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GEOGRAPHY
India- Natural Vegetation (A) STD.10
2023-2024

1.On what does natural vegetation depend?

Ans: Natural Vegetation depends on climate, soil, elevation/altitude, and other local factors.

2. Briefly describe the value of forest to man.

Ans: Forests provide:

a) Timber for firewood, furniture, matches and bamboo for paper.

b) They provide forest products like gum, leaves, fruits flowers, medicinal herbs, beeswax,
honey, turpentine, oil, lac and artificial fibers.
c) They provide grazing grounds and fodder for cattle as well as shelter for birds and animals.
d) They provide employment for many people and industries depend on forests for raw
materials.
e) They help conserve soil fertility.
f) They influence the climate of a region Prevents direct isolation of the ground thus lowering
the temperature.
g) They help to bring about rains as clouds passing over forest cover gets cooled,
h) They check soil erosion by checking the flow of the flood water.
i) Forests are tourist attractions.

3. What are the reasons for shrinkage of forest in India?

Ans: The shrinkage is due to growth in population which leads to increased demand for
agricultural land, urbanization and industrialization.

4. What is silviculture?

Ans: Silviculture is timber farming that is preparation of the soil to grow trees for timber in a
scientific way for a sustained yield.

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5. What is deforestation?
Ans: Indiscriminate cutting of trees in the forest is called deforestation.

6. What is afforestation?

Ans: Afforestation is the growing of trees in the areas where there are no forests. In this scheme
there is careful supervision of the forest.

7 What is reafforestation?

Ans: Reafforestation is planting two saplings to replace every tree felled in the areas which were
once forested.

8. Give two reasons why reafforestation is undertaken in India.

Ans.
• To prevent soil erosion
• Prevent floods

9. What are the results of deforestation?

Ans: Soil erosion, floods, brings about drought, changes weather patterns. It can also make the soil
acidic and infertile.

10. Name two states and the movement each is associated to preserve forests.
Ans: Maharashtra - Chipko movement; Karnataka- Apico Movement

11. State the steps taken by the Government for development of forestry in India.

Ans. The five-year plan states that 1/3 of the total area of the country must remain covered with
forest so various afforestation programs have brought many hectares of land under forest cover.
Thousands of trees are planted along roads and railway lines in Kutch and Rajasthan desert.
Social forestry carried out.
Silviculture.
12.a) What is Social Forestry? Why is it important?
Ans: Society is made aware of the importance of trees and forestry.
Society actively participates in the re-afforestation and afforestation programs.
They grow trees that could be used as fuel.
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This is important because additional sources of income can be got this
protects the environment so that the ecological balance is maintained.

b) What does the National Forest Policy stress on? What are its objectives?
• Preserving Flora and fauna
• Checking soil erosion especially in catchment areas.
• Increasing forest cover in the country by afforestation and social forestry programs
• Creating massive peoples’ movement to protect forests.

c) (i) What is Agro - forestry?

Ans; It is a part of social forestry.
It is an intermediate between forestry and agriculture.
It involves managing a piece of land by combining production of agricultural crops, forest crops,
and animal rearing.
All this is done keeping in mind the socio-cultural practices of the local people.

(ii) What is the objective of Agro - forestry?

• To check soil erosion
• To maintain ecological balance
• To properly use farm resources

13. Why are forests called the handmaids of agriculture?

Ans: They help to conserve the soil of its nutrients and bind the soil together preventing soil
erosion, thus increasing soil fertility.

They increase humidity in the region.

They regulate the climate by blocking solar radiation by day and ground radiation by night thus
the temperature around these regions is lowered. They help to bring about rainfall in the area.

14. Why are the forests in and around iron and steel producing cities?

Ans: The furnaces give out plenty of carbon dioxide and pollute the air; hence the trees reduce the
carbon dioxide level in the air and increase the oxygen content in air.

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 India - Natural Vegetation (B)

15. Where are the Tropical Evergreen forests found?

Ans: They are found in areas receiving more than 200 cm. of annual rainfall. The area
receiving this amount of rainfall is the Western slopes of the Western Ghats that is the western
side of (Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala). They also occur on the windward side of the
Garo, Khasi, Jaintia hills. They are also found in the Terai region.

16. Why are trees in the tropical forest evergreen?

Ans: They are evergreen as there is no period of drought. Different trees germinate and whither
at different times allowing the entire vegetation to always look green.

17. What are the characteristics of the trees found in tropical rain forests?

Ans: The trees are tall, evergreen and there is dense undergrowth. The wood is fine-
grained and hard and the leaves are broad.

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18. Why are the trees broad in the Tropical Evergreen Forests? Name one area south of
River Tapi where Tropical Evergreen Forests are found.
Ans: i) To cut excess moisture by evapo-transpiration.
ii) More surface area helps receive more sunlight and thus manufacture more food.
It is found on the western slopes of Western ghats.

19. Name the trees found in the Tropical Rain Forests?

Ans: Rosewood, Ebony, Sisam, Toon, Mahogany, Gurjan, Bamboo, Ironwood, Cinchona.

20. Explain with reference to l) Relief and 2) Rainfall - why are Evergreen Forests in the
Western Ghats /Assam /terai / Garo, Khasi, Jaintia Hills and Thorn and Scrub Forest
in Kutch and Saurastra in Gujarat.
Ans. The Evergreen forests are found in the Western Ghats because they are hilly and they
form the barrier for the Southwest Monsoon Arabian Sea Brach which brings plenty of rain
(over 200 cm). They are on the windward sides of the Western Ghats and so have abundant
rain.
Assam/ Terai/Garo, Khasi, Jaintia -regions have evergreen Rain Forests because the S.W.
monsoon Bay of Bengal branch brings plenty of rain as it is on the windward side of the Gao,
Khasi, Jaintia Hills and receives over 200 cm of rainfall.

21.Name one region in India where Monsoon Deciduous Forest are found.

Ans. It is found in regions where the rainfall is 100- 200 cm ie. central India (MP) Eastern
Ghats (AP, TN) and central Maharashtra.

22. Give reasons why the Monsoon Deciduous forests are found along the
Eastern Ghats / Eastern parts of south India.

Ans. This is because Eastern Ghats receive moderate rainfall 150- 200cm. Most of the
trees shed their leaves for 6- 8 weeks in hot weather to protect themselves against
excessive evaporation.

23. Which is the most valuable tree found in the Tropical Monsoon Deciduous
Forests? Why?

Ans. Teak. It is strong durable, termite proof and doesn't corrode nails. It can be used for
shipbuilding, furniture and house construction.

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 TROPICAL DECIDUOUS FOREST

24. Why are Monsoon Forests called deciduous?

Ans. They are Deciduous because they shade their leaves for 6- 8 weeks during the period
of drought (usually from March to April to prevent lass of moisture through evapo-
transpiration. In these areas the rainfall is not heavy, but the temperature is high.

DESERT VEGETATION

25. What is the adaptation seen in the desert plant? Name some trees of this forest.

Trees in the desert plants are either absent or are very small.

Leaves are converted to spines to help reduce the loss of water through transpiration.

The stems become thick, green which helps in photosynthesis.

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The stem is covered with waxy layer which helps to retain moisture. In some plants stems
are spongy and retain water.

The roots grow very deep in the soil to absorb water.

The desert plants are called Xerophytes.

Acacia, Date Palm, Babool, Cacti, Ber are some of the trees found here.

26. What is meant by Tidal Forest?

Ans. These forests trees get fully submerged in the Tidal waters and when the tide ebbs
their prop roots can be seen. The plants in this region adapt themselves to the salt content
of the water.eg. Sundarbans.

27. What is the name given to the forest found in the Ganga delta? Why is it
named so?

Ans. Sundarbans. It is named so because the Sundari tree grows in plenty in this region. It
is named after this tree.

28. What are the characteristics of the trees found in the Tidal Forests?

Ans. They are: -

A) Hard and durable wood.

B) Have stilt like roots

C) Live in salt water.

D) The trunks are supported by several stilted roots which are under water during high
tide. The tangled root system is a wonderful adaptation for survival in softer
shifting mud.

E) Presence of Pneumatophores

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29.Why is the Ganga -Brahmaputra Deltas known as the Sundarbans?
Ans. They are called so because of the Sundari trees found in the area. It is named after the
trees.

30. Why is Sundari tree used for building boats?

Ans. It is used because the wood is hard, strong and durable. As this wood thrives on salt water
the wood doesn't corrode or decay easily.

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31. At what height are the Mountain forests found?
Ans. A) The North- are found at an altitude of 1000m above mean sea level.
B) The South- are found at an altitude of 1500m above mean sea level.

32. Why are the trees in the Coniferous forests cone shaped?
Ans. So that the snow slides away without damaging the tree.

33. Why is there less undergrowth in the Mountain Forest?

Ans. There is less undergrowth because there is less rain (between 100- 200m), the temperature
is very low (18°- 22°C) and there is no simultaneous falling of leaves.

34. Why do the pine trees have more wood than leaves?
Ans. This is because the wood stores the food.

35. For what is softwood/ wood of pine trees used?

And. Softwood is used for paper pulp, matches, packing cases and planks.

36. Name the forests that are 'Mixed'. Why are they so called?
Ans. The Mixed forests are the Mountain forests. They are so called because on the lower
slopes you have Deciduous trees which shed their leaves in summer and on the higher slopes
we have the evergreen coniferous forest.

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37. Give the characteristics and the uses of the following trees.

Ans. Rosewood- fine grained hard deep purple coloured. Used for furniture.
Bamboo- Tall grass. Used for paper house construction, furniture, handicrafts.
Teak- Most valuable tree. Hard, durable, strong high oil content, termite proof, doesn’t
corrode nails, pale yellow in colour, darkens with age. Used for shipbuilding, house
construction and furniture.
Sandalwood-. Used for oil- perfumery/cosmetics, soaps, cream. Wood is used for handicrafts.

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