Types of Forests in India

Forests are undoubtedly the lungs of our dear mother earth. They play a major role in maintaining a balance in the amount of oxygen found in the atmosphere. Forests account for occupying almost 30 Percent of the land, this amasses up to almost 4 billion hectares of the land. Without having a forest cover on mother earth, human life would become impossible as it'd cause a huge imbalance in the amount of oxygen and would lead to the doom of humanity. Moreover, forests also are instrumental in housing flora and fauna. A huge range of animals and vegetation proudly call forests as their home.

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Image: A forest in a hilly area

Importance of All the Major Types of Forest Found in India

Without a designated amount of forest cover, the ecological balance would be disrupted. Without ecological balance, the food chain will be affected. Resultantly all the consumers would be affected and ultimately, the damage would reach us, and slowly we'd need to adopt new methods to survive. India in the 1900s was almost 60 percent forest but since then these numbers have been redundant and have unfortunately had a steep decline. Today, the forest cover in our country is just about 22 percent. Industrialization and urbanization have led to the cutting down of forests in several regions of the country. Well, unfortunately, most of us do not care about this declining number, if a random citizen was asked to name the major types of forest found in India, likely, the person would not know the answer. That's how ignorant we're about our dear environment. Today, let us take a look at different types of forests in India with pictures and names and make an attempt to understand each one of them and their characteristic features. 

Classification of Forests in India

There are many different types of forests found in India, however, broadly we can classify the vegetation type of India into 5 different types. According to the Indian ministry of forestry, the following are the 5 types of forests in India. 

1  Moist tropical forest

2. Dry tropical forest

3. Montane temperate forest

4. Montane subtropical forest

5. Tropical thorn forest

These different forest types are all well distributed across the length and breadth of the country. Every forest has its own characteristic features. Well, the existence of a particular forest type in a specific region has a specific reason. The growth of vegetation is dependent on several factors, both natural factors, and man-made ones. 

The Theory of Natural Selection

Charles Darwin proposed the theory of natural selection. According to this, the species that adapts the best to the changing conditions is bound to survive. Hence, the changing environmental conditions are responsible for determining the continuation or doom of a species. Hence, for the flourishing of forests, the environment's conduciveness is responsible and determines in which region, what type of forest would thrive. 

Different Types of Forests in India

1. Moist Tropical Forest

Tropical moist forests are one of the most vivid types of forests found in India. They're also called wet evergreen forests as their broad structured leaves are known to stay evergreen all throughout the year. Tropical moist forests are found in several regions of India. Although, they aren't the major type of forest found in India but cover a considerable amount of area. These forests are known for their peculiar and vivid type of flora and fauna. Moist tropical forests are home to a wide range of rare animals and plants. 

Factors Influencing the Growth of Moist Tropical Forests

• Rainfall 

The flourishing of these forests is greatly dependent on the annual average rainfall received. The vegetation found in these forests is greatly dependent on rainfall. A majority of trees found in these regions are evergreen in nature. Hence, to maintain the bright green color of leaves without shredding them, rainfall plays a key role.  Resultantly, the growth of these forests happens in regions that receive abundant rainfall. To be precise, 

• Altitude

Hilly regions are generally more favorable for the growth of evergreen wet forests. This is mainly because hilly regions receive a good amount of rainfall in a year. An altitude of 900 m to about 2500 m is generally known to be accommodative to moist tropical forests. 

• Temperature

The favorable temperature for the growth of evergreen wet forests is about 25-27 degrees Celsius. A slightly cold but humid climatic condition is about perfect for the evergreen trees to grow. 

Regions Where This Type of Forest is Found in India

The hilly regions are the perfect regions to house wet tropical forests. They provide the perfect climatic conditions and also receive abundant rainfall. In India, the western, eastern ghats, and the Northeastern states are home to wet tropical forests. 

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2. Dry Tropical Forests

Dry tropical forests are found in most major parts of India. The inland regions of India are often dry and arid. These regions do not receive enough rainfall to be favorable for the growth of wet tropical forest and hence, in these regions dry tropical forests flourish.

Factors Influencing Dry Tropical Forests

• Rainfall

As the name suggests, dry tropical forests are drier when compared to wet tropical forests. Hence, obviously, the rainfall required for the growth of dry tropical forests is just about 250 mm- 1000mm. A major part of India receives rainfall as mentioned in the range above. 

• Altitude

Dry tropical forests flourish in plain lands. Implies that dry tropical forests grow better in regions where the altitude is lower than about 50 m above sea level. 

• Temperature

Dry tropical forests generally do not need a cooler temperature like wet tropical forests. The temperature range best suited for dry tropical forests is about 28 degrees celsius to 36 degrees celsius.

Where Can We Find Dry Tropical Forests?

This is one of the major types of forest in India. The tropical temperature and mediocre rainfall make the conditions perfect for their growth. Hence, most states such as Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu are home to dry tropical forests. 

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3. Montane Temperate Forests

Scarce regions of montane temperate forests are found in India. Their occurrence is scarce mainly because of the factors that influence their growth. Only about 7 percent of the forest area of India is montane temperate forests. Let us look at the conditions that favor the growth of montane temperate forests. 

• Rainfall 

The rainfall received does not play a very major role in the flourishing of montane temperate forests. However, an inflow of excessive rainwater suddenly due to natural phenomena can result in the downfall of these forests. Average rainfall of 50-100 mm is about sufficient for these forests. 

• Altitude

Altitude and terrain play deterministic roles in ensuring a conducive environment. An altitude of above 3000 meters is necessary for providing favorable conditions for the growth of montane temperate forests. The terrain must be sloped as well. 

• Climate 

Climate is another very important factor that contributes to the growth of montane temperate forests. The favorable climate for these forests is between 10 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. Another major requirement is the frequency of cold winds. Regular flow of cold winds is required for the effective growth of trees found in montane temperate forests

Regions Where Montane Temperate Forests are Found

As we've seen, mountain temperate forests require a very low temperature and minimal rainfall. Such conditions are only found in tall mountains. In India, the Himalayan ranges are home to montane temperate forests. Right from Kashmir until Arunachal Pradesh, temperate montane forests can be found 

4. Montane Subtropical Forests

Montane subtropical forests and montane temperate forests differ in a few aspects. As the name suggests, montane subtropical forests are more favored in slightly subtropical conditions. Let us look at the conditions that favor these kinds of forests

Conditions That Favor Montane Subtropical Forests

• Rainfall

When compared to montane temperate forests, montane subtropical forests require a slightly higher rainfall. The rainfall received can lie in the range of 100-200 mn.

• Altitude

This type of forest prefers a slightly lower altitude in comparison to montane temperate forests. The altitude range can lie between 1800m and 3000m. 

• Climate 

The Montane subtropical forests can grow well in slightly subtropical conditions. The right range of temperature for the growth of montane subtropical forests is about 18 degrees Celsius to 25 degrees Celsius. They don't require very sloppy terrain and chilly winds. So a temperature just between temperature and tropical would be the best suited for these forests.

Regions of Occurrence

These forests are found in the lower regions of the Himalayas, namely, the Shivalik region. Apart from that, they are also found in the Nilgiris and the western ghats. States like Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and northeastern states are home to montane subtropical forests.

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5. Tropical Thorn Forests

The tropical thorn forests are the final classification of forests on a broader scale. As the name would have given you an idea, tropical thorn forests are generally thorny and arid. Let us take a look at these forests and their favorable conditions.

• Rainfall

These forests are found in arid regions. They have extensive and different kinds of flora and fauna. These forests require a minimum amount of rainfall for growth. About 25 mm of rainfall is just enough for these forests to grow conductively. 

• Altitude

The altitude does not really play a major role in the growth of tropical thorn forests. Rainfall in this case is the deterministic feature. A lower altitude is however preferable as higher altitudes tend to receive more rainfall. The soil on which tropical thorn forests grow is supposed to be dry and free from moisture. 

• Climate

The climate must be dry and hot for having a favorable environment for the growth of arid thorn forests. Loo winds can be another factor that determines the growth of thorn forests. Loo winds are dry winds that carry almost no moisture, these winds make the environment conducive for the growth of thorn forests

Occurrence of Tropical Thorn Forest in India

Most of India receives a decent amount of rainfall and hence the occurrence of thorn forests is scarce. Arid forests are found in parts of Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.