Chapter-3

Natural Vegetation & Wildlife Resources

E. Answer the following questions briefly.

1. What kind of forests are found in equatorial regions?

Evergreen forests are found in the equatorial region.
2. Why do evergreen forests always appear green?
Evergreen forests always appear green as they do not shed their leaves, simultaneously in
any season during the year hence they always have some leaves on trees.
3. Write down three effects of forest fire.
Effects of forest fire:

• Loss of valuable timber resources.

• Loss of biodiversity and possible extinction of plants and wildlife
• Loss of wildlife habitat and animal life.
• Reduction in forest cover.
• Soil erosion affecting its productivity.
• Health problems leading to diseases.
• Loss of livelihood for tribal people who are dependent upon collection of forest
produce for their survival.
4. What is pollination?
Pollination is a process by which pollen is transferred in the reproduction of plants, thereby
enabling production of seeds.
5. What is Ecosystem?
• Ecosystem can be defined as a complex relationship between all the living resources
and residents of an area.
• This would include all forms of life – animals, plants, fish, birds, people, etc and the
non-living – air, water, soil, etc.
• All these are interdependent and if any one disappears it would have an impact on
the other.
6. Why have we built wildlife sanctuaries?
Wildlife sanctuaries are built to protect the various species of animals and birds.

F. Answer the following questions in detail.

1. Name and explain four types of vegetation.
The type of vegetation depends mainly on temperature and moisture. Accordingly,
vegetation is grouped into major types:
Forests:
• Present in areas that have heavy rainfall.
• Areas that have abundant water supply.
• The amount of moisture determines the size of the trees. The size of trees is short in
the areas of less moisture.
• Less moisture also reduces the density of trees.

Grasslands:
 • Present in the regions of moderate rainfall.
• The trees in grasslands are short and stunted.
• Majority of the area is covered with long and short grasses.

Scrubs:

• Present in the regions of dry areas of low rainfall.

• The areas are dry and have thorny shrubs and scrubs.
• These plants have deep roots and leaves have thorny and waxy surfaces to reduce
loss of moisture by transpiration.

Tundra:

• Present in very cold Polar Regions.

• It comprises of mosses and lichens.
• The surface is almost barren, without any green cover and almost entirely covered
with snow.
2. Write down the protective functions of the forests.
Protective functions of Forests are as follows:
• Forests check soil erosion and land degradation.
• Forests provide cover to a number of ecosystems for the growth of wildlife.
• Help to conserve water.
3. Write down the importance of wildlife.
Wildlife plays an important role in the ecological and biological processes that are significant
to life. Besides, there are several biological processes wherein wildlife plays a key role, such
as pollination, germination, seed dispersal, soil generation, nutrient cycling, predation,
habitat maintenance, waste breakdown and pest control.
• Ecosystem can be defined as a complex relationship between all the living resources
and residents of an area. This would include all forms of life- animals, plants, fish,
birds, etc and the non-living – air, water, soil, etc. All these are interdependent and if
anyone disappears it would have an impact on the other.
• Germination is the process in which a plant emerges from a seed or spore, and
begins its growth. However this growth is related to the availability of other things
like water, air, manure, soil, nutrients, minerals, etc.
• Pollination is a process by which pollen is transferred in the reproduction of plants,
thereby enabling production of seeds.
• Predation is an interaction between species in which one species uses another
species as food.
4. Give reasons for the loss of natural vegetation and wildlife.
Loss of natural vegetation and wildlife is taking place due to the following reasons:
• Human Interferences like construction activities and expanding into forest for want
of space or setting up industries.
• Deforestation leads to extensive loss of vegetation and wildlife. The forests which
take up hundreds of years to build get destroyed in just a few months by human
activities. It also disturbs the natural habitats of a number of birds and animals.
5. Write down the ways by which we can conserve wildlife.
Wildlife can be preserved by the following ways:
• Conservation and protection of national parks, wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere
reserves.
• Awareness programmes like social forestry and Vanmahotsava amongst
communities at rural and urban level.
• Encouraging school children to go for bird watching and their visits to nature camps.
• Many countries have made stringent laws and declared certain trades related to
skin, hides, nails and teeth of wild of wild animals as illegal and punishable. Indian
government has banned the killing of lions, tigers, deer, great Indian bustards and
peacocks.
• To increase the number of rare species by breeding them under special care of the
scientists.