Question 1:

Choose the right answer from the four alternatives given below.

(i) To which one of the following types of vegetation does rubber belong?

(a) Tundra	(c) Himalayan
(b) Tidal	(d) Tropical Evergreen

(ii) Cinchona trees are found in the areas of rainfall more than

(a) 100 cm	(c) 70 cm
(b) 50 cm	(d) less than 50 cm

(iii) In which of the following states is the Simlipal bio-reserve located?

(a) Punjab	(c) Delhi
(b) Orissa	(d) West Bengal

(iv) Which one of the following bio-reserves is not included in the world network of bio-reserves?

(a) Manas	(c) Gulf of Mannar
(b) Dihang-Dibang	(d) Nanda devi

Answer:

(i) To which one of the following types of vegetation does rubber belong?

(a) Tundra	(c) Himalayan
(b) Tidal	(d) Tropical Evergreen

(ii) Cinchona trees are found in the areas of rainfall more than

(a) 100 cm	(c) 70 cm
(b) 50 cm	(d) less than 50 cm

(iii) In which of the following states is the Simlipal bio-reserve located?

(a) Punjab	(c) Delhi
(b) Orissa	(d) West Bengal

(iv) Which one of the following bio-reserves is not included in the world network of bio-reserves?

(a) Manas	(c) Gulf of Mannar
(b) Dihang-Dibang	(d) Nanda devi

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Question 2:

Answer the following questions briefly.

(i) Define an ecosystem.

(ii) What factors are responsible for the distribution of plants and animals in India?

(iii) What is a bio-reserve? Give two examples.

(iv) Name two animals having habitat in tropical and montane type of vegetation.

Answer:

(i) Ecosystem is a system of interdependence comprising the physical environment and the organisms living therein.

(ii) Temperature, humidity, precipitation, land and soil are the factors responsible for the distribution of plants in India. The nature of plants in an area, to a large extent, determines the animal life of that area.

(iii) A bio-reserve is a conserved ecosystem. It is managed in such a way that not only is its biodiversity preserved but also its resources are used in a sustainable manner for the benefit of the local communities. Examples: The Nilgiris, Sunderbans

(iv) Tropical animals − Tiger, elephant

Montane animals − Snow leopard, spotted deer

Question 3:

Distinguish between

(i) Flora and fauna

(ii) Tropical evergreen and deciduous forests

Answer:

(i) Flora: This term denotes the species of plants of a particular region or period

Fauna: This term denotes the species of animals of a particular region or period.

(ii)

Tropical Evergreen Forests	Tropical Deciduous Forests
Present in areas receiving more than 200 cm of rainfall	Present in areas receiving rainfall between 200 cm and 70 cm
Since the region is warm and wet throughout the year, there is no definite time for the trees to shed their leaves	The trees shed their leaves for about six to eight weeks in dry summer
Examples: ebony, mahogany, rubber, rosewood	Examples: teak, bamboo, sandalwood, peepal, neem
Common animals found in these forests are elephants and monkeys.	Common animals found in these forests are lions and tigers
In India, these forests are located in the heavy rainfall areas of Western Ghats and the island groups of Lakshadweep and Andaman and Nicobar, upper parts of Assam and Tamil Nadu coast	The wet deciduous forests are located in the eastern part of India − northeastern states, along the foothills of the Himalayas, Jharkhand, West Orissa and Chattisgarh, and on the eastern slopes of Western Ghats.The dry deciduous forests are located in the rainier parts of the Peninsular Plateau and the plains of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

Question 4:

Name different types of vegetation found in India and describe the vegetation of high altitudes.

Answer:

The different types of vegetation found in India are:

(i) Tropical Evergreen Forests

(ii) Tropical Deciduous Forests

(iii) Tropical Thorn Forests and Scrubs

(iv) Montane Forests

(v) Mangrove Forests

A description of the vegetation of high altitudes:

In mountainous regions, there is a succession of natural vegetation belts in the same order as we see from the tropical to the tundra regions.

(a) The wet temperate types of forests are found between a height of 1,000 and 2,000 metres. Evergreen broad-leaf trees such as oaks and chestnuts are predominant in this area.

(b) Between 1,500 and 3,000 metres, temperate forests containing coniferous trees like pine, deodar and spruce are found. These forests cover mostly the southern slopes of the Himalayas and places having high altitude in southern and north-east India.

(c) At higher elevations, temperate grasslands are common.

(d) At altitudes higher than 3,600 metres, temperate forests and grasslands give way to the alpine vegetation. Silver fir, pines and birches are the common trees of these forests. They get progressively stunted as they approach the snow-line.

(e) Ultimately through shrubs and scrubs, they merge into the alpine grasslands.

(f) At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of tundra vegetation.

Question 5:

Quite a few species of plants and animals are endangered in India. Why?

Answer:

Due to the excessive exploitation of the plant and animal resources by human beings, the ecosystem has been disturbed. In consequence, about 1,300 plant species are endangered and 20 species are extinct. Quite a few animal species are also endangered and some have become extinct.

Apart from hunting, other factors that have caused endangerment of plant and animal species are: pollution due to chemical and industrial waste, and acid deposits; introduction of alien species; reckless cutting of forests to bring land under cultivation and inhabitation.

Question 6:

Why has India a rich heritage of flora and fauna?

Answer:

India has all the major physical features of the Earth, i.e., mountains, plains, deserts, plateaus and islands. The different regions of the country have different soil types. Though India has an essentially monsoon-type of climate, there exists great variations in humidity and temperature across the country. Even the rains brought by the monsoon winds are unevenly distributed. Hence, each factor responsible for the type of flora and fauna in an area, namely land, soil, temperature, humidity and precipitation, are variable across the length and breadth of the country. As a result, the flora and fauna found in India is diverse and rich.