CLASS 9 - GEOGRAPHY - NATURAL VEGETATION AND WILD LIFE

Class 9 Extra Questions 

Natural Vegetation and Wildlife

Very Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
The number of flowering plants in India is about _______ .
Answer:
15,000

Question 2.
Name two non-flowering plants.
Answer:
Algae, fungi and ferns.

Question 3.
The sandy soils of desert support _______ .
Answer:
Cactus and thorny bushes.

Question 4.
Sundari trees are found in _______ .
Answer:
Tidal Forests

Question 5.
A very large ecosystem on land having distinct type of vegetation and animal life is called _______ .
Answer:
Biome

Question 6.
At higher altitudes, mosses and lichens form part of _______ .
Answer:
Tundra vegetation

Question 7.
The dry deciduous forests are found in areas having rainfall between _______ .
Answer:
100 cm and 70 cm

Question 8.
The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by sea _______ .
Answer:
Tides

Question 9.
Royal Bengal Tiger is found in _______ .
Answer:
Mangrove forests

Question 10.
Wildlife Protection Act was implemented in India in _______ .
Answer:
1972

Question 11.
The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the _______ .
Answer:
Gir forest in Gujarat

Question 12.
Give an example of biosphere reserve in India.
Answer:
Pachmarhi

Question 13.
Which type of forests does Sundari tree belong to?
Answer:
Mangrove Forests

Question 14.
The moist Tropical Deciduous Forests are more prominent in the eastern and central parts of India because :
Answer:.
These areas experience 100 to 200 cm of annual rainfall.

Question 15.
Where do flamingos migrate in large numbers in India?
Answer:
Rann of Kachchh

Question 16.
The elephants are found in the hot-wet forests of _______ .
Answer:
Assam and Karnataka

Question 17.
Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber and cinchona are the important trees of _______ .
Answer:
Tropical Evergreen Forests.

Question 18.
What are Tropical Rain Forests?
Answer:
These forests grow in the areas having annual rainfall of more than 200 cm.

Question 19.
Where is the Project Rhino being implemented?
Answer:
Assam.

Question 20.
Where was the first biosphere reserve set up?
Answer:
Nilgiri.

Question 21.
What does ‘Natural Vegetation’ mean?
Answer:
Natural vegetation refers to a plant community, which has grown naturally without human aid and has been left undisturbed by humans for a long time.

Question 22.
Name some of the important species of Moist Deciduous Forests.
Answer:
Teak, bamboos, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair, kusum, aijun and mulberry are some of the important species of Moist Deciduous Forests.

Question 23.
Which medicinal plant has both antibacterial and antibiotic properties?
Answer:
The neem plant has both anti-bacterial and anti-biotic properties.

Question 24.
Name some important birds found in India.
Answer:
Some of the important birds found in India are peacocks, pheasants, ducks, parakeets, cranes and pigeons.

Question 25.
Where is Nanda Devi biosphere reserve located?
Answer:
Nanda Devi biosphere reserve is located in Uttarakhand.

Question 26.
Name two every green broad-leaf trees.
Answer:
Oaks and Chestnuts.

Short Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
How do human beings influence the ecology of a region?
Answer:
Human beings influence the ecology of a region in the following ways :

• They utilise the vegetation and wildlife of a particular region.
• The greed of human beings leads to overutilisation of these resources.
• They cut trees and kill the animals, thereby, creating an ecological imbalance.

Question 2.
What are endangered species? Give examples.
Answer:

• The plants and animals that are at the verge of extinction are called endangered species.
• Rhinoceroes, Great Indians bustards and tigers are some of the examples of endangered species of animals.

Question 3.
Write a short note on the biodiversity in India.
Or
‘India is one of the 12 mega biodiversity countries of the world’. Explain
Answer:
Our country India is one of the 12 mega bio-diversity countries of the worid. With about 47,000 plant species, India occupies tenth place in the world and fourth in Asia in plant diversity.

• There are about 15,000 flowering plants in India, which account for 6 per cent in the world’s total number of flowering plants.
• The country has many non-flowering plants, such as ferns,’algae and fungi. India also has 90,000 species of animals, as well as, a rich variety of fish in its fresh and marine waters.

Question 4.
Discuss how flora and fauna are interrelated to each other.
Answer:
The interrelation between flora and fauna is as under :

• Flora refers to the autotrophs, i.e., producer of their own food themselves, while fauna refers to the heterotrophs, i.e., getting their food directly or indirectly from autotrophs.
• Food webs and food chains make ex-facie the interrelation between the flora and fauna.
• Flora provides food to all living organisms while fauna provides nutrients to the soil from its waste and decay.

Question 5.
Name any three medicinal plants found in India with atleast one use of each.
Answer:
The tree medicinal plants found in India are :

• Sarpagandha: It is used to treat blood pressure. It is found only in India.
• Jamun: The juice from ripe fruit is used to prepare vinegar, which is carminative and diuretic, and has digestive properties.
• Arjun: The fresh juice of leaves is a cure for earache. It is also used to regulate blood pressure.

Question 6.
Write a short note on Mangrove Forests.
Answer:
The mangrove tidal forests are found in the areas of coasts influenced by tides. Mud and silt get accumulated on such coasts. Dense mangroves are the common varieties with roots of the plants submerged under water. The deltas of the Ganga, the Mahanadi, the Krishna, the Godavari and the Kaveri are covered by such vegetation. In the Ganga-Brahmaputra delta, sundari trees are found, which provide durable hard timber. Palm, coconut, keora, agar, etc., also grow in some parts of the delta.

Royal Bengal Tiger is the famous animal in these forests. Turtles, crocodiles, gharials and snakes are also found in these forests.

Question 7.
Distinguish between the moist and dry deciduous forests.
Answer:

Moist Deciduous Forests	Dry Deciduous Forests
1. These are found in areas receiving annual rainfall between 100 cm and 200 cm.	1. These forests are found in areas receiving annual rainfall between 70 cm and 100 cm.
2. Trees found in these forests are teak, sal, shisham, sandalwood, khair and bamboos.	2. There are open stretches in which, teak, sal, peepal, neem, etc. grow.
3. These forests are generally found in Jharkhand, West Odisha, Chhattisgarh and on the eastern slopes of the Western Ghats.	3. These forests are found in the rainer parts of the peninsular plateau and the plains of U.R, and Bihar.

Question 8.
Write a short note on thorny forests and scrubs.
Answer:
The thorny forest and scrubs are found in regions with less than 70 cm of rainfall, the natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes. This type of vegetation is found in the north-western part of the country, including semi-arid areas of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana. Acacias, palms, euphorbias and cacti are the main plant species. Trees are scattered and have long roots penetrating deep into the soil to get moisture. The stems are succulent to conserve water. Leaves are mostly thick and small to minimise evaporation. These forests give way to thorn forests and scrubs in arid areas. In these forests, the common animals are rats, mice, rabbits, fox, wolf, tiger, lion, wild ass, horses and camels.

Question 9.
Write three measures to conserve ecosystem.
Answer:
The measures to conserve ecosystem are :

• Deforestation has disturbed our ecosystem. It must be stopped forthwith.
• Indiscriminate killing of wild animals has distorted our ecosystem. Hence, killing of
  animals should be stopped immediately.
• Ecosystem can be conserved by developing more wildlife sanctuaries, national parks and biosphere reserves.

Question 10.
Why is conservation of wildlife very essential? Explain.
Answer:
The government has taken many special efforts to preserve endangered species of birds and animals. Periodic census is undertaken to find out the latest position and trends in this regard. The Project Tiger has been a great success. We have many tiger reserves in various parts of the country. Likewise, the Project Rhino is being implemented in Assam. The Indian Bustard of Rajasthan and Malwa Plateau are yet another endangered species. Even the number of lions had been dwindling for long. Conservation of wildlife is essential in order to protect the endangered species of birds and animals and also to maintain the ecological balance. The Government of India has so far set-up eighteen biosphere reserves.

Question 11.
What do you know about migratory birds?
Answer:
Some of the wetlands of India are popular with migratory birds. During winters, birds, such as Siberian Crane come in large numbers. One such place favourable with birds is the Rann of Kachchh. At a place where the desert merges with the sea, flamingo with their brilliant, pink plumage come in thousands to build nest mounds from the salty mud and raise their young ones.

Question 12.
How does the land influence the vegetation cover of India?
Answer:
Land affects the natural vegetation directly and indirectly. The nature of land influences the type of vegetation. The fertile level is generally devoted to agriculture. The undulating and rough terrains are areas where grasslands and woodlands develop and give shelter to a variety of wildlife.

Question 13.
Which human activities are disturbing the ecosystem?
Answer:
The following human activities are disturbing the ecosystem :

• Indiscriminate cutting of trees and clearing the forest areas, i.e., deforestation.
• Excessive hunting of animals.
• Overgrazing by animals.
• Rapid rise in population leading to overexploitation of resources.

Question 14.
What is a biome?
Answer:
Biome means plant community occurring in distinct groups in areas having similar climatic conditions. In other words, a very large ecosystem on land having different types of flora and fauna is termed as biome. The biomes are categorized or identified on the basis of plant species.

Question 15.
How has the soil influence the vegetation cover of India?
Answer:
The soils also vary over spaces. Different types of soils provide basis for different types of vegetation. The sandy soils of the desert support cactus and thorny bushes. While wet, marshy, deltaic soils support mangroves and deltaic vegetation. The hill slopes with some depth of soil have conical trees.

Long Answer Type Questions

Question 1.
How do the forests play both a productive and protective role?
Answer:
Productive Role of Forests :

• The forests supply us wood, pulp, cellulose, packaging material etc. to run a number of industries like paper industry, packaging industry etc.
• We obtain a number of consumer goods like fuel wood, timber, medicinal herbs, resins, gums, lac and honey from our forests.
• Forests control the wind force and temperature and cause rainfall.

Protective Role of Forests :

• Forests help in maintaining the ecological balance and providing pollution free air.
• These help in checking soil erosion and raising the water table which receding presently at a faster rate.
• These provide humus to the soil and make it fertile.
• These provide manure to the plants as their leaves and stems after they die, decompose in a natural way.

Question 2.
What are the different steps taken by the government to protect flora and fauna?
Answer:
The different steps taken by the government to protect flora and fauna are :

• Eighteen biosphere reserves have been set up in the country to protect flora fauna.
• The Sunderbans in the West Bengal, Nanda Devi in Uttarakhand, the Gulf of Mannar in Tamil Nadu and the Nilgiris have been included in the world network of biosphere reserves.
• Financial and technical assistance is provided to many botanical gardens by the government since 1992.
• Project Tiger, Project Rhino, Project Great Indian Bustard and many other eco-developmental projects have been introduced by the government.
• 103 National Parks, 535 Wildlife Sanctuaries and Zoological Gardens are set up to take care of natural heritage.

Question 3.
Write a short note on wildlife in India.
Answer:
India is also rich in its fauna. It has approximately 90,000 animal species. The country has about 2,000 species of birds. They constitute 13% of the world’s total. There are 2,546 species of fish, which account for nearly 12% of the world’s stock. It also shares between 5 and 8 per cent of the world’s amphibians, reptiles and mammals.

The elephants are the most majestic animals among the mammals. They are found in the hot wet forests of Assam, Karnataka and Kerala. One-horned rhinoceroses are the other animals, which live in swampy and marshy lands of Assam and West Bengal. Arid areas of the Rann of Kachchh and the Thar Desert are the habitat for wild ass and camels respectively. Indian bison, nilgai (blue bull), chousingha (four-horned antelope), gazel and different species of deer are some other animals found in India. It also has several species of monkeys.

India is the only country in the world that has both tigers and lions. The natural habitat of the Indian lion is the Gir forest in Gujarat. Tigers are found in the forests of Madhya Pradesh, the Sundarbans of West Bengal and the Himalayan region.

Question 4.
What is the importance of biosphere reserve? What are its objectives?
Answer:
Biosphere reserves are a series of multipurpose protected areas linked through a global network, intended to demonstrate the relationship between conservation and development. The main purpose of biosphere reserve is conservation of flora and fauna.
The main objectives are :

• Preserving plant and animal species of the area in natural forms.
• To protect flora and fauna from their overexploitation.
• To save endangered species and prevent extinction of valuable species.
• To undertake research and experimentation in forestry.

Question 5.
Describe how rainfall and relief influence the vegetation of an area.
Answer:
Factors like rainfall and relief influence the natural vegetation of an area.
Rainfall: In India, almost the entire rainfall is brought in by the advancing southwest monsoon (June to September) and retreating northeast monsoons. Areas of heavy rainfall have more dense vegetation as compared to areas of less rainfall.

Areas with more than 200 cm of annual rainfall have tropical evergreen rainforests. Tropical moist deciduous forests are found in areas with 100 to 200 cm of rainfall. Tropical dry deciduous forests are found in areas receiving rainfall between 100 cm and 70 cm. In regions with iess than 70 cm of rainfall, the natural vegetation consists of thorny trees and bushes.

Relief: The type of vegetation found in an area depends upon the relief or landform of the area. The fertile level lands of plains are generally devoted to agriculture. Much of the natural vegetation is cleared or altered in such areas. Grasslands and woodlands develop in areas with undulating and rough terrains. Mountainous areas have succession of vegetation types according to the altitude of the area.

Question 6.
Give a brief description of Tropical Evergreen Forests.
Answer:
Tropical Evergreen Forests are found in areas receiving heavy rainfall of over 200 cm, well-distributed throughout the year. They are also known as rainforests.
The warm, wet climate throughout the year supports luxuriant vegetation of all kinds including trees, shrubs and creepers.
The trees grow very tall, reaching a height of 60 metres or even above. As the trees grow very close to each other, they form a thick canopy. The different types of vegetation form a multilayered structure.
The climate supports a large number of broad-leaved trees of different species. Ebony, mahogany, rosewood, rubber, cinchona, etc. are commercially important trees.
These trees do not shed their leaves at the same time as there is no distinct dry season.
This makes the forests evergreen as they retain their green look throughout the year.