Question

Answer in a paragraph.
1. Mention any four uses of natural vegetation.
2. Describe the location, climatic conditions, natural
vegetation and wildlife of the following: tropical
evergreen forests, tropical deciduous forests,
coniferous forests and desert.
3. What is the difference between national parks,
wildlife sanctuaries and biosphere reserves?
4. What is the importance of wildlife? What are the
factors responsible for their depletion?​

Answer 1

1.

Vegetation is a general term for the plant life of a region; it refers to the ground cover provided by plants, and is, by far, the most abundant biotic element of the biosphere.

Vegetation serves several critical functions in the biosphere, at all possible spatial scales.

First, vegetation regulates the flow of numerous biogeochemical cycles, most critically those of water, carbon, and nitrogen; it is also of great importance in local and global energy balances.

Such cycles are important not only for global patterns of vegetation but also for those of climate.

Second, vegetation strongly affects soil characteristics, including soil volume, chemistry and texture, which feed back to affect various vegetational characteristics, including productivity and structure.

Third, vegetation serves as wildlife habitat and the energy source for the vast array of animal species on the planet (and, ultimately, to those that feed on these).

Vegetation is also critically important to the world economy, particularly in the use of fossil fuels as an energy source, but also in the global production of food, wood, fuel and other materials.

Perhaps most importantly, global vegetation (including algal communities) has been the primary source of oxygen in the atmosphere, enabling the aerobic metabolism systems to evolve and persist.

Lastly, vegetation is psychologically important to humans, who evolved in direct contact with, and dependence on, vegetation, for food, shelter, and medicines.

Answer 2

Answer:

1. Besides the obvious value of crops, vegetation can also provide ecosystem services including erosion control, storage and filtration of water, wildlife habitat, and aesthetic appeal. Vegetation also plays a key role in the transfer of material between the atmosphere, soil and water bodies.

2.A.Tropical Rainforests:

These forests are also called Tropical Evergreen.

Location:

Forests found near the Equator (10° North to 10° South) in Amazon & Zaire Basin and Southeast Asia.

Climate:

These regions are hot and receive heavy rainfall throughout the year.

Characteristics:

• As there is no particular dry season, the trees do not shed their leaves altogether. This is the reason they are called evergreen.

• The thick canopies of the closely spaced trees do not allow the sunlight to penetrate inside the forest even in the day time. Thus, grass is not found in these forests.

• Hardwood trees like rosewood, teak, sal, ebony, and mahogany are the common trees found here.

• Here the population found is very less. Due to dense forests commercial exploitation of these forests has not be possible, making them economically backward.

Wildlife:

Large variety and most colourful animals are found here. Monkey, Ape, Birds, Hippopotamus, snake, python, Frog, Crocodile, etc. Anaconda, world's largest snake is also found in these areas.

B.Tropical Deciduous Forests:

These forests are also called Monsoon Forests.

Location:

Forests found in large part of India, Northern Australia and in Central America.

Climate:

These regions are warm and receive rainfall less than 200 cms.

Characteristics:

• These regions experience seasonal changes. Trees shed their leaves in the dry season to conserve water.

• Trees like sandalwood, teak, sal, ebony, bamboo, etc. are the common trees found here.

• Forests are not very dense thus; commercial exploitation of these forests is possible.

Wildlife:

Tigers, lions, elephants, langoors and monkeys are the common animals of these regions.

3.In wildlife sanctuaries, on the other hand, some human activity may be permitted, such as livestock grazing. Biosphere reserves are larger areas, which may include one or more national park and/or wildlife sanctuary. These also protect human communities and their ways of life.

4.. Wildlife helps in maintaining the eco-logical balance of nature. Killing of carnivores leads to an increase in the number of herbivores which in turn affect the forest vegetation, thus due to lack of food in the forest they come out from the forest to agriculture land and destroy our crops.

• Hunting and Poaching of Animals also causes a Depletion of a Species of animals in number count.

•  Uncontrolled Fishing and Over Exploitation of Marine resources by Humans are also responsible for Extinction of Aquatic & Amphibious varieties of Animals & reptiles.

Explanation:

HOPE THIS HELPS YOU