Class 11 Geography Natural Vegetation Chapter 5 - Competency Based Questions and Answers

 Natural Vegetation

Question: 'A region of India receives more than 200 sm average rainfall and has a dense forest area.' - Identify the vegetation type and mention its characteristics.

Answer:

This type of vegetation is known as the tropical evergreen forest. The following are the important features of this type of vegetation:

Features of evergreen forests:

1. These types of forests are mainly found in tropical areas, where rainfall exceeds 200 cm per year.
2. Throughout the year, these forests remain green; therefore, they are also known as evergreen forests.
3. Very long and hardwood trees are found in these forests.
4. These forests have different layers with shrubs, creepers, etc. The topmost layer of the forest is known as the canopy of the forest.
5. There is no particular time for the trees to shed their leaves; hence, these forests remain evergreen throughout the year.
6. These types of forests are mainly found in the western part of the Western Ghats, the hills of Northeast India and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Question: 'A farmer notices thorny bushes and short trees in his region.' - What type of vegetation is this and why does these grows there?

Answer:

This is a tropical thorn forest where the farmer notices thorny bushes and short trees in his region. These types of vegetation have grown there due to the following factors:

1. Low rainfall:

Due to the scarcity of water or less rainfall, these types of vegetation have grown in this area.

2. Reduces evapotranspiration:

Due to the lower moisture content in this area, plants transforms its leaves into thorns as an adaptation of plants in the dry area.

These types of vegetation are generally grown in the dry areas of Rajasthan, the rainshadow area of the Western Ghats, etc.

Question: "These are the most wide spread forest in India." - Which type of forest is mentioned here? Mention its characteristics.

Answer:

The monsoon or tropical deciduous type of forest is mentioned here. These types of forests cover the maximum part of India. These forests are of two types: wet/moist deciduous and dry deciduous. The important features of these forests are as follows:

1. Wet deciduous forests:

• These types of forests are mainly grown in the medium type of rainfall (100 - 200 cm) zone.
• These types of trees partially shed their leaves.
• These moist deciduous forests are mainly found in the northeast Indian hills and the foothills of the Himalayas.
• Sal, shisham, mahua, amla, sandalwood, etc. are the important species of trees found in these type so forests.

2. Dry deciduous forests:

• Dry deciduous types of forests are mainly found in the less rainfall (70 - 100 cm) zone.
• These types of trees completely shed their leaves in the dry season.
• Dry deciduous forests are mainly found in the rainshadow zone of the Western Ghats, the plains of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and parts of Rajasthan.
• Tendu, palash, bel, khair, axlewood, etc., are the main species of trees found in these types of forests.

Question: "In mountainous areas, the decrease in temperature with increasing altitude leads to a corresponding change in natural vegetation." - Evaluate the statement.

Answer:

Yes, this statement is correct. This forest is known as the montane forests, and these are two types: 1. the northern mountain forests and the southern mountain forests.

1.  The northern mountain forests:

With the increasing of altitude, the nature or pattern of natural vegetation also changes from tropical to tundra type in the following way:

• Deciduous forests are found in the foothills of the Himalayas.
• Between the heights of 1500 - 1750 metres pines forests are found, where chir, pine are the important commercial trees.
• Blue pine and spruce are found between the altitudes of 2225 - 3048 metres. Grasslands also developed in this zone.
• Junipers, rhododendron, and birch are mainly found at an altitude of 3000 - 4000 metres. In this area, transhumance-type activities are also practised by the people.

2. The southern mountain forests:

The southern mountains include the mountains of the peninsular plateau. The Western Ghats, Vidyas, and Nilgiris are the prominent areas of these types of forests. The important features of these forests are as follows:

• These areas are closer to the tropics and therefore, subtropical type in the lower and temperate type of forests in the higher altitudes are found.
• 'Cholas' is the local name for temperate forests in the Nilgiri area.
• Magnolia, laurel, cinchona, and wattle, etc., are the main tree species found in this area.

Question: 'In 1952, a forest conservation policy was adopted in India, and it was modified in 1988.' - Explain ANY FIVE of the aims and objectives of this policy.

Answer:

1. One of the main aims was to bring 33% of the whole geographical area of India under forest cover.
2. Maintain ecological balance by restoring and controlling the stability of the forests.
3. The soil erosion, reduction of desertification, floods, droughts, etc.
4. Increasing forest cover through social forestry and afforestation.
5. Creating a massive movement of the people through an awareness program, involving women for tree plantation, etc.

Question: Differentiate between social forestry and farm forestry.

Answer:

• Social forestry is the process of the protection or management of forests and afforestation on barren land to help society as well as the environment.
• Farm forestry means the growing of trees for commercial or non-commercial purposes by farmers on their farms.

Question: Explain any FIVE important reasons for declining wildlife.

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