Natural Vegetation and Wildlife-Class 9-Social Science

Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Class – 9

Subject- Social Science

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Q1. What is natural vegetation?

Answer:  Natural vegetation refers to a plant community, which has grown naturally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time. 

Q2. What means flora and fauna?

Answer: The term flora is used to denote plants of a particular region or period. Similarly, the species of animals are referred to as fauna.

Q3. Classify the types of vegetation.

Answer: The following major types of vegetation may be identified:

(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests

(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests

(iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

(iv) Montane Forests

(v) Mangrove Forests

Q4. Explain the features of the Tropical Evergreen Forests.

Answer:

1. Tropical Evergreen Forests found inthe regions of heavy rainfall and high temperature.

2. These forests receives more than 200cm rainfall.

3. They do not shed their leaves in any particular season.

4. Trees are Ebony, Mahogany, Rosewood,rubber and Cinchona.

5. Trees reach height of 60 metres. 

6. Animals elephants, monkey, lemur and deer found here.

7. One-horned rhinoceroses are found in the jungles of Assam and West Bengal.

Q5. Explain the features of Tropical deciduous Forests.

Answer: 

1. These forests found in the regions of 70cm-200cm rainfall.

2. These forests shed their leaves for about 6-8 weeks in dry summer season.

3. Trees are Teak, Peepal, Neem and sal grows in these forests.

4. These trees are divided into Wet deciduous Forests and Dry Deciduous forests.

5. In these forests, the common animals found are lion, tiger, pig, deer and elephant.

6. A huge variety of birds, lizards, snakes and tortoises are also found here.

Q6.What are endangered species? Give examples.
Answer:

• The plants and animals that are at the verge of extinction are called endangered species.
• Rhinoceroes, Great Indians bustards and tigers are some of the examples of endangered species of animals.

Q7. Write a short note on thorny forests and scrubs.
Answer:
1. The thorny forest and scrubs are found in regions with less than 70 cm of rainfall.

2. This type of vegetation is found in the north-western part of the country, including semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana.

3. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the main plant species. 

4. Leaves are mostly thick and small to minimise evaporation. 

5. In these forests, the common animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.

Q8. Write a short note on Mangrove Forests.
Answer:
1. The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides.

2. Mud and silt get accumulated on such coasts.

3. Dense mangroves are the common varieties with roots of the plants submerged under water.

4. The deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Kaveri are covered by such vegetation.

5. In the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta, sundari trees are found, which provide durable hard timber.

6. Palm, coconut, keora, agar, etc., also grow in some parts of the delta.

Q9. What steps have been taken by Government of India to protect the country’s flora and fauna?