deciduous High endemism, biodiversity hotspot
Eastern Ghats Dry Deciduous, Thorn Less dense, deciduous species
Himalayas Subtropical to Alpine Vertical zonation, conifers in west
Deccan Plateau Dry Deciduous, Thorn Teak, sandalwood, dry species
Coastal Areas Mangrove, Littoral Sundari in Sundarbans, Rhizophora

State-wise Highlights

Important Facts for UPSC

  • North-East states have 25% of India's forest cover on 8% geographical area.
  • Andaman & Nicobar have 81% forest cover (highest among UTs).
  • Punjab and Haryana have the lowest forest cover (<7%).

9. Forest Cover in India (SFR 2021)

Key Findings from State of Forest Report

Category Area (sq km) % of GA Change from 2019
Very Dense Forest 99,779 3.04% +501
Moderately Dense 3,06,890 9.33% -1,582
Open Forest 3,07,120 9.34% +2,612
Total Forest Cover 7,13,789 21.71% +1,540

Trends and Concerns

Important Facts for UPSC

  • India targets 33% forest cover as per National Forest Policy (1988).
  • Forest cover includes all lands >1ha with >10% canopy density.
  • Recorded Forest Area (RFA) is 7,67,419 sq km (23.3% of GA).

10. Conservation Efforts

Legal Framework

Programmes and Initiatives

Programme Launch Year Objective
National Afforestation Programme 2002 Regenerate degraded forests
Green India Mission 2014 Increase quality/quantity of forests
Compensatory Afforestation 2016 CAMPA funds for diverted forest land
Nagoya Protocol 2012 Access to genetic resources

Important Facts for UPSC

  • India has 90 National Parks and 544 Wildlife Sanctuaries (2023).
  • Joint Forest Management (JFM) involves local communities.
  • India is signatory to UNFF, CITES, CBD, and Bonn Challenge.

11. UPSC Preparation Tips

Focus Areas

Preparation Strategy

Important Facts for UPSC

  • Previous questions have covered forest types, SFR data, and conservation laws.
  • Understand differences between Reserved/Protected/Unclassed forests.
  • Note how forest types correlate with wildlife (e.g., tigers in deciduous).