Climate and Natural

Vegetation

GA LIVE by Dr Vipan Goyal

 Climate of India
• India’s climate closely resembles the climate that of a
tropical country although its northern part (north of
tropic of cancer) is situated in the temperate belt.
• Indian subcontinent is separated from the rest of Asia
by the lofty Himalayan ranges which block the cold air
masses moving southwards from Central Asia.
 Climate of India
• The climate of India has been influenced by its
position, size and relief features
• The seasonal reversal of winds in Arabian Sea and Bay
of Bengal give India a typical tropical monsoon climate.
• So Indian climate, to be precise, is tropical monsoon
type (a distinct wet and dry climate) rather than just a
tropical or half temperate climate.
 Climatic Seasons of India

Winter December to February

Summer March to May
Monsoons or Rainy season June to September
Retreating monsoons October and November
 Distribution of Rainfall in India
• The rainfall in India is seasonal, uncertain and unevenly
distributed
• Mainly pours down during the South-West Monsoon
period
• On the basis of the quantity of rainfall, we can divide
India into five major rainfall regions viz.
 Distribution of Rainfall in India
• Very low rainfall region
– Less than 60 cms annually
– Regions→ Karakoram
Ranges, Northern Kashmir,
Western Kutch & Rajasthan
Region (Thar Region)
 Distribution of Rainfall in India
• Low rainfall region
– 80 cms to 100 cms annually
– Regions→ Zaskar range,
parts of Punjab and Haryana,
Central Rajasthan, Western
Gujarat and the rain-shadow
areas of the Western Ghats
 Distribution of Rainfall in India
• Moderate rainfall region
– 100 cms to 200 cms annually
– Found over greatest part of
India
– Most of the rain is from the
South-West Monsoon winds
 Distribution of Rainfall in India
• Heavy rainfall region
– Greater than 200 cms annually
– Regions→ Western coast, Eastern
coastal belt, Foothills of the
Himalayas & a part of north-east
India, Meghalaya plateau (Shillong
plateau) and Andaman and Nicobar
Islands
– Mawsynram in Meghalaya plateau
gets the heaviest rainfall in the World
Major factors affecting Indian Climate
Physiography
Latitudinal Distance from Himalayas and
and Indian
Extent the sea Indian Climate
Climate

El – Nino La – Nina ENSO Westerlies

Tropical
Easterlies
Cyclones
 Latitudinal Extent
• Areas south of the Tropic of Cancer are in tropics and hence receive
high solar insolation. The summer temperatures are extreme and
winters temperatures are moderate in most of the regions.

• The northern parts on the other hand lie in the warm temperate
zone. They receive comparatively less solar insolation. But summer are
equally hot in north India because of hot local wind called ‘loo’. Winter
are very cold due to cold waves brought by the western disturbances.
 Distance from the sea
• Coastal regions have moderate or equable or maritime climate where
as interior locations are deprived of the moderating influence of the
sea and experience extreme or continental climate.

• The monsoon winds first reach the coastal regions and hence bring
good amount of rainfall.
 Himalayas and Indian Climate
• This is the most important factor that influences Indian Climate.
• The Himalayas act as a climatic divide between India and Central Asia.
• During winter, Himalayas protect India from cold and dry air masses
of Central Asia.
• During monsoon months these mountain ranges act as an effective
physical barrier for rain bearing south-west monsoon winds.
• If the Himalayas were not present, the monsoon winds would simply
move into China and most of the north India would have been a
desert.
 Physiography and Indian Climate
• Places on the windward side of an orographic barrier receive great
amount of rainfall where as those on the leeward side remain arid to
semi-arid due to rain-shadow effect.
• Example: The south-west monsoon winds from the Arabian sea strike
almost perpendicular at the Western Ghats and cause copious rainfall
in the Western Coastal plain and the western slopes of the Western
Ghats.
 Physiography and Indian Climate
• On the contrary, vast areas of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana,
Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu lie in rain-shadow or leeward side of
the Western Ghats and receive scanty rainfall.

• Monsoons winds flowing in Rajasthan and Gujarat are not obstructed

by any orographic barrier and hence these regions receive no rainfall.

• [Monsoon winds blow almost parallel to Aravalis and hence there is

no orographic rainfall].
 Physiography and Indian Climate
• Mawsynram and Cherrapunji are
the wettest places on earth with
mean annual rainfall over 1000 cm.
• Copious rainfall in these places is
due to funneling effect followed
by orographic upliftment.
• Funneling effect i.e. clouds are
channeled into a narrow region
between mountains and hence the
cloud density is extraordinary]
 El – Nino
• Adversely affects monsoon rainfall and cyclogenesis in Bay of Bengal.
• Good for cyclogenesis in Arabian Sea.
• Droughts are common during El Nino events due to less monsoonal and
cyclonic rainfall.
 La – Nina
• Good for monsoons and cyclogenesis in Bay of Bengal.
• Suppressed cyclogenesis in Arabian Sea.
• Floods are common.
 ENSO (El Nino Southern Oscillation)
• Southern Oscillation is simply the oscillation or alternating positions of
low pressure and high pressure cells over eastern and western Pacific.
• Southern Oscillation coinciding with El Nino is called ENSO or El Nino
Southern Oscillation.
• ENSO = [warm water in eastern Pacific + low pressure over eastern
Pacific] + [cool water in western Pacific + high pressure in western
Pacific]
• Climatic conditions same as El Nino.
Westerlies in Northern part of India from
Mediterranean (in winters)
• Westerly jet stream blows at a very high speed during winter over
the sub-tropical zone.
• Winter rain and heat storms in north-western plains and occasional
heavy snowfall in hilly regions are caused by these disturbances.
• These are generally followed by cold waves in the whole of northern
plains.
 Easterlies due to Heating of Tibetan Plateau
• Reversal in upper air circulation takes place in summer due to the
apparent shift of the sun’s vertical rays in the northern hemisphere.

• The westerly jet stream is replaced by the easterly jet stream which
owes its origin to the heating of the Tibet plateau.

• This helps in the sudden onset of the south-west monsoons.

 Tropical Cyclones
• Majority of the cyclones originate in the Bay of Bengal and influence the
weather conditions during the south-west monsoon season (low
intensity cyclones).

• Some cyclones are born during the retreating monsoon season, i.e., in
October and November (high intensity cyclones) and influence the
weather conditions along the eastern coast of India.
Natural Vegetation of India
Tropical Evergreen Rain Forests
Deciduous or Monsoon Type of Forests
Tropical dry Deciduous Forests

Arid Forests and Desert Vegetation

Tidal or Mangrove Forests

Mountain Forests
Tropical wet Evergreen Forests/Rain
Forests

Evergreen
•Due to high heat and high humidity,
the trees of these forests do not shed
their leaves together.
Tropical wet Evergreen Forests/Rain Forests
• Avg. Rainfall Above 200 cm
• Avg. Temp. → 24* C
• Found at Hot & Humid areas of India
• Tall & Dense approx. 45 – 60 m
• Hardwood Forests
• Found at Western Ghats, A & N islands & Eastern India
• Sunrays unable to reach earth surface so the trees compete & rise high to get
sunlight.
• These trees do not have fixed time to shed their leaves
• Ex. Rubber, Coconut, Ebony, Mahogany, Rosewood, Palms
 Tropical Deciduous Forests
• Tropical Deciduous Forests are the most widespread forests of India and
are popularly as Monsoon Forests.
• Tropical deciduous forests are further categorized as the Moist
deciduous forests and Dry deciduous forest.
 The moist deciduous forests
• The moist deciduous forests are found in the regions, which record
rainfall between 100 and 200 cm.
• The moist deciduous forests are found along the foothills of the
Himalayas (Shivaliks), eastern slopes of the Western Ghats, and Odisha.

• Teak, sal, shisham, hurra, mahua, amla, semul, kusum, and sandalwood,
Deodar etc. are the main species of the moist deciduous forests.
 Tropical Dry deciduous forests
• Tropical Dry deciduous forests are found in the regions that receive
precipitation between 70 and 100 cm.
• As the dry season begins, the trees of deciduous forests shed their leaves
completely.

• Tendu, palas, amaltas, bel, khair, axlewood etc. are the major trees of dry
deciduous forests.
Tropical Thorn Forests/Arid or Desert Forests
Tropical thorn forests are found in the areas, which receive rainfall less
than 50 cm.

Tropical thorn forests are found in the areas of south west Punjab,
Haryana, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

Babool, ber, and wild date palm, khair, neem, khejri, palas, etc. are the
important species of tropical thorn forests.
•Prominent features → Small leaves, Thick Bark, Long Roots
•Also called Xerophytic or Succlent Plants
 Tidal Forests/ Littoral and Swamp
Forests/Mangrove Forests.
• Mangrove grows along the coasts in the salt marshes, tidal creeks, mud flats,
and estuaries; and, it has a number of salt-tolerant species of plants/ Known as
Halophytes .
– These forests grow along the coast and on the edges of the deltas.
– Famous for Mangrove & Sundari Trees (It provides hard and durable timber which is
used for construction and building purposes as well as making boats)
– Found at Sundarbans, A & N Islands, Deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna & Kavery
 Mountain Forests
• Mountain forests vary considerably along the slopes of mountain
• Mountain forests in India are normally classified into two types, i.e. the
northern mountain forests and the southern mountain forests.

• Deciduous forests are found in the foothills of the Himalayas. Sal, teak,
bamboo)
• Temperate forests found between an altitude of 1,000 and 2,000 m.
 Mountain Forests
• In the higher hill ranges of northeastern India; for example, hilly areas of
West Bengal and Uttaranchal, evergreen broad leaf trees such as oak
and chestnut are predominant.
• Pine, fir, oak, maple, deodar, laurel spruce, cedar etc. are the important
species of temperate forests.
• Between 3,000 and 4,000 m, Silver firs, junipers, pines, birch, and
rhododendrons, etc. are found.
 Mountain Forests
• Beyond these vegetation belts, alpine grasslands appear up to
snowfield.

• However, at higher altitude, the tundra vegetation is found and major

species are mosses and lichens.

• At a higher altitude, the southern mountain forests largely belong to the

temperate type, which are locally known as ‘Sholas’ in the Nilgiris,
Anaimalai, and Palani hills.
 Forestry
• With (about) 90 percent of forest cover, Mizoram has the highest
percentage of forest area in India.
• The Government of India proposed to have a nation-wide forest
conservation policy, and adopted a forest policy in 1952, and further
amended in 1988
 Social Forestry
• Social Forestry means the management and protection of forests and
afforestation on barren lands with the purpose of helping in the
environmental, social, and rural development.
• The National Commission on Agriculture has classified social forestry into
three categories i.e. Urban forestry, Rural forestry, and Farm forestry.
• Farm forestry is a term applied to the process under which the farmers
grow trees for commercial and non-commercial purposes on their farm
lands.
 Problems of Forestry

Over grazing

Jhum Cultivation Forest Fire

Reckless Cutting
of Trees
 Government Initiatives
Reserve & Protected forests

Van Mahotsav Programme → Thousands of trees are planted every year in

the months of July and August

Forest Research Institute at Dehradun For promotion and preservation the

forests properly

National Forest policy

 National Forest Policy, 1988
Conservation of Biodiversity, Afforestation & Check of soil
erosion

33 % Geographical area shall be forest covered

Develop Social Forestry → (Agro Forestry, Community

Forestry & Forestry by officials)
 Social Forestry
Mainly to reduce pressure on traditional forests by planting
trees esp. for fuel wood, Timber & other social supplies

Help in checking water and wind erosion by acting as shelter

belts

Employment & additional income generation

 Agro Forestry

Planting trees & agricultural crops together on farms for food, fuel, fodder, timber & fruits

Forestry + Agriculture

Trees bind soil and acts as shelter belts thus check soil erosion

Deep roots of trees trap new nutrients and bring them close to the surface

Leguminous trees fix atmospheric nitrogen, thus improves fertility of the soil

Soil nutrient increases due to addition and deposition of leaf litter

Community •Trees Planted by community in their
Forestry respected colonies

Forestry by •Trees planted by forest departments

to cater needs of community esp.
officials along Roads, canals, Railways etc.
 Forest & Wildlife Protection
Programmes by Government
– In 1972, a comprehensive Wildlife Act was enacted, which instructed the
main legal framework for conservation and protection of the wildlife in
India.
– Further, in 1991, the Act of 1972 has been comprehensively amended.
– In the amendment, punishments have been made more stringent and
provisions have also been made for the protection of specified plant
species and conservation of endangered species of wild animals.
– Project Tiger (1973) and Project Elephant (1992) have been launched to
conserve these species and their habitats.
 National Park
Relatively large area consisting of one or more
ecosystems, operates at National Level

No human activity or settlement allowed i.e. human

interference is totally prohibited

Villagers cannot graze their animals + Extremely strict

rules about jungle produce collection for ex. Honey
 Wildlife Sanctuary
Regulated human activities are allowed like grazing of animals,
Firewood collection, Tourism

can be created for a particular species which is not the case

with national; operates at State Level

A sanctuary can be upgraded to a National park but not vice

versa
 Biosphere Reserve
• A biosphere reserve is a voluntary, cooperative, conservation reserve in
order to protect the biological and cultural diversity of a region while
promoting sustainable economic development. It is a place of cooperation,
education and experimentation.
• The origin of Biosphere Reserves goes back to the “Biosphere
Conference” organized by UNESCO in 1968.
• This was the first intergovernmental conference examining how to
reconcile the conservation and use of natural resources. This Conference
resulted in the launching of the UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” (MAB)
Program in 1970.
 Biosphere Reserve
• Established in September 1986, the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve is the first
biosphere reserves of India
• Unique ecosystem of terrestrial & coastal areas internationally
recognized by UNESCO under Man and Biosphere (MAB) programme.
• One of the original MAB projects was designed to establish a
coordinated World Network of sites representing the main ecosystems
of the planet in which genetic resources would be protected, and
where research on ecosystems as well as monitoring and training work
could be carried out. These sites were named as “Biosphere Reserves”.
• People are allowed to live, own private land & carry own traditional
activities but only in outer zone.
 Biosphere Reserve
• India is the only country in the whole world where
both tigers and lions are found.
– Gir forest in Gujarat is the natural habitat of lion in
India.
– Tigers are found in the Sundarbans of West Bengal, and
the forests of Madhya Pradesh and Himalayan region
 Biosphere Reserve
• Core zone : Central area that has to be
kept undisturbed of all activities except
research (which don’t disturb wildlife)
• Buffer zone : Some light activities like
tourism, fishing, grazing etc. are allowed
which don’t disturb the core zone.
Research activities are encouraged here
• Transition zone : Outmost part & not
delimited but activities have to be
harmonious with the biosphere reserve
Biosphere Reserve
Biosphere Reserve
 Biosphere Reserve
• The plant species grown naturally without any human aid
and remains undisturbed is known as virgin vegetation.

• The virgin vegetation, which are purely originated and

grown in India is known as endemic or indigenous species
but those which have come from outside India are termed
as exotic plants.
 Koeppen’s Climate Classification
Koeppen, based on his scheme of Climatic classification on
monthly values of temperature and precipitation, identified
five major climatic types. They are:
• Tropical climates
• Dry climates
• Warm temperate climates
• Cool temperate climates
• Ice climates
 Climate type Region Annual rainfall
Amw Western coastal region, south of over 300 cm
(Monsoon type with short Mumbai
dry winter season)

As Coromandel coast = Coastal Tamil 75 – 100 cm [wet

(Monsoon type with dry Nadu and adjoining areas of winters, dry
season in high sun period) Andhra Pradesh summers]

Aw Most parts of the peninsular 75 cm

(Tropical Savanah type) plateau barring Coromandel and
Malabar coastal strips
 Koeppen’s Scheme
• Koeppen recognized five major climatic groups, four of them are based on
temperature and one on precipitation.
• The capital letters:
– A, C, D, and E delineate humid climates and
– B dry climates.
• The climatic groups are subdivided into types, designated by small letters, based
on seasonality of precipitation and temperature characteristics.
• The seasons of dryness are indicated by the small letters: f, m, w, and s, where
– f – no dry season,
– m – monsoon climate,
– w – winter dry season and
– s – summer dry season.
 Koeppen’s Scheme
• The above mentioned major climatic types are further subdivided depending upon the seasonal
distribution of rainfall or degree of dryness or cold.
– a: hot summer, the average temperature of the warmest month over 22°C
– c: cool summer, the average temperature of the warmest month under 22°C
– f: no dry season
– w: the dry season in winter
– s: the dry season in summer
– g: Gange’s type of annual march of temperature; hottest month comes before the solstice and
the summer rainy season.
– h: average annual temperature under 18°C
– m (monsoon): short dry season.
• The capital letters S and W are employed to designate the two subdivisions of dry climate:
– semi-arid or Steppe (S) and
– arid or desert (W).
• Capital letters T and F are similarly used to designate the two subdivisions of polar climate
– tundra (T) and
– icecap (F).
 Koeppen’s Scheme
Climate type Region Annual rainfall

BShw Some rain shadow areas of 12 to 25 cm

(Semi-arid Steppe Western Ghats, large part
type) of Rajasthan and
contiguous areas of
Haryana and Gujarat
BWhw Most of western Rajasthan less than 12 cm
(Hot desert type)
Cwg Most parts of the Ganga 100 – 200 cm
(Monsoon type with Plain, eastern Rajasthan,
dry winters) Assam and in Malwa
Plateau
 Koeppen’s Scheme
Climate type Region Annual rainfall

Dfc Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and ~200 cm

(Cold, Humid winters parts of Assam
type with shorter
summer)
Et Mountain areas of Rainfall varies
(Tundra Type) Uttarakhand. The average from year to
temperature varies from 0 to year.
10°C
E Higher areas of Jammu & Precipitation
(Polar Type) Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh occurs in the
in which the temperature of form of snow
the warmest month varies
from 0° to 10°C
 Some basic Terms Related to Pre Monsoon
• Mango Showers
– The pre-monsoon showers in the Indian states of Karnataka and
Kerala that help in the ripening of mangoes
– Also known as April rains or Summer showers, they are a result of
thunderstorms over the Bay of Bengal
– These summer rains normally come in the second half of the month of
April
– The showers prevent the mangoes from dropping prematurely from
trees and are crucial for the mango cultivators of South India
 Some basic Terms Related to Pre Monsoon
• Cherry Blossom
– In Karnataka and associated region the local thunderstorms
are called as cherry blossoms
– Caused due to the meeting of humid sea winds and hot dry
local wind
– Pre monsoon Showers which occur in the month of April &
May
– These showers help in the ripening of coffee plants
 Some basic Terms Related to Pre Monsoon

• Kal Baishakhi
– Pre monsoon Showers
– Known as Kal Baisakhi at Bengal & Assam
• Norwesters
– Cause rainfall in the East India viz. Assam, West Bengal
& Orissa during winter season
 Miscellaneous
• ISOLINE: imaginary lines joining regions with equal rainfall
or any other parameter.
• ISOBAR: imaginary lines joining regions with equal pressure.
• ISOTHERM: imaginary lines joining regions with equal
temperature.
• ISOHYET: imaginary lines joining regions with equal rainfall.
 Miscellaneous
• The shower causing coffee flowers blossom in Kerala and
nearby areas is known as blossom shower.
• Nor Westers are the dreaded evening thunderstorms in
Bengal and Assam.
• The notorious nature of Nor Westers can be understood
from the local nomenclature of Kalbaisakhi, meaning a
calamity of the month of Baisakh.
• In Assam, Nor Westers are known as Bardoli Chheerha.
 Miscellaneous
• Hot, dry, and oppressing winds blowing in the Northern plains from Punjab to
Bihar are known as Loo.
• The rain in the southwest monsoon season begins rather abruptly.
• Sudden onset of the moisture-laden winds associated with violent thunder and
lightning, is often termed as the “break” or “burst” of the monsoon.
• Tamil Nadu coast remains dry during the monsoon season because it is situated
parallel to the Bay of Bengal branch of southwest monsoon.
• The monsoon rainfall has a declining trend with increasing distance from the
sea. For example, Kolkata receives 119 cm, Patna 105 cm, Allahabad 76 cm, and
Delhi 56 cm.
 Miscellaneous
• The advent of south-west monsoon is known as advancing
monsoon.
• As the south-west monsoon passes over the ocean surface
(Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, and Bay of Bengal) it picks up
moisture and causes rainfall in India.
• Windward side of Western Ghats receives heavy rainfall (more
than 250 cm); however, as the distance increases from the sea,
the amount and intensity of rainfall start decreasing.
 Miscellaneous
• The Bay of Bengal branch of monsoon advances towards
the eastern part of India and causes heavy rainfall. North-
east India receives heavy rainfall during the monsoon
season.
• Cherapunji and Mawsynram (two places of Meghalaya) are
world’s wettest place.
• Though there are great spatial variations in India; the
average annual rainfall of India is 125 cm.
Thank You